September 2017

Ending net neutrality will end the Internet as we know it

[Commentary] One of us is the inventor of the personal computer, and the other a former commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission. We come from different walks of life, but each of us recognizes that the FCC is considering action that could end the internet as we know it.

If FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s majority permits fast lanes for the biggest internet service providers (ISPs like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T), companies could speed up or slow down the sites and services they prefer. That’ll be great for their business affiliates and corporate friends, but woe to the startup that wants to build the next great web service — it could find itself in the slow lane, unable to compete with established firms. And pity the local blogger who criticizes her ISP’s crummy service — the broadband gatekeeper would be free to slow or silence her.

The path forward is clear. The FCC must abandon its ill-conceived plan to end net neutrality. Instead of creating fast lanes for the few, it should be moving all of us to the fast lane by encouraging competition in local broadband connectivity and pushing companies to deliver higher speeds at more affordable prices. It’s the right thing for us as consumers and as citizens.

[Steve Wozniak is a computer engineer who co-founded Apple Computer, Inc. with Steve Jobs. Michael Copps, a member of the Federal Communications Commission from 2001 to 2011, is a special adviser for Common Cause.]

Why the FCC's proposed internet rules may spell trouble ahead

[Commentary] As the Federal Communications Commission takes up the issue of whether to reverse the Obama-era Open Internet Order, a key question consumers and policymakers alike are asking is: What difference do these rules make?

My research team has been studying one key element of the regulations – called "throttling," the practice of limiting download speeds – for several years, spanning a period both before the 2015 Open Internet Order was issued and after it took effect. Our findings reveal not only the state of internet openness before the Obama initiative but also the measurable results of the policy's effect. The methods we used and the tools we developed investigate how internet service providers manage your traffic and demonstrate how open the internet really is – or isn't – as a result of evolving internet service plans, as well as political and regulatory changes.

[David Choffnes is a researcher at Northeastern University]

Hey FCC: Hurricane Victims Shouldn't Run Out of Cell Minutes

The lack of cellular phone service in Puerto Rico right now is contributing to the unfolding humanitarian crisis on the island. “We had consumers that were standing outside the mall, plugging in where they found power, and people were lined up to use their phones, our customers’ phones to make calls,” says Issa Asad, the CEO of Q-Link, a wireless cell provider. Q-Link is the third-largest U.S. provider of Lifeline, a Federal Communications Commission program that provides phones and service to low-income users, which means that the company is extending a vital service to some of the most vulnerable victims of these hurricanes. Emergency 911 calls on Q-Link’s Houston network spiked by 900 percent after Harvey, Asad says.

Providing all that free bandwidth comes at a cost for Q-Link, of course. That’s one reason that Asad has proposed that the FCC require Lifeline providers to extend free coverage after disasters—and for the FCC to help out with the costs. “While Q-Link has undertaken these efforts voluntarily, we urge the Commission to consider whether a supplemental allotment of Lifeline support for additional minutes for consumers located in federally declared disaster or emergency areas should be a part of the Commission’s response to future disasters,” reads Asad’s presentation to the FCC, dated September 6. “We feel that the FCC should put a disaster-recovery plan in that enables us to help consumers,” Asad says. “Because right now one doesn’t exist.”

Thousands of Macs and PCs may be vulnerable to a sophisticated kind of computer attack

An analysis of more than 70,000 Mac computers being used in businesses and organizations has revealed a firmware vulnerability that could be exploited by a determined, well-resourced attacker such as a foreign government. Thousands of computers, if not more, are potentially in danger. While Apple devices were the focus of the study released Sept 29 by the firm Duo Security, experts at the company said that Windows-based machines are even more likely to be at risk, because of the range of manufacturers involved in building those types of PCs.

The flaw outlined by Duo Security researchers Rich Smith and Pepijn Bruienne concerns Apple's Extensible Firmware Interface, or EFI, which helps computers boot up and run the main operating systefam. Because all subsequent hardware and software operations are dependent on the EFI, allowing hijackers to gain control of it could prove disastrous.

Senate Panel Reviews FTC Data Security Enforcement Powers

The recent Equifax Inc data breach prompted Sens at a Sept 26 hearing to question whether the Federal Trade Commission has the proper authority to effectively enforce data security standards. How to better define the Federal Trade Commission’s authority to oversee corporate data security is a long-standing issue, and U.S. credit bureau Equifax’s breach compromising the personal data of 143 million consumers has, at least for the moment, further raised interest in the subject.

The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security heard testimony on proposals to improve the FTC’s handling of consumer protection issues, including its role in overseeing data security efforts. Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) said that there will be a full committee hearing on the Equifax data breach in “mid-October.” Subcommittee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said that he will soon introduce legislation to allow the FTC to investigate any data breaches, exercise oversight, and issue penalties.

One vote could stop Injustice at the Federal Communications Commission

[Commentary] The week of Oct 2, the Senate has a chance to make a profound difference for the 2.7 million children whose parents are incarcerated. Headlines covered victory after victory as the Federal Communications Commission woke from a 10-year sleep and began adopting rules to protect consumers from paying $17 for a 15-minute phone call to jail and eye-popping fees imposed on families when they deposit money to pay for calls. One federal appointee has changed all that — FCC Chairman Ajit Pai — and his confirmation vote is expected Oct 2.

Senators who believe in leaders that follow the rules, act according to their conscience, put low-income people and children first, and who protect the First Amendment above all else should vote against Chairman Pai. Speak out now and call your senator to oppose Chairman Pai’s confirmation.

[Cheryl Leanza is the policy adviser for the United Church of Christ’s Office of Communication, Inc.]

Sen Markey, Rep Barton Press Mattel on Baby Monitor Privacy

The co-founders of the Congressional Privacy Caucus are concerned about a new Mattel baby monitor's ability to record and transmit sensitive information, as are a bunch of privacy activists. Sen Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep Joe Barton (R-TX) wrote the toy company Sept 29 about their new, voice-controlled, Aristotle monitor. They described the device as a Wi-Fi enabled talking device with audio and video monitoring that could be in a child's room from birth through adolescence. They want to know how the device will monitor—photos, videos, voice recognition—how the information will be stored and protected, how parents' permission will be obtained, and whether the device is compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA), which Sen Markey co-authored.

“In today's connected world, it is crucial we keep an eye on privacy and data security,” said Rep Barton. “That is the exact reason Senator Markey and I founded the Bipartisan Privacy Caucus over a decade ago. Our goal in the letter to Mattel is not to stifle innovation and product development, but to ensure that parents know how their child's data will be protected.”

NAB, Apple Diverge Over iPhone FM Chip Capability

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai's call for Apple to activate the broadcast chips in iPhones has drawn some pushback from Apple suggesting Pai did not know its phones' capabilities, and a response from broadcasters suggesting Apple didn't either. Following Pai's public statement that the chips should be activated for the sake of public safety and accessing lifesaving broadcasts when cell service goes down, Apple suggested Pai was barking up the wrong tree. "IPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models do not have FM radio chips in them nor do they have antennas designed to support FM signals, so it is not possible to enable FM reception in these products," the company said.

But the National Association of Broadcasters, which had celebrated Pai's call for Apple activation, suggested Apple was not shooting straight. "Since 2012 NAB has commissioned quarterly 'tear down' reports from ABI Research on a wide variety of Smartphones to discover their capabilities. ABI’s analysis reveals that every Apple iPhone built during that time, including the iPhone 7, has a chipset that includes support for FM radio," said NAB executive VP, communications, Dennis Wharton. "Apple also continues to sell an iPhone 6S with an FM chip that is not activated, and there are nearly 100 million iPhones in the marketplace with a deactivated FM chip. Like FCC Chairman Pai, we encourage Apple to activate this feature on their future handsets so Americans can have access to lifesaving information during emergency situations, something that many local radio stations provide. We welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to make that happen."

GAO Report: FCC Should Conduct Additional Analysis to Evaluate Need for Set-Top Box Regulation

Millions of households subscribe to cable, satellite, and telephone companies—known as multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs)—for television, which is generally delivered via a set-top box attached to a television. Congress directed Federal Communications Commission to adopt regulations to assure a commercial market for devices to access MVPDs, and in February 2016, FCC proposed a rule intended to do so. Many industry stakeholders raised concerns about the proposal's potential effects, and FCC did not issue the proposed rule. This report examines: (1) the role of set-top boxes in accessing video programming content and (2) views of selected stakeholders and experts on the need for FCC regulation regarding set-top boxes and FCC's analysis of such need.

GAO analyzed data from a media research group regarding the video market and interviewed 35 industry stakeholders including 12 MVPDs, 5 video content producers, 3 device manufacturers, 12 industry associations, and others; GAO selected stakeholders based on comments filed with FCC on its 2016 proposed rule. GAO also interviewed 11 industry analysts and experts selected based on industry coverage and publications.

GAO recommends that FCC conduct a comprehensive analysis of how recent industry changes related to video services affect consumer choice for devices to access video services. The FCC agreed with GAO's recommendation and provided technical comments that GAO incorporated as appropriate.

Five New York City Universities Partner to Defend Independent Media and Journalism

Five of New York City’s universities announced a partnership aimed at supporting and defending journalism and independent news media --- one of the most critical elements of our democracy --- as they are increasingly under threat. This unique, first-of-its kind program and collaboration will bring together Cornell Tech, Columbia University, City University of New York, New York University, and The New School -- in partnership with the NYC Media Lab -- to investigate and understand the various threats to journalism and media, and attempt to address these challenges using design, engineering, and computational methods and techniques.

The effort will gather graduate students with backgrounds and expertise in journalism, design, and engineering/technology from these institutions in a special course to kick off in Spring 2018. In addition to the course, a speaker series hosted at news organizations around the city will launch in October around the themes of the partnership, featuring influential figures from media and technology. Inaugural media participants that will host fall programming include The New York Times, CNN, BuzzFeed, and the HuffPost.

Benton

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