CHAPTER 13 Computers in Society: Today
Paperless Government Progress The Government Paperwork Elimination Act of 1998 demands that government agencies ". . .provide for electronic submission, maintenance, or disclosure of information as a substitute for paper and for the use and acceptance of electronic signatures." To date, three agencies are testing the use of digital signatures. These include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Veterans Affairs Department, and the Environmental Protection Agency. By using digital signatures, users can be assured that data is accurate and not altered en route. According to the Act, agencies must be able to accept authenticated e-transactions by 2003. If you wish to send government agencies electronic documents, you must have a digital signature on file with the agency.
Internet Privacy Bill Members of the United States Congress on both sides of the aisle seem to agree that some type of privacy legislation is needed to protect personal information collected over the Internet. Legislation has been introduced in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate that would require Web sites to notify people how personal data are to be used. The laws are expected to ask Web sites to give visitors an option to "opt out" of any use of their personal information. The e-commerce community continues to lobby for self-regulation, but early signs are that some type of privacy legislation will be enacted.