Nearly half of all calls that 911 emergency centers in Oregon received from wireless phones in June didn’t include accurate location information, said the Find Me 911 Coalition in a news release Tuesday (http://bit.ly/18UTCSH). Calls lacking the information has increased from 36.5 percent of all wireless calls in October 2010 to 45.8 percent in June 2013 based on data released by the FCC, said the coalition. Despite FCC regulations requiring accurate location data to be provided for all calls, 46,660 of 101,787 wireless calls received in June lacked accurate Phase II location information, said the coalition. The Oregon data release has similar findings to information on Phase II calls in California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Utah and North Carolina, and it “points to a growing national problem” in 911 location accuracy, it said. The FCC is scheduled to consider an order on steps to improve the reliability and resiliency of 911 networks nationwide at its Thursday meeting. Carriers have been locked in a fight with the coalition, which they say is funded by technology provider TruePosition and has been spreading bad information to states (CD Nov 19 p1). AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and the Northwest Wireless Association did not immediately comment.
The Digital Trade Act of 2013 would prevent or eliminate cross-border Internet data flow restrictions through the establishment of several negotiating principles aimed at addressing digital trade issues in future U.S. trade agreements, said Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a press release (here). Wyden and Senator John Thune, R-S.D., introduced the legislation on Dec. 10, according to the release. Through the negotiating principles, the legislation would also prohibit localization requirements for data and computing infrastructure and ensure laws affecting platform Internet sites are consistent with U.S. law, said the release.
This year brought good and bad developments in the cyberthreat landscape, said the European Network and Information Security Agency Wednesday (http://bit.ly/1e58zU1). ENISA’s analysis of more than 250 reports and sources found that despite significant changes and “remarkable successes” in combating cyberthreats, the “race between defenders and adversaries has continued and will continue in the future.” The bad news was that threat agents have grown more sophisticated in their attacks and tools, ENISA said. It’s become clear that multiple nations now have the capability to infiltrate all kinds of governmental and private targets to achieve their objectives, it said. Cyberthreats are increasingly going mobile, and new digital battlefields have emerged in big data and the Internet of Things, it said. But there are plenty of positive developments, ENISA said, including: (1) “Impressive” law enforcement successes in shutting down the operator of the Silk Road and arresting the developer of Blackhole, the most popular exploit kit. (2) Better reporting and data on cyberthreats, facilitating threat analysis. (3) Better responses by vendors to threats and vulnerabilities in updates of their products. (4) Extensive discussion of issues related to industrial espionage and state-sponsored surveillance. ENISA said it will incorporate the knowledge gained from its analysis into its upcoming work plan to actively involve end-users in defense against cyberthreats; improve cyberthreat intelligence; increase the speed of threat assessment; and invest in research on better security policies and controls.
As the four primary Farm Bill conferees continue to hammer out legislation details into the December recess, opponents of a Department of Agriculture (USDA) administered catfish inspection program are ratcheting up pressure for the program’s repeal. Lawmakers, trade experts and industry officials claim the program is duplicative, wasteful and in violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. Part of the 2008 Farm Bill, the program requires the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to ensure catfish exporting countries meet USDA equivalency standards in order to export catfish to the U.S., lawmakers and industry officials say. USDA officials have yet to implement the program, however. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently oversees catfish inspection.
The Digital Trade Act would prevent or eliminate cross-border Internet data flow restrictions through the establishment of several negotiating principles aimed at addressing digital trade issues in future U.S. trade agreements, said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. He and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., introduced the legislation Tuesday, they said a news release (http://1.usa.gov/1cBIbOo). They said the bill would prohibit localization requirements for data and computing infrastructure and ensure laws affecting websites are consistent with U.S. law. The Computer & Communications Industry Association and Verizon praised the bill.
After Ministers of World Trade Organization (WTO) member states sealed a multilateral trade package on Dec. 7, a day later than the Bali summit was slated to conclude, U.S. political and industry leaders voiced widespread support. The package expedites customs procedure and reduces costs, shields food hoarding programs from legal dispute and institutes duty-free, quota-free access for least developed country export to wealthier markets, among other provisions, the WTO said (here). The package also delivers assistance to developing and least developed countries to update infrastructure and train customs officials, according to the WTO, adding that the package will increase trade flow and revenue through decreasing global trade costs by 10 percent to 15 percent. The world economic benefit may reach $1 trillion, said the WTO.
Protecting against abuse in the Lifeline program is a worthwhile goal, but protecting against abuse of battered spouses should take priority, said several organizations in comments urging the FCC to drop its home address requirement for people in state confidentiality programs. The Wireline Bureau had sought comment on how the Lifeline accountability database could accommodate victims of domestic violence who wish to keep their residential address out of public records.
The transition to IP technology shouldn’t change the FCC’s core values of ensuring security and public safety, Chairman Tom Wheeler told the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council Wednesday. Voluntary agreements between stakeholders are to be encouraged, but it’s also important to collect data to ensure those agreements are being followed through, he said. “We would rather the multistakeholder process deliver results than us have to step in and use our imperfect wisdom,” but the FCC is “dedicated to being the cattle prod” when necessary, he said.
The European Parliament inquiry into U.S. mass surveillance appears headed toward a wishy-washy conclusion, said several lawmakers Monday at another in a series of webcast hearings by the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee. A co-author of the final report discussed a working document on U.S. surveillance activities regarding EU data and its possible legal implications for existing trans-Atlantic agreements and cooperation. There’s no proof now that the U.S. has abused the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) or Passenger Name Record (PNR) system, said co-rapporteur Axel Voss, of the European People’s Party and Germany, and it’s unclear what would replace them if they're revoked. The few LIBE members present slammed the document for being too deferential to the U.S. and European Commission. Friday, the Centre for European Policy Studies issued policy recommendations it said could help the Parliament fully exercise its duty to safeguard citizens’ privacy rights.
The European Parliament inquiry into U.S. mass surveillance appears headed toward a wishy-washy conclusion, said several lawmakers Monday at another in a series of webcast hearings by the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee. A co-author of the final report discussed a working document on U.S. surveillance activities regarding EU data and its possible legal implications for existing trans-Atlantic agreements and cooperation. There’s no proof now that the U.S. has abused the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) or Passenger Name Record (PNR) system, said co-rapporteur Axel Voss, of the European People’s Party and Germany, and it’s unclear what would replace them if they're revoked. The few LIBE members present slammed the document for being too deferential to the U.S. and European Commission. Friday, the Centre for European Policy Studies issued policy recommendations it said could help the Parliament fully exercise its duty to safeguard citizens’ privacy rights.