CHAPTER 13 Computers in Society: Today
1998 Child Online Protection Act Dealt Another Blow The Child Online Protection Act bans sending material that is harmful to minors over the Internet. The law was intended to replace the Communications Decency Act, which was held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last year. The bill requires that Web site operators and online services that operate sites directed to children obtain parental consent before collecting information from children under the age of thirteen. A three-judge panel has upheld a lower court injunction against enforcement of the 1998 act. The judges felt the law did not meet the First Amendment standards of free speech. The law has never been enforced. After it was passed and signed by President Clinton, it was challenged by a coalition of 17 groups and businesses represented by the A.C.L.U.
The Cookie Controversy in Washington D.C. Some Web sites collect information about the user and store that information on the user's hard disk in the form of a cookie. The cookie is recalled when the user again visits the site. Cookies typically contain basic user information, site usage information, and/or user preferences. The President of United States has ordered that cookies not be employed by agencies in the Executive Branch. When it came to light that several United States Congresspersons used cookies, members were embarrassed and ultimately revised their systems to disable cookies. Cookies, however, are not considered uniformly bad by everyone because, if used correctly, they can facilitate the interaction between users and sites. The primary controversy revolves around privacy issues and whether or not privacy is being violated.
Super Hacker Mitnick Among Us Once Again Five years ago Kevin Mitnick was caught by the FBI after numerous hacker attacks on major companies and educational institutions. He was sent to prison for five years and was not permitted any contact with computers. Mitnick's probation did not allow him to speak or write about information technology or to hold a job that gave him access to a computer. He successfully challenged these restrictions and now writes for an online magazine and does consulting and speaking in computer security.