BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016
Cybersecurity and Spectrum on today’s agenda https://www.benton.org/calendar/2016-06-21
AGENDA
House to consider blocking Lifeline program
Podcast: FCC’s Tom Wheeler on net neutrality, future plans [links to San Jose Mercury News]
SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
The Future of Wireless: A Vision for US Leadership in a 5G World - speech
DC Reacts to FCC's 5G New Frontier [links to Multichannel News]
The fight over a new Wi-Fi channel is coming to a head
Sixth Interim Progress Report on the Ten-Year Plan and Timetable - public notice
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Let Me Hear Your Yawp – Free Speech, Net Neutrality, and Election 2016 - Adrianne B. Furniss editorial
Net Inclusion 2016: Addressing the Digital Divide From Miami to Kansas City
Is winning net neutrality enough to save the Internet? - op-ed
DC Circuit Court of Appeals: So deferential it’s “asleep at the switch” - op-ed
AEI: FCC’s big win is Internet economy’s big loss [links to American Enterprise Institute]
US Ignite Launches Smart Gigabit Communities Initiative
The Inventors of the Internet Are Trying to Build a Truly Permanent Web
Chattanooga mayor: Gigabit speed Internet helped revive city [links to Benton summary]
Bruce Kushnick - More Exposed: Verizon’s FiOS-Wireless Bait & Switch in Boston [links to Huffington Post]
PRIVACY/SECURITY
Surveillance reform measure blocked in the wake of Orlando killings
Sen McConnell pushes measure to expand surveillance tools [links to Hill, The]
Justice Dept on board with expanded ability to search computers [links to Hill, The]
New tool to take down terrorism images online spurs debate on what constitutes extremist content [links to Washington Post]
Cyber researchers confirm Russian government hack of Democratic National Committee [links to Washington Post]
US Attorney on the Biggest Threats Businesses Face – including cybersecurity [links to Wall Street Journal]
Pentagon Prepares to Launch a Mega Database for Screening National Security Workers [links to nextgov]
Troy Wolverton: Apple's new privacy effort worth watching [links to San Jose Mercury News]
TELEVISION
Chairman Wheeler: 'Ditch the Box' Effort Is 'Terrific' [links to Benton summary]
Commissioner Rosenworcel: FCC Needs ‘Another Way Forward’ on Set-Tops [links to Benton summary]
David Lazarus: Is your set-top box telling advertisers what you watch? [links to Los Angeles Times]
ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
Donald Trump Starts Summer Push With Crippling Money Deficit [links to New York Times]
What Donald Trump Learned From Roy Cohn, Joseph McCarthy’s Right-Hand Man [links to New York Times]
Apple CEO Tim Cook will host a fundraiser with House Speaker Paul Ryan [links to Hill, The]
When Trump Meets Clinton, No TV Record in America Will Be Safe [links to Bloomberg]
Cable TV Sees 2.8M Political Spots Since January [links to AdAge]
HEALTH
Birth Control via App Finds Footing Under Political Radar
OWNERSHIP
AEI: What happens when content providers and network operators merge? [links to American Enterprise Institute]
CHILDREN AND MEDIA
Black churches put faith in coding classes [links to USAToday]
CONTENT
Taylor Swift, U2, Paul McCartney Slam YouTube in Copyright Reform Ad [links to Wrap, The]
COMPANY NEWS
Frontier: Excited at the Prospects of DSL and IPTV [links to telecompetitor]
Snapchat's latest ad push opens the mobile video space for everyone [links to Revere Digital]
New York Times Readies Ad-Free Digital Subscription Model [links to Wall Street Journal]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Chinese hacking activity down sharply since mid-2014, researchers say [links to Washington Post]
China Smartphone Makers Snap Up Patents in Fight for Market Dominance [links to Wall Street Journal]
Life in the People’s Republic of WeChat, China's Everything App [links to Bloomberg]
Fight for the Future Turns to European Union [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
MORE ONLINE
Strengthening and Celebrating America’s Capacity for Innovation - White House press release [links to Benton summary]
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AGENDA
HOUSE TO CONSIDER BLCOKING LIFELINE PROGRAM
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: David McCabe]
Lawmakers are set to vote June 21 on a bill that would block low-income consumers from getting a federal subsidy for mobile phone and wireless broadband plans. House Republican leadership will offer the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act on the evening of June 21. The bill blocks the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program from funding mobile carriers providing either voice or data service. The bill will be considered under suspension of the rules, a procedural move requiring a two-thirds majority to pass the bill. Democrats have generally been opposed to any efforts to limit the program. Conservatives have long portrayed the program as a handout, arguing the program is a target for abuse and fraud. Senior Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has recently been rolling out the results of his office’s inquiry into what he says is significant fraud on the part of carriers who benefit from the subsidies.
benton.org/headlines/house-consider-blocking-lifeline-program | Hill, The
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SPECTRUM/WIRELESS
THE FUTURE OF WIRELESS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler]
If the Federal Communications Commission approves my proposal in July, the United States will be the first country in the world to open up high-band spectrum for 5G networks and applications. And that’s damn important because it means US companies will be first out of the gate. We will be repeating the proven formula that made the United States the world leader in 4G. It’s a simple formula: Lead the world in spectrum availability, encourage and protect innovation driving competition, and stay out of the way of technological development. By opening up higher-frequency bands, we are making available more licensed spectrum for mobile than in the cumulative history of mobile spectrum allocation. And we’re not done. As a part of our July 14 action, we also plan to ask for comments on opening up other high-frequency bands. And, what we’ll be considering on July 14 is not just licensed spectrum. Unlicensed will
continue to play a critical role in future 5G networks. Our plan proposes making a massive 14 gigahertz unlicensed band. Consider that – 14,000 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum, with the same flexible-use rules that has allowed unlicensed to become a breeding ground for innovation.
benton.org/headlines/future-wireless-vision-us-leadership-5g-world | Federal Communications Commission | Broadcasting&Cable | Washington Post
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THE FIGHT OVER A NEW WI-FI CHANNEL IS COMING TO A HEAD
[SOURCE: IDG News Service, AUTHOR: Stephen Lawson]
Globalstar’s plan to open a new Wi-Fi channel under its control is nearing the moment of truth after years of regulatory wrangling. The Federal Communications Commission is considering Globalstar’s plan, and a vote could come at any time. News reports suggest it might be close. If Globalstar gets its way, Wi-Fi users in the US will have one more channel, which could reduce congestion and improve performance. But both their mobile devices and the hotspots they use would need firmware upgrades to take advantage of the new frequency, and the channel wouldn’t necessarily be open to everyone. Globalstar’s plan is to make a fourth channel available in the unlicensed, often crowded 2.4GHz band used for Wi-Fi in the US. While users in some other countries have been enjoying this channel for years, part of it has been set aside in the US as a guard band to protect Globalstar’s satellite frequencies. The company wants to use that guard band for a Wi-Fi-based service instead. Most Wi-Fi devices in the US could be modified to tap into the extra channel.Though that sounds like a generous move, it would come with a catch. Unlike all other Wi-Fi channels, which are open to any FCC-approved device and don’t require pemission, this one would be under Globalstar’s control.
benton.org/headlines/fight-over-new-wi-fi-channel-coming-head | IDG News Service
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[SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, AUTHOR: ]
NTIA submits this Sixth Interim Progress Report to describe progress toward achieving the Administration’s directive to identify and make available 500 megahertz of spectrum for licensed and unlicensed wireless broadband services within ten years, while assuring the protection of vital government operations that rely on spectrum. This report covers October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015 (FY15). As of September 2015, NTIA and the FCC had made significant progress toward the goal by making a total of 245 megahertz of spectrum available for wireless broadband technologies, including 165 megahertz during FY15. This spectrum is comprised of 140 megahertz from federal or shared bands and 105 megahertz from non-federal bands. Accomplishments to date are a result of the continued collaboration between NTIA, the FCC, the federal agencies, industry, and other stakeholders.
benton.org/headlines/sixth-interim-progress-report-ten-year-plan-and-timetable | National Telecommunications and Information Administration
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
FREE SPEECH, NET NEUTRALITY, AND ELECTION 2016
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Adrianne Furniss]
[Commentary] I was at my desk when I received news last Tuesday that the US Court of Appeals in Washington had upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s network neutrality rules. Before issuing my “barbaric yawp” of joy, I closed my eyes for a moment of thanks. When I opened my eyes, my gaze was on a painting displayed in the Benton Foundation’s office, Jack Levine’s “Witches’ Sabbath.” Levine is best known for his satires on modern life and “Witches’ Sabbath” was his commentary on one of America’s scariest moments, the age of McCarthyism when politicians investigated citizen loyalty and threatened personal privacy. Like you, I’ve followed the 2016 election news closely and I am very concerned with the parallels to the 1950s. Yes, candidates always perform an intricate dance with the press, simultaneously courting attention while trying to avoid scrutiny. But this year seems different. Far past avoiding inquisitive journalists, we’ve come to a place where entire outlets are banned from political events. And not just one or two publications – The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Univision, The New Hampshire Union Leader, The Des Moines Register, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, Fusion, BuzzFeed News and Gawker. That list is way too big. It is a chilling time for free speech in America. But the court’s network neutrality decision could help bring the warmth of sunlight to our election climate.
https://www.benton.org/blog/let-me-hear-your-yawp
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NET INCLUSION 2016
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Romina Angelelli]
Thirty-four million, a number that's been running through my head ever since it was mentioned by Federal Communications Commission staffer Gigi Sohn in her keynote speech at the first annual Net Inclusion Summit. As you read this, there are 34 million Americans who can’t access this blog even if they wanted to. These Americans lack access to something that has quickly become a necessity in our country: high-speed Internet. Without it, they may be unable to access their government benefits or be able to apply for a job. So many of us are fascinated by how quickly technology is moving and by all of the ways the Internet has made our lives easier, but we continue to forget those who are being left behind. The faster technology progresses, the harder it will be for 34 million of us to catch up.
https://www.benton.org/blog/net-inclusion-2016-addressing-digital-divide...
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IS WINNING NET NEUTRALITY ENOUGH TO SAVE THE INTERNET?
[SOURCE: Seattle Times, AUTHOR: Timothy Karr]
[Commentary] Network neutrality advocates can add the recent court decision to a recent string of victories on behalf of everyday Internet users. The court ruling is a huge deal — but it doesn’t mean the internet is safe from threats coming from powerful companies and elsewhere. Winning net neutrality is part of a broader effort to make sure the Internet continues to promote opportunity and free expression for all. The week of June 13 , 17 public-interest organizations released an Internet policy platform that outlines specific proposals to create a more inclusive, open, secure and affordable Internet. The platform signers are a diverse collection of Internet-rights, racial-justice and consumer-advocacy groups, including 18 Million Rising, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Media Justice, ColorOfChange, Demand Progress, New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge and Free Press (my organization). We’re calling on all presidential candidates to commit to expanding Internet access and making it more affordable, protecting net neutrality, opposing government-mandated backdoors into communications technologies and promoting competition among Internet service providers. We sent the platform to the chairs of both major parties and to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Saving the Internet is a battle with many fronts. But the unifying objective is to secure everyone’s rights to connect and communicate. As we get ready to vote in November, Internet users should pressure every candidate on the ballot to explain their positions on key technology issues. Protecting our latest win on net neutrality is only a first step.
[Timothy Karr is the senior director of strategy for Free Press.]
benton.org/headlines/winning-net-neutrality-enough-save-internet | Seattle Times
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DC CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS: SO DEFERENTIAL IT'S "ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH"
[SOURCE: American Enterprise Institute, AUTHOR: Gus Hurwitz]
[Commentary] The bulk of the recent DC Circuit Court of Appeals opinion rejecting various challenges to the Federal Communication Commission’s Open Internet order can be summarized succinctly: “we defer.” Following accepted principles of modern administrative law – the law that governs the relationship between Congress, agencies like the FCC, and the courts – in evaluating the FCC’s interpretation of ambiguous statutory definitions the court needed only to consider whether the FCC’s order was minimally reasonable in order to affirm it. And so it did. I would suggest, however, that the DC Circuit followed these principles to a fault. The judges focused so narrowly on individual issues, accepting the “reasons” offered by the commission to support the Open Internet order without any scrutiny, that they missed the underlying incoherency and lack of reasoning in the order. Dissenting, Judge Williams argued that parts of the order were so self-contradictory that commission staff must have been “asleep at the switch.” This is the core difference between the DC Circuit’s majority and dissenting views: whether it is sufficient that the agency supplied “reasons” in order to receive the benefit of deference, or whether those reasons must also have been arrived at through a reasonable decision-making process. If we accept the majority view, that the court need not inquire into the sufficiency of the agency’s decision-making process in order to receive the benefit of deference, then courts, too, may also be asleep at the switch.
[Gus Hurtwitz is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law
benton.org/headlines/dc-circuit-court-appeals-so-deferential-its-asleep-switch | American Enterprise Institute
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US IGNITE
[SOURCE: telecompetitor, AUTHOR: Andrew Burger]
Fifteen communities have joined together as part of a US Ignite Smart Gigabit Communities initiative. The goal is to create a national network of Smart Gigabit Communities that will leverage next-generation Internet and Smart City technologies to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and economic conditions. US Ignite is providing the 15 participating communities with relevant information, education and resources for funding and deployment in order to help realize the new program’s goals. With US Ignite’s help, each community is to develop two gigabit network applications or public services that address community needs and issues and sha.re them among Smart Gigabit Communities members. US Ignite staff will assist the communities in deploying ultra-fast, low-latency networks with ‘locovore’ – local or edge cloud computing and storage – capabilities. US Ignite expects the gigabit network applications and public services to be ¨highly interactive¨ and ¨visually immersive¨ and capable of providing experiences not possible on today’s commercial Internet. [more at the URL below]
benton.org/headlines/us-ignite-launches-smart-gigabit-communities-initiative | telecompetitor
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INTERNET INVENTORS TRYING TO BUILD PERMANENT WEB
[SOURCE: Wired, AUTHOR: Klint Finley]
If you wanted to write a history of the Internet, one of the first things you would do is dig into the e-mail archives of Vint Cerf. In 1973, he co-created the protocols that Internet servers use to communicate with each other without the need for any kind of centralized authority or control. He has spent the decades since shaping the Internet’s development, most recently as Google’s “chief Internet evangelist.” Thankfully, Cerf says he has archived about 40 years of old e-mail—a first-hand history of the Internet stretching back almost as far as the Internet itself. But you’d also have a pretty big problem: a whole lot of that e-mail you just wouldn’t be able to open. The programs Cerf used to write those e-mails, and the formats in which they’re stored, just don’t work on any current computer you’d likely be using to try to read them.
benton.org/headlines/inventors-internet-are-trying-build-truly-permanent-web | Wired
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PRIVACY/SECURITY
SURVEILLANCE REFORM MEASURE BLOCKED IN THE WAKE OF ORLANDO KILLINGS
[SOURCE: IDG News Service, AUTHOR: John Ribeiro]
The US House of Representatives voted down an anti-surveillance amendment after some of its members expressed concern about its impact on the fight against terrorism, in the wake of the massacre at a nightclub in Orlando (FL). The measure was proposed by Reps Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Zoe Lofrgren (D-CA) as as an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. It would prevent warrantless searches by law enforcement of information on Americans from a foreign intelligence communications database. It would also prohibit -- with some exceptions -- the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency from using any funds appropriated under the Act to require that companies weaken the security of their products or services to enable surveillance of users. The amendments had earlier been passed in 2014 and 2015 but were stripped from the defense appropriations bill before the bill reached President Obama. This year its timing seems to have been its biggest handicap, coming a few days after the killings at the Orlando nightclub.
benton.org/headlines/surveillance-reform-measure-blocked-wake-orlando-killings | IDG News Service
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HEALTH
BIRTH CONTROL VIA APP FINDS FOOTING UNDER POLITICAL RADAR
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Pam Belluck]
A quiet shift is taking place in how women obtain birth control. A growing assortment of new apps and websites now make it possible to get prescription contraceptives without going to the doctor. The development has potential to be more than just a convenience for women already on birth control. Public health experts hope it will encourage more to start, or restart, using contraception and help reduce the country’s stubbornly high rate of unintended pregnancies, as well as the rate of abortions. And as apps and websites, rather than legislative proposals or taxpayer-funded programs, the new services have so far sprung up beneath the political radar and grown through word of mouth, with little of the furor that has come to be expected in issues involving reproductive health.
benton.org/headlines/birth-control-app-finds-footing-under-political-radar | New York Times
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