Digital Discourse / Archives for Laura Greenback

Commission Calls For More Streamlined, Accountable Standards for Online Learning

April 18, 2013 By

A commission led by former education secretary Richard Riley is leading an effort to make online learning more streamlined and accountable.

The panel, called The Commission on the Regulation of Postsecondary Distance Education, released a report Thursday calling for a simplified process that would make it easier for students to take online classes from institutions in other states. The report says:

“Unless alternatives are developed to the current 50+ state compliance system, many providers may choose to limit the states where distance education is offered, thereby denying access to students who otherwise would not have those educational opportunities.”

Streamlining the regulations for online learning would also make it easier to ensure that the classes meet criteria for institutional quality, consumer protection, and institutional financial responsibility. The report says:

“… concerns persist regarding possible abuses in the delivery of distance education that may require specific forms of government oversight that is not now being consistently and coherently provided.”

Today, 30% of college students will take least one online course during their educational career. Now is the right time to make it easier and more accessible for them to fulfill their degree requirements.

View the full report, called “Advancing Access through Regulatory Reform: Findings, Principles, and Recommendations for the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Education, Education Policy, Policy Tagged With: ,

SIIA Webcast Tomorrow: What does Tuesday’s SCOTUS Decision in Kirtsaeng v Wiley mean for publishers, copyright holders and consumers?

March 20, 2013 By

The Supreme Court issued its decision Tuesday in the critical Kirtsaeng v. Wiley case, in a ruling that will send a tremor through the publishing industries, harming both U.S. businesses and students around the world.The ruling threatens U.S. publishers by enabling importers to exploit pricing models that are meant for students in undeveloped nations and flood local markets.

Find out what it really means for publishers, copyright holders and consumers in a webcast tomorrow with Keith Kupferschmid, SIIA General Counsel and SVP, Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement.

Details:
Date: Thu, Mar 21, 2013
Time: 02:00 PM EDT
Duration: 45 minutes
Host(s): Keith Kupferschmid, SIIA General Counsel and SVP, Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement.
More information

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Intellectual Property Tagged With: , ,

SIIA Applauds Sens. Leahy and Lee for Introducing ECPA Reform Legislation

March 19, 2013 By

SIIA thanks Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Lee (R-UT) for introducing a bill today to update the antiquated Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and protect Americans’ online privacy in today’s networked world.

The bill would level the playing field for “cloud computing,” by ensuring that electronic correspondence stored remotely with an Internet company in the “cloud” receives the same level of protection afforded letters, photos and other private material stored in a drawer or filing cabinet, or on a computer at home.

ECPA was enacted 27 years ago with good intentions, but the world of communications and computing is a different place today. In 1986, there was no such thing as email, and Americans had not yet begun storing personal information online. Congress must make passing ECPA reform a priority this year, so that Americans can trust that their private online information is protected from overzealous law enforcement intrusion.

Requiring law enforcement to obtain a search warrant before obtaining Americans’ email and other private online communications is critical to bring U.S. law into the 21st Century.  SIIA urges the House and Senate to expeditiously enact this legislation.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Privacy Tagged With: , ,

Reps. Schiff & Goodlatte: Thanks for the IP Protection Shout Out

February 25, 2013 By

SIIA thanks Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) for urging Congress to help protect IP. Last week, they sent a letter to fellow representatives that highlighted the economic impact of copyright theft, and asked for participation in the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus. Schiff said in a statement to POLITICO that the caucus will continue working to cut the cash flow for pirating websites.

SIIA looks forward to working with administration and congressional leaders to fight intellectual property theft and protect American businesses, exports, and jobs.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Anti-Piracy, Policy, Policy - Intellectual Property Tagged With: , ,

SIIA buys UK Specialist Media Show, Schedules Fall Conference in London

February 19, 2013 By

SIIA is happy to announce that we have bought the Specialist Media Show, a UK-based organizer of live and online events and resources for consumer and B2B publishers.

The Specialist Media Show has showcased digital media innovation at events for niche publishers since 2010. The next event, Specialist Media Conference, will take place April 24 at the British Library. SIIA’s acquisition will take effect after the event.

SIIA also announced in November that it has merged with the Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA), a membership organization serving the needs of niche publishers in the US and Europe. SIIA and SIPA members will work closely with the Specialist Media Show to create joint networking opportunities in Europe.

SIIA is planning a media & publishing summit in September 2013, in London, which will bring together the communities of SIIA, SIPA and the Specialist Media Show.

Launched in May 2010, the Specialist Media Show caters to the needs of niche consumer and business publishers in learning about how to adapt their business to digital media, with workshops, conference, exhibitions and online resources. The live events have generated an online community of specialist publishers with access to practical resources and networking.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Content Division @SIIAContent.

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Filed Under: Content, SIIA News, SIPA

Obama on Patent Reform: We’re Not Done Yet, Patent Trolls Need to be Reined In

February 15, 2013 By

SIIA thanks President Obama for taking on patent trolls in yesterday’s Google+ Hangout. Obama said that patent reform was only a partial fix to the patent troll problem, and argued that more needs to be done to stop these abusive patent lawsuits. He said:

“[Patent trolls] don’t actually produce anything themselves. They’re just trying to essentially leverage and hijack somebody else’s idea and see if they can extort some money out of them.”

Though the passage of the America Invents Act in 2011 was an effective first step in addressing the problem of abusive patent litigation by trolls, we agree with Obama that more must be done. Patent trolls continue to damage the economy, hurt America’s tech industry, and threaten innovation. Obama continued:

“There’s a delicate balance between protecting intellectual property and making sure people aren’t ruined financially by patent trolls. What we need to do is pull together additional stakeholders and see if we can build some additional consensus on smarter patent laws.”

In December, SIIA joined with several other trade associations in issuing a call for action against abusive patent lawsuits, in a letter to the Congressional leaders who led the passage of patent reform in 2011. We welcome any opportunity to build consensus on this vital issue.

Watch the full Hangout:

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Intellectual Property Tagged With: ,

Reed Elsevier and Intel Offer Free Data Privacy Resource for Teens in Honor of Data Privacy Day

January 24, 2013 By

SIIA member companies Reed Elsevier and Intel are supporting privacy education by offering free downloads of a data privacy book for teens. The book, “LOLOMG,” will be available for free from January 25-29, in honor of Data Privacy Day (January 28).

The book, available here, teaches high school students what they need to know about online reputation management, digital citizenship and cyberbullying. It describes the various privacy risks young people face online, and helps them take steps to protect themselves.

Data Privacy Day is an effort to empower people to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint. It is spearheaded by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and its partners.

Read more about Data Privacy Day and online privacy protection for teens.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Education, Policy, Policy - Privacy, Software Tagged With:
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