Author: john

Nonbudsman?

This is a little late, but it looks as though CBS News has created a somewhat independent ombudsman position in the form of a blog called “The Public Eye.” The hopes are that the blog will:

create a candid and robust dialogue between CBS News journalists and the public [through the moderation by] veteran reporter and media writer Vaughn Ververs…

evidently the name “nonbudsman” was chosen to make the position seem more independent. Yet it’s not clear how CBS will avoid the previous problems with ombudsmen (sans non). Often an ombudsman offers the public someone within the organization to complain to, and those within the organization someone to ignore. While the idea of an internal watchdog sounds excellent (and is perhaps desired by the public), it’s difficult to give ombudsmen the teeth needed to make a more responsible organization. As we saw in the case of Dan Rather, competition (and PR) can often do the most effective job.

Perhaps rather than going with “nonbudsman” they could have chosen “ombudsperson.” 🙂

Links:

Wireless access in America

August has been a traveling month for me: the AEJMC conference in San Antonio and also a family trip to Washington DC. I had hoped to blog about both trips, but unfortunately wireless access is difficult to come by in many American cities. Even a search for free access points in San Antonio didn’t offer any help (except for sending me on a long, hot walk).

Perhaps my expectations of “ubiquitous wireless access” are a bit unreasonable, but it seems to me as though the need to create a national information must be addressed.

Privacy

Two amazing articles jumped out at me the other day:

Government Uses Color Laser Printer Technology to Track Documents
If you have a color printer, you may notice tiny yellow type–the serial number of your printer.

This strikes me as nothing short of amazing, considering that anonymous speech has been a cherished American ideal since the time of the early colonial press (anonymous letters and columns were commonly printed and carried some weight with the public). From corporate scandals, to underground newspapers, to private mailings…the ability to use the modern press absent the fear of retribution (from the government or any other body) should be an essential feature of our modern communication landscape.

Homeland Security To Launch RFID Systems At Border Crossings
Non-citizen visitors (even those with visas) who cross American borders will be required to post a card on their dashboard containing a chip which allows the vehicle to be tracked when entering/leaving the country.

Yet this may allow the chips to be tracked anywhere within the country (perhaps by a highway patrol person). The safety of our country is indeed a concern (especially at the borders), but it should not come at the cost of infringing on individual liberty to freely move about our lands as long as they do so within the law. To me, this sort of rule falls under the “do unto others…” principle.

General Comment
Modern technology gives us the potential to manage a vast amount of the data in our lives. Yet when this data is created in an individually-identifyable way, convienence may turn into danger. When data is collected covertly, under federal requirement, or in an opt-out manner, it removes one’s right live and express his or herself in an environment without fear of criticism or punishment.