June 2014

Tapped in: How your phone gives you up to companies and criminals

[Commentary] A lot has been done to secure major Web services and Internet applications, particularly on the PC. But one of the lessons we have learned was that for every data leak that has been plugged by the major websites, another springs up on mobile.

And mobile devices are the ones that face the greatest risk of surveillance and attack -- not so much from the National Security Agency, but from companies and criminals looking to track and target individuals on a smaller scale.

Public Wi-Fi has become an integral part of how mobile devices’ apps work. Apple and Google have both configured their mobile services to leverage Wi-Fi networks to improve their location services, and mobile and broadband companies offer public (and unencrypted) Wi-Fi networks to either offload users from their cellular data networks or extend the reach of their wired network services. Comcast, for example, has been expanding its Xfinity broadband networks by turning access points at homes and businesses into public Wi-Fi hotspots for subscriber access.

That’s great for customers’ convenience, but it also opens up a potential vector of attack for anyone who wants to get in the middle of broadband users’ Internet conversations. We demonstrated one potential Wi-Fi threat during our testing -- using a rogue wireless access point broadcasting the network ID (SSID) “attwifi” prompted AT&T iPhones and Android devices with default settings to automatically connect to them.

Will 2014 Be the Year Wireless Charging Goes Mainstream?

[Commentary] The Internet of Things looms as possibly the most disruptive shift in technology since the creation of the Internet itself. Analysts estimate that up to 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected by 2018.

According to recent reports, the average US household already charges up to 10 devices at any one time, and that number is expected to rise as the number of connected devices continues to surge. Imagine charging multiple devices, including a smartphone, tablet and smartwatch on a single surface -- no more fussing around with multiple chargers and outlets.

Wireless power, which allows users to charge multiple electronic devices without the use of a cable, promises to finally cut the cord for good. While wireless power technology has been around for some time, its evolution from first-generation inductive technology to second-generation resonant technology is now promising to take it mainstream. And because it will be easier to charge multiple devices at the same time, wireless charging makes sense for the burgeoning IoT marketplace such as fitness trackers, wearables and health monitors. Consumers would soon have the ability to charge their devices nearly everywhere.

[van der Lee is Director, Product Marketing, Broadcom]

Satellite company gets government OK to sell higher-resolution images

DigitalGlobe, the only American provider of high-resolution satellite imagery, announced that it had received permission from the United States Department of Commerce to sell its “highest-quality” images.

DigitalGlobe already has two orbiting satellites that can provide images of 41 cm and 46 cm and will be able to release new images from those satellites immediately. The company has another satellite launch planned for August 2014; that satellite can image objects with a resolution of 31 cm (just over a foot). Under the new government regulations, however, DigitalGlobe won’t be able to sell imagery from the new bird until six months after launch.

The Colorado-based firm is one of the top providers of satellite images to the United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (USNGIA).

Statement by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler on Broadband Consumers and Internet Congestion

For some time now we have been talking about protecting Internet consumers. At the heart of this is whether Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that provide connectivity in the final mile to the home can advantage or disadvantage content providers, and therefore advantage or disadvantage consumers.

What we call the Open Internet rule on which we are currently seeking comment is one component of this. If adopted, the new rule would prohibit bad acts such as blocking content or degrading access to content.

This kind of activity within an ISP’s network has traditionally been the focus of net neutrality. But there is another area of Internet access, and that is the exchange of traffic between ISPs and other networks and services.

The recent disputes between Netflix and ISPs such as Comcast and Verizon have highlighted this issue. We don’t know the answers and we are not suggesting that any company is at fault. But what is going on and what can the FCC do on behalf of consumers? Consumers pay their ISP and they pay content providers like Hulu, Netflix or Amazon. Then when they don’t get good service they wonder what is going on. Consumers must get what they pay for. As the consumer’s representative we need to know what is going on.

I have therefore directed the Commission staff to obtain the information we need to understand precisely what is happening in order to understand whether consumers are being harmed.

FCC Review of ISP Slow-Downs Only a First Step

The Federal Communications Commission has announced an enhanced review of the new access fees that Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon have recently demanded from sites and services such as Netflix.

Chairman Tom Wheeler announced at the monthly open meeting that the agency would gather information from ISPs about all such access-fee arrangements, but said the Commission would provide no further guidance or written notice of this inquiry.

Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood made the following statement: "Demanding more transparency from Internet service providers is a step in the right direction. But it's not enough. The FCC also needs to protect Internet users from abuse and arm them with any information it finds in this investigation. By slowing down content from some of their video competitors, phone and cable companies have duped untold numbers of consumers into purchasing faster and pricier tiers of service. But selling users more expensive services won't fix a problem that the ISPs create elsewhere in the network.”

Here’s how people are watching the World Cup -- without cable

Like many popular television programs, online viewing is still only available to those who can prove they also subscribe to cable or satellite television bundles of channels.

That's true for many sports programs and HBO hits such as "Game of Thrones."

But increasingly, consumers are finding ways to defy the requirements of cable companies. And a niche industry has emerged offering software that helps consumers cut the cable cord but still get the content they want online. “Tired of cable? Cut the cord! Learn how to watch LIVE sports without cable here," software company Ghost Path VPN marketed on its blog and through tweets and messages on Facebook.

Through a simple software download, consumers can create virtual private networks that mask or change one's location. The VPN services have also become popular for consumers seeking privacy and security against hackers.

The use of VPNs to watch sports programs do not violate copyright laws, according to John Bergmeyer, a staff attorney at Public Knowledge. But ESPN or other networks with distribution rights to the programs could determine that use of "geo-blocking" services like VPNs violate their terms of service, he said.

Verizon Says It Wants to Kill Net Neutrality to Help Blind, Deaf, and Disabled People

Verizon lobbyists are canvassing Capitol Hill with a curious new argument against network neutrality -- it hurts disabled people.

The odd pitch comes as the Obama Administration is mulling a plan to scrap net neutrality -- the idea that Internet service providers should treat all websites equally -- and instead allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to create Internet "fast lanes" for companies that can afford to pay for speedier service.

The proposal, which is under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission, has sparked a massive public outcry, including an "Occupy the FCC" protest and a letter signed by 150 tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Netflix, opposing the plan.

Three Hill sources tell Mother Jones that Verizon lobbyists have cited the needs of blind, deaf, and disabled people to try to convince congressional staffers and their bosses to get on board with the fast lane idea.

But groups representing disabled Americans, including the National Association of the Deaf, the National Federation of the Blind, and the American Association of People with Disabilities are not advocating for this plan. Mark Perriello, the president and CEO of the AAPD, says that this is the "first time" he has heard "these specific talking points."

Pressure, potential for a federal shield law

Though the Supreme Court has refused New York Times journalist James Risen’s appeal that he should not be made to testify in a government leak prosecution, efforts to pass a federal media shield law are gathering steam.

On June 11, more than 70 media organizations sent a letter to Senate leadership demanding a vote on a law that’s been sitting around since it passed the Judiciary Committee since last September. And in late May, the House approved an amendment proposed by Rep Alan Grayson of Florida that forbids the Justice Department from spending money to force a journalist to testify about a source.

“I think we’re really close, and the Risen situation really highlights the need for the law,” said David Cuillier, president of the Society of Professional Journalists, one of the signatories on the letter to the Senate. “There might be some senators who are still undecided and still on the fence, but I hope that they’ll now realize this is long overdue.”

Google Fiber gets green light to operate network in Portland, Ore.

Google Fiber overcame a major hurdle in bringing its service to Portland (OR) as the City Council voted 5-0 to approve a franchise agreement, reports the Portland Business Journal.

Under the terms of the 10-year agreement, which extends until 2024, the city will allow Google to begin plotting out where it would place huts that would house electronics to deliver services to residents and "fiberhoods."

One of the key pieces of getting the agreement done was that Portland city commissioners had to agree to tone down some of their restrictions on the placement of utility cabinets along rights of way. Although the franchise agreement was approved, there's no promise that Google Fiber will actually deploy service in Portland.

"This franchise agreement is an important step along the path to Fiber, so it's great that it's been approved," Google spokeswoman Jenna Wandres told the Portland Business Journal in an email. "There's still a lot of work to do beyond this one agreement, but we hope to provide an update about whether we can bring Fiber here later this year."

Univision Held Preliminary Sale Talks with CBS, Time Warner

The owners of Univision Communications, in their search for an exit, have held preliminary discussions in recent weeks with several media companies, including CBS and Time Warner, according to people familiar with the matter.

Univision is controlled by a consortium of investors including billionaire Haim Saban. The owners are seeking north of $20 billion for the company, according to people familiar with the matter. The group bought Univision for $13.7 billion, including debt, in early 2007.

Univision has long been the dominant Spanish-language broadcaster in the US. The broadcaster's owners had been expected to take the company public in a stock offering in 2015, paving the way for them to exit, though those plans aren't set yet.

The owners had also looked to Mexican media conglomerate Grupo Televisa, which owns a minority stake of Univision and supplies much of its programming, as a possible buyer. Televisa's ability to acquire Univision rests on changes in regulatory rules capping foreign ownership in broadcasters at 25%.

While the Federal Communications Commission voted to allow exemption to that cap on a case-by-case basis last fall, a person familiar with the situation said the regulatory climate for a Televisa acquisition remains uncertain. It is also unclear whether Televisa is interested in buying the company.

Propelled by the country's rapidly growing Hispanic population, Univision's flagship network was the only one of the top five networks to increase its prime time viewership in the 2012-13 season in the coveted 18-49 demographic.

Benton

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