February 2016

February 25, 2016 (Net Neutrality Compromise)

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Today's Events:

International Conflicts of Law Concerning Cross Border Data Flow and Law Enforcement Requests, House Judiciary Committee: https://www.benton.org/node/234680
An Introductory Survey of Business Models in Building Broadband Public-Private Partnerships, Coalition for Local Internet Choice: https://www.benton.org/node/234459
Digital Globalization, panel at New America Foundation: https://www.benton.org/node/234496

EDUCATION
The White House and Michelle Obama Release $250M ‘Open eBooks’ App for Title I and Special Education Teachers

INTERNET/BROADBAND
   Reps Compromise on Net Neutrality Transparency Waiver
   Google Fiber coming to San Francisco, using someone else’s fiber
   Comcast responds to Huntsville's (AL) Google Fiber announcement [links to Benton summary]
   West Virginia Passes Middle-Mile Network Broadband Plan [links to Benton summary]
   Telecom companies band together in SD and MN [links to Benton summary]
   Some web sites turning law-abiding Tor users into second-class citizens [links to Benton summary]

POLICYMAKERS
President Obama nominates first black, female librarian of Congress

COMMUNITY MEDIA
Building Connected Communities

OWNERSHIP
New Jersey Okays Charter-TWC
The difference between Google and Alphabet, explained [links to Washington Post]

ACCESSIBILITY
A Search for Innovative Solutions that Inspire - FCC press release

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
   U.S. Asks Tech and Entertainment Industries Help in Fighting Terrorism [links to New York Times]
   For 2020, Census Bureau plans to trade paper responses for digital ones [links to Pew Research Center]
   How Sen Cory Booker handles haters on Twitter [links to Benton summary]
   Idea to retire: The “best practice” of doing more with less - Brookings op-ed [links to Benton summary]
   US General Services Administration Extends 18F’s Silicon Valley Expertise to Cities, States [links to Government Technology]

ELECTIONS & MEDIA
Sen Cruz spars with CEO of Web Domain Organization [links to Benton summary]
These 6 charts show how much sexism Hillary Clinton faces on Twitter [links to Washington Post]

CONTENT
   6 Ways Netflix Viewing Habits Vary Around the World [links to Benton summary]
   Netflix: Half of all users watch video on phones, but only 10% of total viewing is mobile [links to Fierce]
   As publishers lose control, are newspaper web sites a dead parrot? - The Guardian analysis [links to Benton summary]
   Google Joins Race to Speed Up Mobile Delivery of News Articles [links to New York Times]
   Frontier Sets Video Service Expansion [links to Multichannel News]

WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
Rep Pallone Hopeful Viewer Protection Act Will Pass [links to Benton summary]
Verizon touts field testing as rush to 5G intensifies [links to NetworkWorld]

ADVERTISING
As publishers lose control, are newspaper web sites a dead parrot? - The Guardian analysis [links to Benton summary]

CHILDREN & MEDIA
A Smarter Way To Think About "Screen Time" And Kids' Tech Use [links to Fast Company]

JOURNALISM
11 innovative media and information projects receive support from Knight Prototype Fund [links to Knight Foundation]

DIVERSITY
   These 6 charts show how much sexism Hillary Clinton faces on Twitter [links to Washington Post]
   Intel Gives $1.3 Million to Diversity in Tech Group CODE2040 [links to USAToday]
   Despite On-Screen Diversity, Streaming Media Lacks Minority Faces Behind The Scenes [links to Fast Company]
   Hollywood Wrestles With Diversity [links to Wall Street Journal]

COMPANY NEWS
Facebook adds 'love,' 'haha,' 'wow,' 'sad' and 'angry' to its 'like' button [links to CNNMoney]

STORIES FROM ABROAD
   Crackdowns on Free Speech Rise Across a Europe Wary of Terror [links to New York Times]
   What’s Next For Google In Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad European Antitrust Case? [links to Revere Digital]
   British Telecom avoids break-up but faces tougher regulation [links to Financial Times]
   6 Ways Netflix Viewing Habits Vary Around the World [links to Benton summary]
   How Ugandans Overturned An Election Day Social Media Blackout [links to Benton summary]

back to top

EDUCATION

WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES OPEN EBOOKS
[SOURCE: EdSurge, AUTHOR: Mary Jo Madda]
Do you remember how it felt when you first read what would eventually become your favorite book? For many students, that’s a feeling that’s hard to come by—books aren’t always cheap or easily accessible, especially when school budgets are stretched thin. However, the government is hoping to help schools save money and time by offering thousands of popular and award-winning titles—$250 million worth of books, in fact—to Title I, military base and special education teachers and librarians, and by extension, students. How, exactly? First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House are officially launching the Open eBooks app. As part of the Open eBooks initiative—an initiative highlighted by President Barack Obama last July—the app allows users to access thousands of free books on smartphones or tablets. The app is open to any educator, student or administrator at one of the 66,000+ Title I schools or any of the 194 Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools in the United States. Additionally, White House reps report that any of the hundreds of thousands of special education teachers in the country—no matter what type of school they work for—also have access.
benton.org/headlines/white-house-and-michelle-obama-release-250m-open-ebooks-app-title-i-and-special-education | EdSurge | White House
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

INTERNET/BROADBAND

REPS COMPROMISE ON NET NEUTRALITY TRANSPARENCY WAIVER
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The House Commerce Committee has reached a compromise on a bill to make somewhat more permanent the Federal Communications Commission's temporary exemption for smaller cable operators from enhanced transparency rules under the FCC's new Open Internet order. According to a bipartisan amendment to the bill that is scheduled to be considered at a markup in the full committee, the definition of small business is now 250,000 subscribers (the FCC exemption applied to systems with 100,000 and fewer) and the exemption sunsets after five years. The FCC is also directed to report to the Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee, which also has principal jurisdiction over the FCC, within six months of enactment its recommendations for whether the exemption should be permanent and whether that 250,000 figure should be adjusted. The amendment was co-sponsored by House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Rep Dave Loebsack (D-IA). Republican Reps had wanted a permanent waiver and Democratic Reps a term-limited one. The Democratic Reps won that one, though with the report caveat. The subscriber count was also closer to the Democratic Rep opening bids, so Chairman Walden was true to his word that he was searching for common ground and compromise and thought it could be achieved. That FCC recently extended the exemption for a year and put off a decision about making it permanent while it collected more info on the impact of the enhanced transparency requirements on small businesses, but Congress doesn't want to wait that long.
benton.org/headlines/reps-compromise-net-neutrality-transparency-waiver | Broadcasting&Cable
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

GOOGLE FIBER COMING TO SAN FRANCISCO, USING SOMEONE ELSE'S FIBER
[SOURCE: ars technica, AUTHOR: Jon Brodkin]
Google Fiber announced plans to offer Internet service in San Francisco (CA) apartments, condos, and affordable housing properties. Instead of installing its own fiber cables, Google said it will use existing fiber, allowing it to bring service to the city more quickly. Google may need to do some work outside and inside buildings to connect properties to the existing fiber, but otherwise not much construction will be required. This is similar to a deal Google announced with a city-owned utility in Huntsville (AL). But in the San Francisco case, Google is not saying what entity it is leasing or buying fiber from or when it will start offering service. With the addition of San Francisco, there are now seven metro areas where Google Fiber plans to offer service in addition to the four where it already serves customers. Google Fiber lists another 11 metro areas as "potential" fiber cities. In most cities, Google says it is building fiber networks from scratch.
benton.org/headlines/google-fiber-coming-san-francisco-using-someone-elses-fiber | Ars Technica | Google | Revere Digital
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

POLICYMAKERS

PRESIDENT OBAMA NOMINATES FIRST BLACK, FEMALE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Mario Trujillo]
President Barack Obama nominated Carla Hayden to be the new librarian of Congress — potentially marking the first leadership switch in nearly 30 years as criticism has mounted over the organization's technology policies. Hayden, currently the chief executive of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore (MD), served as the president of the American Library Association more than a decade ago. If confirmed, she would be the first woman and first African-American to hold the position. There have only been 13 previous librarians. "Being the first female and the first African-American really brings together two aspects of — of course — my life that make this even more significant in terms of how people view the future of libraries, and what a national library can be," she said. "It's inclusive. It can be part of everyone's story."
benton.org/headlines/president-obama-nominates-first-black-female-librarian-congress | Hill, The | White House | ALA | Washington Post
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

COMMUNITY MEDIA

BUILDING CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
[SOURCE: Urban Libraries Council, AUTHOR:]
Public libraries have established themselves as vital resources in a technology-driven world. Technology is constantly evolving, bringing both opportunities and challenges. What is nice to have one day becomes essential the next. “Meeting the growing technology needs of our communities is an expensive fiscal challenge, but it absolutely has to be a priority,” said Pat Martel, city manager of Daly City, California, and president of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). “The opportunities are what we can envision and the sky’s the limit.” The pace of change and its immediate impact on daily life and economic success make the role of public libraries as trusted guides in a rapidly changing world increasingly vital. Every day, libraries offer programs, services, and resources that introduce the possibilities of technology, build digital literacy skills, and provide access for all. This Leadership Brief highlights the role of libraries as community technology leaders who are uniquely qualified to bridge digital divides, support community priorities, and improve quality of life, working in close partnership with community leaders. It provides examples of how libraries are leveraging technology to deliver services that meet community needs and identifies six action strategies to achieve the best possible opportunities for the entire community.
benton.org/headlines/building-connected-communities | Urban Libraries Council
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

OWNERSHIP

NEW JERSEY OKAYS CHARTER-TWC
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Charter has gotten the OK from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to merge with Time Warner Cable, provided it spends on customer service, maintains open Internet protections and has no data caps for at least three years. That approval isn't quite as important as the same call from the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice, but it is a step in the right direction for Charter. The approval came with a price: The approval contains more than a half-dozen conditions, including spending at least three quarters of a million dollars on customer service improvements, and notice and explanations of any cuts of more than 15% of the New Jersey workforce. Other conditions are:
Charter to offer a Low-Income Broadband Program within 15 months that provides service at $14.99 a month, including a modem, at speeds of 30 Mps download/4 Mbps upload for households with children eligible for the National School Lunch Program or Seniors 65 or older eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The continuation of Time Warner Cable’s Everyday Low Price $14.99 Broadband Service to existing customers for 3 years and new Charter customers for a period 2 years
Charter is to continue to offer Time Warner Cable’s Maxx Broadband offering with speeds up to 300 Mbps for 3 years
Charter will continue its practice of no data caps and providing Open Internet Protection per FCC requirements for 3 years
Charter to take on the liability of Time Warner Cable for pending 2003 rate appeals pending before the Federal Communications Commission
As part of the approval, Time Warner Cable agreed to pay $300,000 to settle any outstanding alleged violations of board "Orders, Statutes, and Regulations.
benton.org/headlines/new-jersey-okays-charter-twc | Broadcasting&Cable
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

ACCESSIBILITY

A SEARCH FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT INSPIRE
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Acting Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Alison Kutler]
Speaking recently to technologists who are creating new tools for diverse populations of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler urged them to remember: “Accessibility must be a first thought, not an afterthought.” That thought inspired an expanded focus on nominations for technology innovations that specifically address the telecommunications needs of people with cognitive disabilities for 2016’s Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility. Moreover, we have all seen how advances in accessibility make technology more useable for all people. Television captions, automatic door openers, sidewalk ramps, and adjustable vanity mirrors were designed with accessibility in mind, but are appreciated by all. We are certain that advances in telecommunication accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities will help every user of these technologies. We are encouraging technology designers and developers to share their solutions that focus on the telecommunication needs of people with differing functional requirements, using design principles that are mindful of users’ attention focus, problem-solving and comprehension issues to achieve accessibility in ways that are simple and clear, consistent, multi-modal and error-tolerant. Nominations for all Chairman’s AAA awards, including those for innovations that address people with cognitive disabilities, are due March 31.
benton.org/headlines/search-innovative-solutions-inspire | Federal Communications Commission
Share: Twitter | Facebook
back to top

Benton

Search

Benton

Daily Digest

Analysis

February 2016

Yochai Benkler: Apple’s battle with the FBI is not about privacy v security, but a conflict created by the US failure to legitimately oversee its security service post Snowden

Cameron Kerry: The White House makes cybersecurity its valentine

Battle Heats Up Over Mobile Ad Blocking

The one-word distillation of the Clinton Rules? Negativity. The Trump Rules: Intimidation, aggrandizement, and a lack of curiosity.

Sinclair: Ad ‘Money Will Flow’ Even If Donald Trump Is Nominee

February 25, 2016 (Net Neutrality Compromise)

Julia Angwin: What’s Really at Stake in the Apple Encryption Debate

Apple vs FBI: Real issue is Apple could be forced to make the data on any iPhone available to any law-enforcement agency demanding it.

Apple Is Said to Be Trying to Make It Harder to Hack iPhones

Apple to boost customers’ iCloud encryption