Who cares about Internet law and policy?

• Author: Doyle, Marilyn
• Position: Online Law

How familiar are these stories?

"When I got to work this morning, our Internet service was down. There was almost nothing I could work on without my online databases and email."

"The place we went for holidays had no Internet or cell phone service. Wow, did I ever feel cut off from the world!"

These stories remind us of how integral the Internet has become in our lives. As a result our ears prick up when we hear such headlines as:

* Canadian government under international pressure to pass controversial Internet surveillance bill

* Internet freedom debate intensifies at UN conference

* Supreme Court Protects Privacy and the Cyberbullied in Discovery Judgment Clearly, Internet law and policy has the potential to impact us.

Let's look at some of the key online sources dealing with areas of law that are related to the Internet. We'll begin with three broad-based organizations.

A good place to start is the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC). Through student-centered research and advocacy, this clinic at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law represents consumer and other public interests in such areas as intellectual property, consumer protection in e-commerce, domain name governance, personal information protection and privacy. Within each topic area there are links to FAQs, relevant news articles and background commentary as well as information on law reform, litigation, CRTC proceedings, PIPEDA complaints, and CIPPIC projects.

If you want to expand your research to explore what is happening in the United States and internationally, a frequently referenced source is the Electronic Frontier Foundation. EFF focuses on civil liberties issues related to technology. Their work involves defending digital rights in the courts, advising policymakers and educating the press and the public.

On a more basic level, MediaSmarts is dedicated to digital and media literacy. Its goal is that young people become informed digital citizens that are not just safe, but savvy. It provides materials for teachers, parents and others who work with youth. Some specific digital issues covered are cyberbullying, cyber security, online marketing, intellectual property, gambling, pornography and privacy. Although its target audience is young people, anyone could learn a lot on this site.

Then there are resources that focus on specific Internet-related issues. We'll examine:

* copyright;

* privacy;

* consumer issues; and

* identity theft.

The wide...