ACLU contests Ore. transit agency's rejection of ad

By Marissa Wells

The Associated Press reports that the American Civil Liberties Union is suing Trimet, the Portland city transit agency, over a rejected advertisement. The ad showed three salmon unable to pass an underwater wall of electrical outlets, accompanied by the text, "Salmon shouldn't run up your electric bill. They should run up the Klamath River." The ACLU, on behalf of conservation groups and the Karuk Tribe of northern California, claims that the ad's rejection violates free speech rights. A Trimet spokesperson responded by stating that they only accept advertisements "focused on selling goods and services." The ACLU, however, stated that they believe the ad was rejected because Trimet doesn't want its buses to be used to debate public issues. A spokesperson for a local conservation group found the argument ridiculous, citing the generally positive attitude towards environmental conservation in the Portland area.

Photograph by Barry Sweet (c) 1998 Associated Press

Royko fan fights for free Iraqi press

By Marissa Wells

The Chicago Tribune reports that Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, the deputy chief of public affairs in Baghdad, is emulating journalism icon Mike Royko by pushing for a free press in Iraq. He's attempting to reverse the journalistic culture created under Hussein's rule, in which the government owned the media and anti-West/anti-Israel propaganda was common. Driscoll says that he's teaching Iraqi journalists "to question things, but also to understand the role of journalism in a free society."

There is still some resistance, however. The Iraqi parliament urged the prime minister shut down the country's largest newspaper and most popular news television network for criticizing the government in 2006, and last summer a Kurdish journalist was detained for allowing stories critical of a human rights organization to be published. Driscoll believes that the Iraqi media is just beginning to develop, though.

Bill Gates: Internet censorship just won't work

By Marissa Wells

According to InfoWorld, Microsoft founder Bill Gates told an audience at Stanford University that, "efforts by countries such as China to restrict the exchange of information on the Internet are ultimately doomed to failure" during a discussion entitled "Software, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Giving Back" on Tuesday. Microsoft has been criticized in the past for cooperating with China's attempts to censor its citizens, including the removal of Zhao Jing's blog for discussing a Chinese newspaper strike. Gates stated that the Internet cannot be controlled, and that, in the long run, free speech will win out. He believes that restricting free speech would curtail business operations, leaving governments with no choice but to eventually give up the fight.

Photograph by Miguel Villagran (c) 2008 Associated Press

Bush Says Companies Need the Protection of the Wiretapping Law

By Marissa Wells

Bloomberg.com reports that President Bush is pushing Congress to pass his wiretapping legislation when its recess ends on February 25th, claiming that "the House's refusal to act is undermining our ability to get cooperation from private companies, and that undermines our effort to protect us from terrorist attacks" in a recent radio address. The House of Representatives, currently controlled by Democrats, has thus far rejected Bush's plan, which would extend wiretapping immunity for telecommunications companies by another six years. The previous wiretapping immunity bill expired on February 16th.

Democrats in the House have claimed that refusing to sign the bill into law would not hurt the war on terrorism, as orders given to telephone companies would continue to be protected for another year. Bush maintains that telecommunications companies must be protected from what he considers to be "abusive lawsuits" in order to prevent another major terrorist attack.

Blocked Pakistan TV station back on air

By Marissa Wells

CNN reports that Aaj TV, a Pakistani cable and satellite television channel, has been allowed to return after being shut down for "upsetting the president" on Friday. Aaj TV had allowed two journalists — Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minaz, who had been banned by the government earlier this month — to appear on the network. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's spokesperson claims that he was unaware of the incident and would look into it, but the channel's executive director says that the government had warned him against allowing the two banned journalists on the air.

Nusrat Javed was banned earlier this month for criticizing President Pervez Musharraf. The reason behind Mushtaq Minaz's ban is unknown.

Photograph by Shiho Fukada (c) 2006 Associated Press

"House bill would curb ISPs' efforts to control Net traffic"

Photograph by Pablo Martinez Monsivais (c) 2006 Associated Press

In an article written by the Associated Press and posted on the First Amendment Center's website, legislation to stop network providers from monitoring and controlling the Internet was proposed. The bill was introduced February 13 to promote Net Neutrality. The bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to determine if Internet providers are "blocking, thwarting, or unreasonably interfering" with the rights of consumers online. It would also determine if some Internet providers are charging unlawful prices. Phone and Internet companies are against the bill. They argue that it would cause harm to innovation and investment on the Internet.

Leah Block

"Attorneys General Urge FTC To Regulate Green Claims"

Photograph by KFP Kacper Kowalski (c) 2007 Associated Press

According to ADLAW by Request, Attorneys General from 10 states have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to regulate market claims that concern carbon emission offsets and Renewable Engergy Certificates (RECs). The FTC has found problems with determining whether funded projects actually reduce carbon in the atmosphere and how RECs are tracked and verified. Some groups want definitive standards to be set, while others want to make sure the guides remain flexible so that marketers can adjust with changing conditions.

Leah Block