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Citation Format [Vol.] PGH. J. Tech. L. & Pol'y [Art. #]Contact Information Joseph Ernst, Editor-in-ChiefAlexis Unkovic, Executive EditorVincent Mersich, Executive EditorJournal of Technology Law & Policy
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CURRENTS, Featured Articles on Pressing IssuesCURRENTS is a regularly updated resource of short, member-authored pieces that discuss a novel issue in technology law, providing analysis and research direction. CURRENTS is a supplement to the regular publishing of JTLP that occurs each law school semester. If you are interested in being a guest writer for CURRENTS, please contact Joseph Ernst, Editor-in-Chief. 
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION: IS THE RISK WORTH THE REWARD? 04/03/2008
“First-to-Invent” Versus “First-to-File”: Which Patent System is Best for the U.S.? by Stephen DiLorenzo 02/21/2008 The United States is the only country in the world which still awards patents under a “first-to-invent,” rather than under a “first-to-file” system. If identical bills S.1145 and H.R.1908, both titled “Patent Reform Act of 2007,” are passed into law, the “first-to-invent” patent system will officially become extinct. One of the main provisions of the Patent Reform Act of 2007 modifies 35 U.S.C §102 and converts the United States patent regime to a “first-to-file” system. Opponents of the “first-to-file” system argue that “[t]he first to invent principle is the jewel in the crown of [the U.S.] system. It is based on ultimate and unequivocal fairness.” While proponents of the change argue instead that “the U.S. first-to-invent system[] ‘yields results that are inherently unstable and unpredictable.’" (footnotes omitted) ...more
Weather Modification Law and Technology in the United States: A Need for Further Research by Stephen DiLorenzo 01/15/2008 The 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, will be a display of athletic excellence and, for the first time on an international stage, technological advances in weather modification. The Chinese Meteorological Administration (CMA) plans to fire hundreds of rockets containing silver iodine and dry ice capsules into the upper atmosphere to bring rainfall prior to the opening ceremonies on August 8, 2008. This is not a new practice in China, which invests more than $40 million in weather modification technology annually. In the United States, however, controversy over the effectiveness and safety of weather modification has limited the use of this technology...more
Organ Donation: Opt in or Opt out?by Tracy Pfeiffer University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D. expected 2008. 11/07/2007 With great advances in the science of organ transplantation, many lives can be saved from conditions that would have otherwise been considered fatal. Living donors can donate entire kidneys and portions of other regenerative organs such as the liver, lung, intestine, and pancreas. Full portions of these organs as well as others such as the heart, bone, cornea, and tendons can be harvested from donors shortly after they are declared dead. Unfortunately, there are not enough donors to meet the demand for these organs ...more
Should We Regulate Assisted Reproductive Technology? by Tracy Pfeiffer University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D. expected 2008. 11/07/2007
The Use of Auto-Dialers and Pre-Recorded Messages by Debt Collectors by Jessica M. Gulash An Automated Dialer and Recorded Message Player (“ADRMP”) is a machine which automatically dials a phone number and then plays a pre-recorded message to the individual who answers the phone. Although ADRMP technology has been in use since at least the early 1990s, the legality of its use by debt collectors has recently been called into question ...more
The Genetic Nondiscrimination Act of 2007: The Necessity of a Preemptive Strikeby Tracy Pfeiffer Congress is considering The Genetic Nondiscrimination Act of 2007 which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment. If passed, this legislation would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit employers and issuers of health insurance from ...more
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act’s Effects on the Online Gambling Industryby Jessica M. Gulash Internet gambling in the United States has become extremely popular over roughly the past ten years. Although it is currently illegal both for Internet gambling companies to operate in the United States and for people in the United states to place bets on the Internet, it is estimated that approximately eight million Americans gamble online ...more
A “Sirius” Decision: History and Facts of the XM / Sirius Satellite Radio Mergerby Todd M. Pappasergi On February 20, 2007, the world of satellite radio was turned on its head, as the two major competitors in the market, XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc. (XM) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Sirius) announced that the two companies will merge. The new company, which will continue to produce Sirius’ flagship Howard Stern program ...more
Digital Audio Radio Services (DARS), and the Affect of a Monopoly on the Marketplaceby Mark Johnson Sirius Satellite Radio has proposed to buy its chief rival, XM Satellite Radio in a proposed $5 billion transaction. It is speculated that such a merger would reduce costs of operations for the two companies since they would have the opportunity to share resources, but how much and when, is still rather up in the air. However, such a merger would also create a virtual, if not literal, satellite radio monopoly in the United States. ...more
Morality and Technology: “Over-the-counter” easier said than doneby Jessica M. Gulash Emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, consists of increased doses of certain oral contraceptive pills which women can take to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse or in cases where the chosen contraception has failed. ...more
Cities providing Wi-fi to residents – broadband socialism or wireless freedom?by Julia DiPasquale Cities across the country have been exploring and implementing wireless broadband access for local business and residents. While this may seem like a wonderful move initially, cities have been faced with opposition by local phone and cable companies who have quickly become up in arms about the threat to their business as internet service providers. ...more
Demand Response Technology – What it is and why it’s importantby Julia DiPasquale Until very recently much of the information regarding demand response activities and statistics was unavailable. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 had a goal of making such information more accessible and required the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to report on the status of demand response activity in the United States. ...more
Unlocked Cell Phones: Copyright Infringement or Freedom from Unnecessary Business Controls?by Julia DiPasquale The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was first issued in 1998 and is used to prevent the evasion of technological measures that protect copyrighted works against unauthorized access. Cell phone providers have taken advantage of the DMCA to guard against user access to their firmware, which is protected under copyright ...more
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