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December 20, 2012

Policy Watch

U.S., other nations refuse to sign U.N. telecom treaty
The U.S., U.K. and other countries have refused to ratify a U.N. telecommunications treaty that some say would lead to greater government control over the Internet. The treaty was signed by about 90 U.N. countries. "We stand with the countries who refuse to sign this treaty and also with the millions of voices who have joined us to support a free and open Web," Google said in a statement. The Hill/Hillicon Valley blog (12/13) , Bloomberg (12/14) , ABC News/The Associated Press (12/14)

Feds plan to take legal route to fight cybercrime
The U.S. government is aiming to arrest and prosecute international cybercriminals and to identify governments that steal intellectual property, and is training dozens of special prosecutors to handle the legal effort. "Whether it is a state-owned enterprise or a state-supported enterprise in China -- if you can figure out and prove that they've committed the crime, charging the company means they can't do business in the U.S., or in Europe," said John Carlin of the Justice Department's national security division. Defense News (12/18) , The Register (U.K.) (12/20)

Senate considers cyberstalking regulations on smartphone apps
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., has proposed the Location Privacy Protection Act, which would make cyberstalking software for smartphones illegal. The Software & Information Industry Association opposes the legislation, saying the industry can implement effective, voluntary codes of conduct to prevent the tracking of individuals through mobile devices. USA Today/The Associated Press (12/13) , PCWorld (12/13)

Technology Trends

Global economy takes a toll on technology innovation
Governments and businesses around the world will spend less on researching and developing new technologies and products next year, according to a forecast from the nonprofit Battelle Memorial Institute, which blames the decline on national debts and economic uncertainty. The U.S. is expected to spend $423.7 billion on R&D in 2013, slightly less than this year when adjusted for inflation. Spending on academic research is expected to grow at a slower pace. The Wall Street Journal (12/17)

Report: U.S. tech is expected to fall behind Asia
Technology will play a crucial role in how the world develops in coming decades, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's report "Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds." The U.S. is predicted to fall behind Asia by 2030 when it comes to technology investment. Big Data looms as a dominant technology for countries worldwide. Computerworld (12/12)

Career & Workforce Development

Experts lament shortcomings of cybersecurity internship programs
A cybersecurity internship can help students, but the stints often are too brief to provide the basic defensive and countermeasure training needed, experts say. "Students need to learn continuously when it comes to IT security. Whatever they learn during the internship would be irrelevant by the time they come out and work, due to the fast-paced nature of the industry," said Steven Miller, dean of the School of Information Systems at Singapore Management University. ZDNet (12/19)

SmartQuote

To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness."

--Bertrand Russell,
British philosopher, mathematician and historian

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