CyberTelecom News Weekly
Federal Internet Law and Policy :: An Educational Project
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. - Plato
Adickman, Cary E., Special Access: The Harm of Premature Deregulation in Telecommunications (December 1, 2012). Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2012, SSRN :: Keyword: [Broadband]
Special access is a high-capacity, dedicated network connection leased from a telecommunications carrier. The Federal Communications Commission regulates the price of special access under its statutory mandate, but has taken substantial steps to relax these 100Gbps Transport – Costs of Network Complexity Override Early Adoption Price Points, Level3 :: Keyword: [Broadband]
Even though current costs of 100Gbps hardware technology have not yet achieved a break-even point vs. 10Gbps technology, service providers are actively investing in these high capacity transport technologies. Why? Simple — the rapid and exponential demand for capacity is forcing service providers to seek more efficient, lower-cost transport infrastructures as they strive to meet demand from bandwidth hungry services such as media and content. Larouche, Pierre, Five Neglected Issues About Network Neutrality (December 30, 2012), SSRN :: Keyword: [Neutral]
From the vast and on-going network neutrality discussion, this contribution picks five neglected issues, which could affect the terms of the debate. After a brief introduction to the state of play in the EU (1.), it deals with market definition as it relates to the relationship between the ISP on the Fee changes and IPv6 address return, ARIN :: Keyword: [IPv6]
See Link Google Announces DNSSEC Support for Public DNS Service, CircleID :: Keyword: [DNSSEC]
"We launched Google Public DNS three years ago to help make the Internet faster and more secure.Today, we are taking a major step towards this security goal: we now fully support DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) validation on our Google Public DNS resolvers. Previously, we accepted and forwarded DNSSEC-formatted messages but did not perform validation. With this new security feature, we can better protect people from DNS-based attacks and make DNS more secure overall by identifying and rejecting invalid responses from DNSSEC-protected domains." FTC Clarifies Obligations of Product Reviewers, But Does Not Ease Concerns, Citizens Media Law Project :: Keyword: [Ecom]
On March 12, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission released a new guidance paper entitled ".com Disclosures: How to Make Effective Disclosures in Digital Advertising." The new FTC guidance updates a prior FTC release from 2000 relating to disclosures in online advertising. The new guidance also provides some answers to questions raised by the agency's 2009 Guides Concerning the Use of ITIF Assesses Potential Overhaul of U.S. Internet Tax Policy, ITIF :: Keyword: [Tax]
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released a report today analyzing the current state of Internet tax policy and the packages being considered to assist policymakers and the public in making better decisions on how to reform the system. A Policymaker's Guide to Internet Tax provides a comprehensive review of the proposals and their potential impacts on innovation and economic growth in the Internet sector. CenturyLink Confirms Usage Caps - 150 GB for 1.5 Mbps Lines, 250 GB For Anything Faster, dslreports :: Keyword: [Century Link]
CenturyLink has confirmed with Broadband Reports that there are usage caps in place for residential users. A thread in our forums contained more than a few users who were confused about the caps; some users saying they'd been warned and even disconnected -- while other heavy users had never been warned. Some are even being told when they call in that the company does not have any caps on their service. CenturyLink VP Shares Rationale for 100G Network Upgrade, Telecompetitor :: Keyword: [Centurylink]
CenturyLink VP Shares Rationale for 100G Network Upgrade Data center connectivity requirements and burgeoning residential broadband traffic are driving CenturyLink’s 100G packet optical network expansion announced today. “Deploying 10G has become too much work,” said Pieter Poll, CenturyLink senior vice president of national and international network planning, engineering and construction, in an.. Comcast Speed Increases Hit California - 12/2 to 25/5, 25/4 to 50/10, 50/10 to 105/20, dslreports :: Keyword: [Comcast]
Comcast today stated that customers in California will now be seeing some of the speed upgrades we've been seeing deployed elsewhere around the country at no extra cost. Specifically, Comcast's Blast tier is going from 25/4 Mbps to 50/10 Mbps, their Extreme tier will be going from 50/10 Mbps to 105/20, and their Performance tier will be going from Is This The Next Google Reader?, Huffpo :: Keyword: [Google]
As Google Reader fans freaked out over the announcement that their beloved RSS reader would die in July, social-news site Digg on Thursday said it would build a replacement. The new RSS feed is part of the site's longterm reinvention, Digg explained in a blog post on Thursday. Unintended Consequences Of Google Reader Shutdown: Losing Key Tool To Get Around Censored Internet In Iran & China, Techdirt :: Keyword: [Google]
Last night, after posting the story about Google Reader being shut down, I received an email from someone in China, telling me that it was an even bigger deal for him, because "even with a VPN it can be very difficult to access outside news sites," but that the Great Firewall doesn't block Google Reader -- so that's his one way of reading outside news. And Killing Google Reader is like killing the bees: we'll all be worse off, Guardian :: Keyword: [Google]
It's a mistake to think that just because a small number of people use a product that they don't matter - and Google's attempt to push Reader users to Google+ is a mistake too 'Keep Google Reader Running' Petition Hits 100K; Fans Audition Replacements, NPR :: Keyword: [Google]
Google's announcement this week that it will kill its Reader product on July 1 prompted moans of despair from those who rely on the free RSS service to monitor headlines. To illustrate the level of dependency they've come to feel, some are comparing the move to Google abandoning search. Our Commitment to Compliance, Microsoft :: Keyword: [Microsoft]
Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government is reviewing allegations that Microsoft business partners in three countries may have engaged in illegal activity, and if they did, whether Microsoft played any role in these alleged incidents. North Korea Suffers Outage, Renesys :: Keyword: [N Korea]
Earlier this morning, North Korea accused the United States of conducting a cyber attack that disrupted their Internet connectivity. While the details remain unknown, we can confirm that, in the last two days, North Korea's sole Internet provider has had ongoing problems staying connected to the global Internet. We'll summarize some of our evidence in this blog entry. Supreme Court OKs $222K Verdict for Sharing 24 Songs, Wired :: Keyword: [P2P]
The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a jury's conclusion that infamous file-sharer Jammie Thomas-Rasset pay the recording industry $222,000 for downloading and sharing two dozen copyrighted songs on the now-defunct file-sharing service Kazaa. Google Drive goes down for many users, CNET :: Keyword: [Cloud]
Google's status page showed a service disruption for the online storage site that left many people unable to access their online files. Google Drive suffers outage Monday morning, CW :: Keyword: [Cloud]
It's been a tough Monday morning for some Google Drive users who have been dealing with a service outage. Senate Commerce Committee to FCC, "The Game is Changing. Are We Keeping Up?", PK :: Keyword: [FCC]
On Tuesday, the Senate Commerce Committee held its first FCC oversight hearing of the year. All 5 Commissioners attended and Senators discussed their laundry list of priorities and pet projects. While Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) pressed hard on funding for FirstNet, there were several other topics important to the public interest addressed in the hearing. White House narrowing field for FCC chairman, WAPO :: Keyword: [FCC]
When last we checked in on the FCC chairmanship, it seemed that the White House was in no rush to replace Julius Genchowski, the current head of the agency. Bambauer, Derek E., Ghost in the Network (March 12, 2013). University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 162, 2014;, SSRN :: Keyword: [Security]
Cyberattacks are inevitable and widespread. Existing scholarship on cyberespionage and cyberwar is undermined by its futile obsession with preventing attacks. This Article draws on research in normal accident theory and complex system design to argue that successful attacks Feds: No Warrant Needed to Track Your Car With a GPS Device, Wired :: Keyword: [Big Brother]
The President Barack Obama administration is claiming that authorities do not need court warrants to affix GPS devices to vehicles to monitor their every move. Rules of cyberwar: don't target nuclear plants or hospitals, says Nato manual, Guardian :: Keyword: [Cyberwar]
Handbook drawn up for Nato's Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is first attempt to codify how international law applies to state-sponsored online attacks The Internet Association Statement on Bipartisan Leahy-Lee ECPA Reform Bill ECPA law must be updated for the digital age, Internet Association :: Keyword: [ECPA]
The Internet Association, the unified voice of the Internet economy, representing the interests of leading global Internet companies including Airbnb, Amazon.com, AOL, eBay, Expedia, Facebook, Google, IAC, LinkedIn, Monster Worldwide, Rackspace, salesforce.com, TripAdvisor, Yahoo!, and Zynga, issued the following statement regarding Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introducing a bill today that would reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). The Internet Association supports updating the ECPA privacy law. Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives on privacy legislation, Google :: Keyword: [ECPA]
This morning Richard Salgado, Legal Director of Law Enforcement and Information Security, will testify before a House Judiciary Subcommittee about the need to bring a key privacy law into line with how people use the web today. Senate “Dream Team” Introduces ECPA Reform Bill, CDT :: Keyword: [ECPA]
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced a bill that would reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). This Senate “Dream Team” will give ECPA reform a strong boost: Leahy, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and original author of the 1986 ECPA, is joining forces with Mike Lee, a Tea Party favorite, and a strong voice for Constitutional rights when the Committee marked up a nearly identical bill last year. Federal Judge Finds National Security Letters Unconstitutional, Bans Them, Wired :: Keyword: [NSL]
Ultra-secret national security letters that come with a gag order on the recipient are an unconstitutional impingement on free speech, a federal judge ruled Friday New NIST Cybersecurity Framework: Your Input Needed, Internet2 :: Keyword: [NIST]
See link U.S. NIST's vulnerability database hacked, CW :: Keyword: [NIST]
A U.S. government computer vulnerability database and several other websites at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have been down for nearly a week after workers there found malware on two Web servers. Massive bot network is draining $6 million a month from online ad industry, says report, Gigaom :: Keyword: [BOTS]
A London analytics firm says it has identified a bot network that is tricking marketers into showing billions of ads every month to phantom visitors. The botnet reportedly relies on more than 120,000 infected Windows computers located in the U.S., and appears to represent a sophisticated scheme to defraud the advertising industry. PREPARED REMARKS OF FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI, TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS POLICY TASK FORCE WORKSHOP, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. OCHJG, FCC :: Keyword: [PSTN]
See linked OPENING REMARKS OF COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI AT FIRST TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS POLICY TASK FORCE WORKSHOP. OCAP, FCC :: Keyword: [PSTN]
see linked IP Transition: Network Evolution Will Bring Enormous Benefits, Verizon :: Keyword: [PSTN]
Today the FCC will hold its first workshop in its proceeding on technology transitions. My colleague Tom Maguire will appear on one of the panels looking at the transitions underway in the industry. Tom is a 30-year veteran of Verizon and Senior Vice President of National Operations. He is passionate about the exciting changes happening in our industry and the way Verizon has chosen to embrace them, while at the same time looking out for the needs of our customers. Telegram for the FCC: Time to Retire the Telephone Network, Forbes :: Keyword: [PSTN]
Today, the FCC convenes the first meeting of its “Technology Transitions Policy Task Force,” a new intra-agency group announced in December by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
CyberTelecom News Weekly
Federal Internet Law and Policy :: An Educational Project
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. – Mark Twain
Netflix ISP Speed Index, Netflix :: Keyword: [Broadband]
More than 33 million global members view over 1 billion hours of TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix per month. We use the data associated with the streaming experience to compare ISPs and give you monthly insight into which ISPs deliver the best Netflix experience. Broadband’s Leverage in the U.S. Economy, USTelecom :: Keyword: [Broadband]
no description WISPA Requests The FCC To Prevent High-Power Network Operator From Using Unlicensed Spectrum, WISPA :: Keyword: [Wifi]
Fear that interference may jeopardize network operators, unlicensed devices, consumers and businesses Regulators back T-Mobile USA’s Metro deal, FT :: Keyword: [Wireless]
Justice department said its antitrust division had decided the combination was ‘unlikely to harm consumers or substantially lessen competition’ Digital Literacy: New Literacy?, Forbes :: Keyword: [Literacy]
Access to information, and changing norms around opportunity are altering the landscape of education. Concurrently, the old paradigm of earning a degree to sufficiently signal qualification –in perpetuity– is changing. BITAG Announces Next Technical Topic on Congestion Management, BITAG :: Keyword: [Neutral]
Today, the Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (BITAG) announced its next technical review, focused on the topic of real-time Internet network traffic management practices used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for purposes of congestion management. The review and subsequent report will address those traffic management practices based on subscriber behavior and/or type of application being used. ANNOUNCEMENT OF DATE OF MEETING OF THE OPEN INTERNET ADVISORY COMMITTEE., FCC :: Keyword: [Neutral]
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on May 7, 2013, starting at 9:30 A.M. (CST) in Room 107 at the Searle Center on Law, Regulation, and Economic Growth, Northwestern University School of Law, Wieboldt Hall, 340 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611. A Connection for All Ages: Enabling the Benefits of High-Speed Internet Access for Older Adults, AARP :: Keyword: [Data]
Recent surveys show that many older adults do not have a high-speed Internet connection at home. This is a problem in today’s digital world because high-speed connectivity enables a new generation of applications and services that promise vast opportunities and benefits. TAIKWOK YUNG v. Trump, Dist. Court, ED New York 2013, Fed Court :: Keyword: [ACPA]
Defendant ACPA Counterclaim granted where "Plaintiff is a self-described "domainer,"" registered trumpabudhabi.com, trumpbeijing.com, trumpindia.com and trumpmumbai.com Who Runs the Internet? ICANN Attempts to Clarify the Answer With This Map, CircleID :: Keyword: [ICANN]
ICANN has released a "living" graphic aimed to provide a high-level view of how the internet is run attuned for those less familiar with the inner workings of the internet infrastructure ecosystem. Quoting from the document: New Domain Names Herald Latest Land Grab, Forbes :: Keyword: [ICANN]
Over the weekend, I read with some interest about how the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is entertaining applications by individual corporations to control new top-level domain names. FTC Staff Revises Online Advertising Disclosure Guidelines, FTC :: Keyword: [Advertising]
"Dot Com Disclosures" Guidance Updated to Address Current Online and Mobile Advertising Environment Libraries in the digital age, Pew :: Keyword: [Education]
Research analyst Kathryn Zickuhr will discuss libraries in the digital age at the edUi 2013 plenary. AT&T is Not Invincible, PK :: Keyword: [AT&T]
The ill-considered bill in Georgia that would have prevented local communities from investing in their own broadband networks was defeated last night, and this is great news. Google Transparency Report Highlights Just How Much We Don't Know About National Security Letters, EFF :: Keyword: [Google]
In an unprecedented win for transparency, yesterday Google began publishing generalized information about the number of National Security Letters that the company received in the past year as well as the total number of user accounts affected by those requests. Of all the dangerous government surveillance powers that were expanded by the USA Google Will Pay $7 Million To Settle Street View Data Capturing Case, NPR :: Keyword: [Google]
Google also agreed to delete the private data its vehicles collected while photographing streets. Google has faced similar issues in Europe, where the U.K. decided it had broken the law. Europe Hits Microsoft With $731 Million Fine Over Browser Options, NPR :: Keyword: [Microsoft]
Microsoft blames the fine on sloppy coding in a service pack update that blocked a feature to offer users the choice of a competitor's Internet browser. Congressional Internet Caucus Meets on Copyright and Piracy, CSPAM :: Keyword: [Copyright]
The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee held a meeting on Internet piracy and copyrights, to discuss the alerts that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will soon be sending to users whose accounts have been used to download copyrighted material. Why It's Suddenly Illegal to "Unlock" Your New Cell Phone, Commlawblog :: Keyword: [DMCA]
White House, FCC gang up on Librarian of Congress, seek reversal of recent rule. Fifteen Years of DMCA Abuse, EFF :: Keyword: [DMCA]
Fifteen years after Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and just as legislators and the public are debating the law's dangerous impact on consumers who want to unlock their cell phones, the evidence of much broader negative effects continues to mount. In its latest update to the comprehensive white paper, Unauthorised TV live streaming breaches copyright, rules European court, Guardian :: Keyword: [Video]
TVCatchup defiant despite judgment stating that sites showing live television in the UK must get rights clearance from broadcasters Who will replace Julius Genachowski as FCC chair?, WAPO :: Keyword: [FCC]
List: Tom Wheeler, Karen Kornbluh, Larry Strickling Strahilevitz, Lior, Toward a Positive Theory of Privacy Law (March 7, 2013). Harvard Law Review, Vol. 113, No. 1, 2013, SSRN :: Keyword: [Privacy]
Privacy law creates winners and losers. The distributive implications of privacy rules are often very significant, but they are also subtle. Policy and academic debates over privacy rules tend to de-emphasize their distributive dimensions, and one result is an impoverished descriptive account of why privacy laws look the way they do. Are Teens Really Over Facebook?, Sysomos :: Keyword: [Social Networks]
Social media was once the ultimate digital playground for teens all over the world, but have the times changed? Spy Chief Says Little Danger of Cyber ‘Pearl Harbor’ in Next Two Years, Wired :: Keyword: [Security]
Contrary to much of the fear-mongering that has been spreading through the nation's capital on cybersecurity matters lately, the director of national intelligence bucked that trend on Tuesday when he told a senate committee that there was little chance of ... Attorney general defends handling of Aaron Swartz case, CW :: Keyword: [CFAA]
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder defended the role of the prosecution in the case of the late Internet activist and innovator Aaron Swartz, stating that "there was never an intention for him to go to jail for longer than a three, four, potentially five-month range." Aaron Swartz Remembered As Technology Activist At SXSW, Forbes :: Keyword: [Crime]
Tech luminaries and legal experts remembered Aaron Swartz as a technology and political activist at the South By Southwest conference Friday and called for changes in the legal system that prosecuted him. Virginia ISP Sues Everybody After Being Forced to Compete - Lost Exclusivity Deal Due to Awful Service, Sues Entire County, dslreports :: Keyword: [VA]
Back in 2007 you might recall that there were a lot of complaints about OpenBand, a provider of broadband to housing developments in Loudoun County, Virginia. With help from a local developer, OpenBand apparently convinced a lot of communities to sign exclusive franchise agreements that ran for between 25 to 75 years. While users in these Pew: Latinos Continue to Bridge Digital Divide, USTelecom :: Keyword: [Digital Divide]
Latinos continue to bridge the digital divide with whites, according to a new study by th FCC ANNOUNCES E-RATE INFLATION-BASED CAP FOR FUNDING YEAR 2013, FCC :: Keyword: [Erate]
the E-rate program funding cap for funding year 2013 is $2,380,314,485 Availability of Numbers And the IP Transition, AT&T :: Keyword: [Numbers]
FCC Commissioner Pai confirmed last week during his terrific speech at the Hudson Institute that Chairman Genachowski has circulated a draft order which would initiate a geographically limited trial gradually permitting VoIP providers to get direct access to telephone numbers without having to go through a local exchange carrier. This is a great development on a number of fronts. FCC PROVIDES ADDITIONAL DETAILS REGARDING THE FIRST TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS POLICY TASK FORCE WORKSHOP, FCC :: Keyword: [PSTN]
An Address by FCC Commissioner Ajit V. Pai: Two Paths to the Internet Protocol Transition, Hudson Institute, Youtube :: Keyword: [PSTN]
America's telecommunications infrastructure relies on many technologies, from analog voice communications over circuit switches to packets of information carried by internet protocol. One day, all communications will likely be carried by internet protocol. The issues are: when the transition will occur, and what the legal framework for telecommunications will be during that transition.
CyberTelecom News Weekly
Federal Internet Law and Policy :: An Educational Project
Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense. - Gertrude Stein
Recapping the 2013 Policy Symposium, PK :: Keyword: [Broadband]
February 26th marked the first Public Knowledge Symposium on Capitol Hill. The event was an opportunity for policy makers to hear from and exchange ideas with experts from many fields including data caps, online video, copyright and first sale Susan Crawford, Captive Audience, NAF, Youtube :: Keyword: [Broadband]
The New America Foundation's Media Policy Initiative marks the release of Susan Crawford's Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age. In the book, American Broadband is the Envy of Europe: Part I, Broadband for America :: Keyword: [Broadband]
Recent data makes it hard to dispute that America is a world leader in broadband technologies. Forbes commentary on Susan Crawford’s “broadband monopoly” thesis, TLF :: Keyword: [Broadband]
Over at Forbes we have a lengthy piece discussing “10 Reasons To Be More Optimistic About Broadband Than Susan Crawford Is.” Crawford has become the unofficial spokesman for a budding campaign to reshape broadband. She sees cable companies monopolizing broadband, charging too much, withholding content and keeping speeds low, all in order to Zayo Lights Chicago to Memphis Route with 100G System, Zayo :: Keyword: [Backbone]
Zayo Group announced it has deployed a native 100G Wavelength network on its Memphis to Chicago route. The Memphis to Chicago network route was previously only available to Dark Fiber customers and, with this upgrade, Zayo is now able to expand its Bandwidth Infrastructure services to include Wavelengths and Ethernet between these two markets. If I had a Nickel for Every Infrastructure Investment, NCTA :: Keyword: [Cable]
Cable companies invest billions each year in capital expenditures. These investments go directly to improving products, services, and speeds. So this week’s #broaddata is a simple, straight forward chart showing exactly how much money cable companies have spent over the last 17 years – a FCC Announces Workshop on Gigabit Community Broadband Networks Mar. 27, FCC :: Keyword: [Muni]
Chairman Genachowski announced that the Commission would host workshops designed to analyze successful gigabit network deployments, and to provide information on how industry, local, and state leaders can meet the goals of the Gigabit City Challenge. Testimony of Assistant Secretary Strickling on “Is the Broadband Stimulus Working?”, NTIA :: Keyword: [Stimulus]
Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Eshoo, and Members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to be here to today to update the Subcommittee on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) work to expand access to and adoption of broadband in the United States. Four years after the American Recovery SAY WHAT??? Despite Mounting Evidence, Obama Administration Denies Broadband Stimulus Waste, House Commerce Committee :: Keyword: [Stimulus]
The Communications and Technology Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), today held a hearing to examine reports of waste and misuse in the Obama administration’s $7 billion broadband stimulus program. Although the administration widely proclaimed its 2009 stimulus program would create “shovel ready” projects, four years later, only 60 percent of the broadband funds have been put to use. In addition, there have been numerous allegations of waste and overbuilding. Legislators Grill NTIA Administrator about Broadband Stimulus Projects, Telecompetitor :: Keyword: [Stimulus]
Legislators Grill NTIA Administrator about Broadband Stimulus Projects Members of the House of Representatives had harsh words for broadband stimulus projects in West Virginia and Colorado – and in some cases for the entire stimulus program — at a hearing today titled “Is the Broadband Stimulus Working?” Lawrence Strickling, administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information... Report Shows U.S. Ahead on Freeing Up Spectrum, Telecompetitor :: Keyword: [Wireless]
Report Shows U.S. Ahead on Freeing Up Spectrum In the last year or so we’ve been hearing more and more about an impending spectrum shortage, with some network operators and the FCC saying demand threatens to outpace spectrum availability – a situation that has arisen as a result of burgeoning mobile data growth. But according to a report issued OECD Insights: Stimulating competition through open access networks, OECD :: Keyword: [Open Access]
Even though the term “open access” is widely used in policy discussions surrounding broadband networks, there is little universal agreement as to what it means. A new OECD report helps to shed some light on this important concept by examining how and why open access policies have been implemented in communication markets around the world. The Rise of The Harlem Shake, Sysomos :: Keyword: [Data]
If you keep up to date on what’s hot on the internet, you’ve no doubt stumbled across a Harlem Shake video in the past couple of weeks. The strange videos have quickly become one of the most popular things on the internet and everyone is trying to get in on the action. What’s really interesting about this trend is how quickly it went viral. 10.1 Million .ORG Domains and Counting, CircleID :: Keyword: [DNS]
PIR released the results of the bi-annual domain name report, "The Dashboard," which outlines the growth of .ORG in the second half of 2012. Overall, we had a remarkable year. Most notably, we hit a major milestone in June with the registration of the 10 millionth .ORG domain! Literally IPv6, Potaroo :: Keyword: [IPv6]
As many who have worked with computer software would attest, software bugs come in many strange forms. This month I'd like to relate a recent experience I’ve had with one such bug that pulls together aspects of IPv6 standard specifications and interoperability. China's Internet Censors for Sale, EFF :: Keyword: [China]
What happens when a country's government censors the entirety of its domestic web, with no oversight or transparency? It turns out that politicians aren't the only ones with an interest in repressing free expression--and given a lever of control, a black market of censors quickly emerges. China blames U.S. for most cyberattacks against military Web sites, CNET :: Keyword: [China]
China's Defense Ministry claims that almost two-thirds of the cyberattacks against its military sites have come from the United States. The impact of broadband on global access to education, ITU :: Keyword: [ITU]
According to UNESCO, in 2010, 61 million children of primary-school age, and a further 71 million of lower secondary-school age, were not in school. Research also indicates that 1.7 million extra teachers will be needed to achieve universal primary education. UN chief warns 'new cold war' looms over the internet, Euractiv :: Keyword: [ITU]
A new cold war is brewing between Europe and other northern countries and the rest of the world over internet access, threatening to block talks on cyber security and data protection, the chief of the United Nations' telecommunications authority said. EurActiv reports from the GSMA conference in Barcelona. Nicholas W. Bramble, Safe Harbors and the National Information Infrastructure, , Hastings Law Journal :: Keyword: [Copyright]
In 1995, the Department of Commerce under President Clinton released a 267-page document arguing that strengthened intellectual property enforcement was necessary to ensure the population of the “national information infrastructure” with education, information, and entertainment products. Contrary Copyright Alert System: What Users Need To Know, Verizon :: Keyword: [Copyright]
Earlier this week, the Center for Copyright Information (CCI), whose members include five Internet service providers – Verizon, Cablevision, Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner Cable – as well as artists and content creators like the members of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), announced the launch of the Copyright Alert System. Derek Khanna - Post SOPA Copyright Reform, CITP Princeton, Youtube :: Keyword: [Copyright]
Video It's Time to Legalize Cell Phone Unlocking, White House :: Keyword: [DMCA]
Thank you for sharing your views on cell phone unlocking with us through your petition on our We the People platform. Last week the White House brought together experts from across government who work on telecommunications, technology, and copyright policy, and we're pleased to offer our response. Statement from the Library of Congress Regarding White House Statement Today in Response to a Petition on Section 1201 Rulemaking, LOC :: Keyword: [DMCA]
The rulemaking is a technical, legal proceeding and involves a lengthy public process. It requires the Librarian of Congress and the Register of Copyrights to consider exemptions to the prohibitions on circumvention, based on a factual record developed by the proponents and other interested parties. The officials must consider whether the evidence establishes a need for the exemption based on several statutory factors. It does not permit the U.S. Copyright Office to create permanent exemptions to the law. FCC Chair Genachowski On Copyright Office Position On #DMCA And Unlocking New Cell Phones , FCC :: Keyword: [DMCA]
"From a communications policy perspective, this raises serious competition and innovation concerns, and for wireless consumers, it doesn't pass the common sense test. The FCC is examining this issue, looking into whether the agency, wireless providers, or others should take action to preserve consumers' ability to unlock their mobile phones. I also encourage Congress to take a close look and consider a legislative solution." White House Supports Unlocking Phones -- But the Real Problem Runs Deeper, EFF :: Keyword: [DMCA]
The White House has come out today in support of legalizing the unlocking of cell phones for use on different carriers, saying it makes "common sense" that "all consumers deserve that flexibility." The statement came as a response to a recent petition that received over 114,000 signatures. Cell Phone Unlocking: The Root of the Problem (and Solution) is in Copyright, PK :: Keyword: [DMCA]
Yesterday, the White House responded to a We the People petition on phone unlocking, stating that consumers should be able to unlock their cell phones and tablets. This puts the administration in line with a large number of consumers who are upset that the Library of Congress refused to exempt phone unlocking (modifying phone software so consumers can FCC To Examine Federal Ban On Unlocking Cellphones, NPR :: Keyword: [DMCA]
Chairman Julius Genachowski said he is unsure if his agency has the authority to review laws passed, but he said he was concerned that the ban might be harmful to competition. State of Social Media, Pew :: Keyword: [Media]
Mary discussed the Pew Internet Project’s latest research on Americans’ use of social media, including how different demographic groups use various platforms. Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission, Senate Commerce Comm :: Keyword: [FCC]
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold a hearing on March 12, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. titled “Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.” Google And Facebook Ignore "Do Not Track" Requests, Claim They Confuse Consumers, Forbes :: Keyword: [Privacy]
How should a company respond if a consumer politely asks it to stop tracking his or her behavior on the company’s website? Hearing: The Cybersecurity Partnership Between the Private Sector and Our Government: Protecting our National and Economic Security March 7, Senate Commerce Comm :: Keyword: [Security]
Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today announced that he will chair a hearing, along with Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on March 7, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. entitled “The Cybersecurity Partnership Between the Private Sector and Our Government: Protecting our National and Economic Security.” FBI Investigating Unidentified Drone Spotted Near JFK Airport, Wired :: Keyword: [Security]
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday it is investigating an unidentified black drone an Alitalia pilot said he encountered while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport. Whether it was a hobbyist breaking the Federal Aviation Administration's 400-foot-altitude rule or ... Pentagon cyberdefenses weak, report warns, WAPO :: Keyword: [Security]
A new report for the Pentagon concludes that the nation’s military is unprepared for a full-scale cyber-conflict with a top-tier adversary and must ramp up its offensive prowess. FBI data requests to Google outlined in report, CW :: Keyword: [Surveillance]
Some thousand-plus Google users have been subject to FBI security information requests since 2009, the company said Tuesday. The data build on Google's already existing tally of government data requests. Google Says the FBI Is Secretly Spying on Some of Its Customers, Wired :: Keyword: [Surveillance]
The terrorists apparently would win if Google told you the exact number of times the Federal Bureau of Investigation invoked a secret process to extract data about the media giant's customers. That's why it is unlawful for any record-keeper to Thaw, David, Criminalizing Hacking, Not Dating: Reconstructing the CFAA Intent Requirement (February 1, 2013). Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology,, SSRN :: Keyword: [CFAA]
This article addresses a growing problem with existing United States Federal law addressing cybercrime. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 (CFAA), which in part revised earlier (limited) legislation on the subject, is the primary Federal "anti-hacking" statute providing both criminal penalties and (limited) rights of private action for certain unauthorized activities using computers and similar information systems. How much does a botnet cost, and the impact on internet voting, F2T :: Keyword: [Bots]
A brief article on how much botnets cost to rent (more detail here) shows differing prices depending on whether you want US machines, European machines, etc. Interestingly, the highest prices go to botnets composed of US machines, presumably because the owners of those machines have more purchasing power and hence stealing credentials from those Stuxnet worm targeting Iran in works as early as 2005, Symantec finds, WAPO :: Keyword: [Stuxnet]
The secret cyber-sabotage campaign aimed at Iran’s nuclear program may have been in existence as early as 2005 and may have been capable of inflicting more damage than previously known, according to a security firm’s analysis released Tuesday. Ashland Hospital v. Service Employee Union, 6th Cir., Fed. Court. :: Keyword: [TCPA]
No TCPA violation in case where defendant allegedly used an automated "robo-call" campaign that contacted private residents in their homes with a prerecorded message offering to help connect them to KDMC to express concerns over the treatment of hospital employees. The Public Switched Changing Network — The End of the PSTN is Near, Level3 :: Keyword: [PSTN]
Resistance to change is natural. We all have that yearning for the familiar and distrust of the unknown. The changes we resist are a function of our beliefs, knowledge and assumptions. What we resist (and how strongly) often varies based on our level of familiarity with the subject of the change. Copper still has a lot to offer broadband users, Deutsche Telekom exec says, USTelecom :: Keyword: [PSTN]
Thanks to the higher speeds possible using a technology called vectoring, copper networks are still a viable option to cable and fiber, Deutsche Telekom says With Copper Rules, Keep Broadband Goals in Mind, USTelecom :: Keyword: [PSTN]
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"The New America Foundation's Media Policy Initiative marks the release of Susan Crawford's Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age."
