Internet: An Overview of Key Technology Policy Issues Affecting Its Use and Growth

Abstract

The growth of the Internet may be affected by a number of issues being debated by Congress. This report summarizes several key technology policy issues. 1. Internet privacy issues encompass concerns about information collected by website operators and by spyware, and about the extent to which law enforcement officials are allowed to monitor an individual's Internet activities. Congress has passed several laws already, but continues to debate what other legislation may be needed. 2. Concerns about computer and Internet security are prevalent in both the government and private sectors. Issues have also been raised about the vulnerability of the nation's critical infrastructures (e.g. electrical power supply) to cyber attacks. Issues for Congress include oversight and improvement of the protection of federal computer systems and cooperation with and between the private sectors. 3. Broadband Internet access gives users the ability to send and receive data at speeds far greater than current Internet access over traditional telephone lines. With deployment of broadband technologies beginning to accelerate, Congress is seeking to ensure fair competition and timely broadband deployment to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. 4. Since the mid-1990s, commercial transactions on the Internet called electronic commerce (e-commerce) have grown substantially. Among the issues facing Congress are encryption procedures to protect e-commerce transactions, extension of the three-year tax moratorium on domestic e-commerce taxation, the impact of the USA PATRIOT Act, and how the policies of the European Union and the World Trade Organization (WTO) may affect U.S. e-commerce activities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 29, 2004
Accession Number
ADA469049

Entities

People

  • Glenn J. Mcloughlin
  • Jeffrey W. Seifert
  • John D. Moteff
  • Lennard G. Kruger
  • Marcia S. Smith
  • Patricia Moloney Figliola

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Commerce
  • Computer Crime
  • Computer Network Security
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Congress
  • Cybersecurity
  • Electronic Commerce
  • Electronic Mail
  • Information Systems
  • Intellectual Property
  • Internet
  • National Governments
  • Network Protocols
  • Public Policy
  • Word Processors

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Economics
  • Government and Public Administration Law.

Technology Areas

  • Cyber
  • Microelectronics