The idea comes from Chairman William E. Kennard as part of a package of solutions to address the growing demand for radio spectrum. The idea drew praise in February at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association convention, but now is drawing increasing fire. As concerns grow about privacy on the Internet, Lessig suggests that the solution lies not in policy, but in technology. The Federal Trade Commission is urging Congress to implement rules that force Web sites to give notice about information practices and offer consumers a choice about how their information is used. The solution he proposes is based on the creation of better code.
Internet Surfing the Internet is about to become a little less solitary.
A new piece of software called Firetalk allows anyone visiting a Web site to speak with anyone else visiting the same Web site. Created by Multitude, a San Francisco-based company, the free software allows computer users to set up teleconferences on the Web. The service, which already has 1.6 million users, is part of a growing trend to take advantage of the Internet to create free voice services. Online Journalism Ananova is a news droid, a virtual newscaster created by the British Press Association. The flurry of interest suggests Ananova might be telling us something about the future of information.