Tech 2004: Where the Candidates Stand

By now you've heard Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John F. Kerry stump on everything from the war on terrorism to Social Security. Their positions on tech differentiate them, too: Investigating their views, we found disagreement over the Patriot Act, privacy, and security. But they share opinions on such issues as Internet access taxes and Voice over IP regulation.

Other positions also stand out. For example, Kerry supports some degree of legal liability for hardware or software manufacturers if a customer suffers damages from a security breach due to a flaw in the product. And to improve the health care system's efficiency and cut costs, Bush wants to make most medical records electronic and portable by 2014 (with privacy safeguards).

PC World asked both candidates' campaigns about where they stood on today's top tech issues. We received responses from Senator Kerry in time for print, but did not receive answers from President Bush until after our November issue went to press. (For details, see the answers from the Kerry campaign and from the Bush campaign.) We also scoured their official Web sites and other sites for news, speeches, and position papers to help discern their views.

Privacy Divide

Privacy matters divide the candidates more than any other issue, especially as these concerns relate to powers granted to the government via the USA Patriot Act, which Congress passed shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The wide-ranging act amended several laws, and it created new federal crimes and penalties for acts such as harboring terrorists, and performing certain types of money laundering. It also made it easier for federal law enforcement agents to engage in surveillance and to get access to personal information and communications. Some of the act's provisions will expire unless renewed by Congress by next September.

Bush calls the Patriot Act an "essential" tool in the fight against terrorism, saying it has already led to the filing of hundreds of criminal charges and has made the country safer. He strongly urges Congress to renew the act as it exists.

Kerry claims to be satisfied with 95 percent of the Patriot Act (which he voted for originally), but notes that it hasn't been a "cure-all for the intelligence failures exposed by 9/11." If elected, Kerry says, he will push for the passage of the proposed Security and Freedom Ensured Act, which would amend the Patriot Act by setting limits on law enforcement's access to library, medical, and other records containing personal data.

Bush has said little about the spyware problem. Kerry, in response to our question, said new anti-spyware laws may ultimately be needed, but he prefers a solution grounded in anti-spyware technology, user education, and greater enforcement of existing laws, among other methods. He also said a legal loophole that lets ISPs read and intercept stored e-mail "deserves attention."

Common Ground

Both candidates are enthusiastic about curbing identity theft, and support extending broadband deployment. Bush has promised to bring broadband to "every corner of our country" by 2007. To do this, he proposes opening federal lands for laying fiber optic cable, reducing regulatory hurdles providers face, and permanently banning taxes on Internet access. Kerry was a sponsor of the law that established a moratorium on Net access taxes, and has consistently supported its renewal.

Bush and Kerry approved of 1998's Child Online Protection Act, which mandated that Web sites check age before allowing access to adult content. (The Supreme Court voided some parts of the act.)

For all that we know about the candidates' tech views, there is even more we don't know. Neither one has clearly stated whether they trust electronic voting machines, for example, or how they would enact some of the policies they support. Complete answers may have to wait until 2005.