Being Most Wired in a Down Economy
Source: Hospitals & Health Networks

These are strange times for clinical information technology. On one hand, providers are being urged to step on the gas, with the federal government poised to distribute $20 billion in stimulus funds to wire doctors, hospitals and patients. On the other hand, the economic crisis is forcing many hospitals to hit the brakes on capital investments. Even this year’s 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems are torn between building on their IT successes and keeping a sharp eye on budgets.
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This edition of Hospitals & Health Networks marks the 11th release of the list of 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems, which is based on the annual Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study. Hospitals are named to the list based on a detailed scoring process. This year’s survey was made possible through a partnership among H&HN, McKesson Corp., the American Hospital Association and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. The survey asks hospitals to report on how they use information technology to address five key areas: safety and quality, customer service, business processes, workforce, and public health and safety. This year, 556 hospitals and health systems completed the survey, representing 1,314 hospitals. Along with the 100 Most Wired, H&HN uses the results to name the 25 Most Improved, the 25 Most Wireless and the 25 Most Wired—Small and Rural.

+ 100 Most Wired
+ The Most Improved
+ The Most Wired-Small and Rural
+ The Most Wireless

Entertainment in the UK in 2028
Source: Ofcom

The UK entertainment sector is, and will remain, a major user of spectrum. In this study we assess the spectrum requirements for both the distribution and production of entertainment by 2028. We then compare spectrum demand with likely supply, identify problems of increased scarcity, and suggest possible ways of dealing with them.

In doing this it is impossible to predict with any certainty what the UK entertainment sector will look like in 20 years time - technology is rapidly changing the types of entertainment services which are possible and expanding the ways in which they might be delivered. To deal with this uncertainty we have produced a small number of scenarios for the likely state of UK entertainment in 2028. Our aim is to bring together economic, social, technology, regulatory and business drivers in a coherent way so as to span the space of possible states of the sector 20 years from now.

+ Entertainment in the UK in 2028 - Final Report (PDF; 2.2 MB)
+ Entertainment in the UK in 2028 - Annexes A-C (PDF; 1.2 MB)
+ Entertainment in the UK in 2028 - Annexes D-G (PDF; 1.3 MB)

Predicting Social Security numbers from public data
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Information about an individual’s place and date of birth can be exploited to predict his or her Social Security number (SSN). Using only publicly available information, we observed a correlation between individuals’ SSNs and their birth data and found that for younger cohorts the correlation allows statistical inference of private SSNs. The inferences are made possible by the public availability of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File and the widespread accessibility of personal information from multiple sources, such as data brokers or profiles on social networking sites. Our results highlight the unexpected privacy consequences of the complex interactions among multiple data sources in modern information economies and quantify privacy risks associated with information revelation in public forums.

+ Full Paper (PDF; 1.4 MB)

Hat tip: PW

The FCC and Broadband: The Next 230 Days — Commission Meeting Presentation (PDF; 1.3 MB)
Source: Federal Communications Commission
From Chairman Julius Genachowski, Prepared Remarks on National Broadband Plan Process (PDF: 98 KB):

If we do our jobs right and enable universal broadband that’s fast, affordable, and open, we can unleash new waves of innovation that we can scarcely imagine today –in the network and at the edge of the network.

If we do our job right, we can accelerate economic growth, create jobs, and ensure that we have a sustainable economic engine in the U.S. We can unlock the power of spectrum to make America a world leader in mobile services and technologies. We can connect small businesses so that theycan compete everywhere, improve educational opportunities, help deliver better health care and cleaner energy at lower cost, and extend the benefits of the broadband revolution to our police and firefighters who depend upon communications for protecting their own safety and ours.

But just because we can imagine a bright future for America, built on universal broadband, does not mean we can just sit back and wait for it to happen. The sad reality is that we are slipping behind as a nation when it comes to broadband. Homes and businesses in manyother countries have faster connections for lower prices. It will take real effort and dedication and a long-term commitment to renew American leadership and competitiveness for the 21st century.

High Speed Internet Enables Growth, Job Creation and Good Governance
Source: World Bank

+ Access to affordable broadband Internet and mobile phone services enables development across all levels of the economy and society

+ Governments should work with the private sector to accelerate rollout of broadband networks, and to extend access to low-income consumers

+ Information technology services industries create jobs, especially among youth

+ Modern, technology-enabled governments are more efficient, transparent and responsive

Selected chapters available; full report available for purchase.

U.S. Department of Education Study Finds that Good Teaching can be Enhanced with New Technology
Source: U.S. Department of Education

Providing further evidence of the tremendous opportunity to use technology to improve teaching and learning, the U.S. Department of Education today released an analysis of controlled studies comparing online and face-to-face instruction.

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified over 1,000 empirical studies of online learning. Of these, 46 met the high bar for quality that was required for the studies to be included in the analysis. The meta analysis showed that “blended” instruction – combining elements of online and face-to-face instruction – had a larger advantage relative to purely face to face instruction or instruction conducted wholly online. The analysis also showed that the instruction conducted wholly on line was more effective in improving student achievement than the purely face to face instruction. In addition, the report noted that the blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions.

+ Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies (PDF; 819 KB)

Briefing on the Interception Modernisation Programme
Source: London School of Economics: Policy Engagement Network, Information Systems and Innovation Group (via The Register)
From Abstract:

In this briefing we aim to provide some depth of understanding of the nature of the Home Of?ce?s latest proposals on communications surveillance. We are sympathetic with the needs of the law enforcement community and we agree with the Home Office that the communications environment is changing. However we question whether the Home Office fully understands the extent to which the way in which surveillance activities are authorised would change were its wishes granted, in turn leading to a tipping of the balance in favour of state power and away from the individual. We are also concerned that there is a significant under-estimate of the burdens being placed on Communication Service Providers at a time where elsewhere in government there is a demand for universal broadband internet provision which industry is supposed to fund. This report was not drafted to respond to the Home Office’s Consultation document, but rather we are adding more expertise to the public deliberation on this policy. The report is the result of research we conducted with key experts across the UK and internationally.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 932.1 KB)

FTC Provides Views on Behavioral Advertising to House of Representatives Subcommittees
Source: Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission today sent a copy of a recent staff report, “Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising,” to two subcommittees of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce that are holding a joint hearing on behavioral advertising. A letter on behalf of the Commission that accompanied the report states that the FTC “has actively encouraged industry to embrace new measures relating to behavioral advertising to inform and empower consumers and is monitoring developments” so that consumers’ privacy is protected. The letter and report were sent to the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

The FTC staff report discusses the privacy concerns surrounding behavioral advertising, including the invisibility of the data collection to consumers and the risk that the information collected – including sensitive information regarding health, finances, or children – could fall into the wrong hands or be used for unanticipated purposes. The report also addresses the potential benefits of behavioral advertising to consumers, including the free online content that advertising generally supports, and personalization that many consumers may value.

+ Text of the Commission Letter (PDF; 138 KB)
+ Text of the FTC Staff Report (PDF; 411 KB)

Digital Britain: The Final Report
Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

From the Introduction:
Yesterday, on 15 June 2009, 20 hours of new content were posted on YouTube every minute, 494 exabytes of information were transferred seamlessly across the globe, over 2.6 billion mobile minutes were exchanged across Europe, and millions of enquiries were made using a Google algorithm. The Digital World is a reality in all of our lives. In this report we underscore the importance of understanding, appreciating and planning for this reality and we seek to achieve the following:

An analysis of the levels of digital participation, skills and access needed for the digital future, with a plan for increasing participation, and more coherent public structures to deal with it.

An analysis of our communications infrastructure capabilities, an identification of the gaps and recommendations on how to fill them.

A statement of ambition for the future growth of our creative industries, proposals for a legal and regulatory framework for intellectual property in a digital world, proposals on skills and a recognition of the need for investment support and innovation.

A restatement of the need for specific market intervention in the UK content market, and what that will demand of the BBC and its role in Digital Britain. What that means for the future of the C4 Corporation. An analysis of the importance of other forms of independent and suitably funded news, and what clarification and changes are needed to the existing framework.

An analysis of the skills, research and training markets, and what supply side issues need addressing for a fully functioning digital economy.

A framework for digital security and digital safety at international and national levels and recognition that in a world of high speed connectivity we need a digital framework not an analogue one.

A review of what all of this means for the Government and how digital governance in the information age demands new structures, new safeguards, and new data management, access and transparency rules.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 3 MB)

Facebook, YouTube+: How Social Media Outlets Impact Digital Terrorism and Hate
Source: Simon Wiesenthal Center

The recent arrests in the tragic murders of Stephen Tyrone Jones at the U.S. Holocaust Museum and Dr. George Tiller at his Kansas church uncovered more evidence of how viral hate online incubates, empowers and emboldens violent bigots. With over one and a half billion users (almost one quarter of the world’s population), the Internet is the prime means of communication and marketing in the world. The Internet’s unprecedented global reach and scope combined with the difficulty in monitoring and tracing communications make it the prime tool for extremists and terrorists. The Simon Wiesenthal Center has been monitoring these developments for over a decade through its Digital Terrorism and Hate Project.
At a press briefing on Thursday June 18, at 11:00 a.m., the Wiesenthal Center will present Facebook, YouTube +: How Social Media Outlets Impact Digital Terrorism and Hate, a report that confirms again that as the Internet has grown, the escalation of extremist sites has kept pace in number and in technological sophistication especially with developments in dynamic new social networking services.

Sites such as Facebook and YouTube have both seen a huge proliferation of extremist use with the greatest increase coming from overseas, particularly Europe and the Middle East. The CD-ROM report, released annually, is designed to assist law enforcement, public officials, educators, parents and the news media to better grasp the scope of hate. The report is used by the FBI, Homeland Security, military officials, hate crime units and joint terrorism taskforces in the U.S. as well as Canada and Europe.

+ Full Report (PDF; 3.7 MB)

From the Summary:

“Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere” uses a unique methodology that blends link analysis, term frequency analysis, and human coding of individual blogs to investigate the online discussions taking place across the Middle East and North Africa. Internet & Democracy project director Bruce Etling and his team, with Morningside Analytics founder and Berkman affiliate John Kelly, and co-authors Robert Faris and John Palfrey, identified a base network of approximately 35,000 active blogs (about half as many as found in their previous study of the Persian blogosphere), created a network map of the 6,000 most
connected blogs, and with a group of Arabic speakers hand coded 4,000 blogs.

The goal for the study was to produce a baseline assessment of the networked public sphere in the Arab Middle East, and its relationship to a range of emergent issues, including politics, media, religion, culture, and international affairs. Whereas the previous study of the Persian blogosphere revealed a network organized primarily around political ideologies and topical issues, such as reformist and conservative politics, religion, and poetry, the Arabic blogosphere is organized primarily around countries. Moreover, personal life and local issues are the most important topics of discussion: most bloggers write mainly personal, diary-style observations, but when writing about politics, bloggers tend to focus on issues within their own country. Bloggers link to Web 2.0 sites like YouTube and Wikipedia (English and Arabic versions) more than other sources of information and news available on the Internet. The overall picture is one of country-based groupings of blogs focused on domestic issues.

Direct to Key Findings and Full Text Report (62 pages; PDF)

Source: Berkman Center for Internet & Democracy

Privacy Impact Assessment Handbook Version 2.0
Source: Information Commissioner’s Office
From the Overview:

Why do a PIA?
Organisations take considerable care to manage a variety of risks, including competitive manoeuvres by other corporations, natural disasters, environmental contamination, cyber-attacks, and the risk of embarrassment to executives and Ministers. ‘Issues management’ has emerged as a common activity based on contingency planning.

Government and corporate reputations can be fragile and easily undermined. In order to maintain and enhance their reputations these organisations need to act responsibly in relation to key issues like privacy, and to be seen to be acting responsibly. Experience shows that once an organisation’s reputation is damaged and trust is lost it is then very hard to regain that trust.

For many organisations, privacy now poses risks which need to be professionally managed in a similar way to other categories of risk. Organisations that handle personal data need to monitor their ongoing operations, whether they are dealing with clients, employees, or the public in general.

In summary, the reasons an organisation undertakes a PIA are as follows.

• Identifying and managing risks.
• Avoiding unnecessary costs.
• Inadequate solutions
• Avoiding loss of trust and reputation.
• Informing the organisation’s communications strategy.
• Meeting and exceeding legal requirements.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 494.6 KB)

Social Connectivity in America. Changes in Adult Friendship Network Size from 2002 to 2007 (PDF; 478 KB)
Source: American Behavioral Scientist (forthcoming)

There is some panic in the United States about a possible decline in social connectivity. We use two American national surveys to analyze how changes in the number of friends are related to changes in Internet use. We find that friendships continue to be abundant among adult Americans between the ages of 25 to 74 and to have grown from 2002 to 2007. This trend is similar among Internet non-users, light users, moderate users, and heavy users – and across communication contexts: offline, virtual only, and migrating from online to offline. Heavy users are particularly active, having the most friends both on- and off-line. Intracohort change consistently outweighs cohort replacement in overall growth in friendship.

Online Advertising: Rustlers and Sheriffs in the New Wild West (PDF; 422 KB)
Source: Harvard Business School Working Papers (book chapter: Beautiful Security, O’Reilly Media)

Read the news of recent computer security guffaws, and it’s striking how many problems stem from online advertising. Advertising is the bedrock of web sites that are provided without charge to end users, so advertising is everywhere. But advertising security gaps are equally widespread: from “malvertisement” banner ads pushing rogue anti-spyware software, to click fraud, to spyware and adware, the security lapses of online advertising are striking. During the past five years, I have uncovered hundreds of online advertising scams defrauding thousands of users—not to mention all the web’s top merchants. This chapter summarizes some of what I’ve found—and what users and advertisers can do to protect themselves.

From “Treading Water” to “Losing Ground” 2009 TMT Global Security Survey
Source: Deloitte LLP

Losing Ground
The last edition of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT Global Security Survey found that many TMT companies were only just managing to keep up with the growing threats in information security, despite increased spend. What effect does the current economy have on digital security, and what efforts do TMT companies undertake to address the growing number of threats they are facing?
…
Key findings of the survey
The TMT industry is feeling the pressure of the global recession, which is having a profound effect on their spending. Last year’s survey reported that many TMT companies were just managing to keep their heads above water when it came to security. This year’s results indicate companies are explicitly scaling back, which is having a detrimental impact on all aspects of TMT security.

The survey revealed the following key findings:

• Security investment is spiraling down with the economy
• Social networking adds to the list of insider threats
• Outsourcing outpaces security
• Going public about privacy
• Regulatory issues are moving to the forefront
• Virtual and physical security worlds are colliding

+ Key Findings (PDF; 1 MB)
+ Full Report (PDF; 2.2 MB)