Big Tech faces a ‘Big Brother’ trap on coronavirus
As the federal government shifts into an all-hands-on-deck fight to battle coronavirus, President Donald Trump and his White House have increasingly called on tech companies to lend a hand.
March 2020
Rep Connolly Leads 62 Members in Urging Trump to Issue Executive Order Mandating Telework for Eligible Feds and Contractors (House of Representatives)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Wed, 03/18/2020 - 14:32Home Internet Connections Holding Steady In Most Major US Cities Amid Mass Shift To Remote Work
As millions of users vacate dedicated business connections in favor of their home connection, providers are seeing a significant surge in virtually every state. Are these residential networks holding up? Or are they choking on the increased demand being placed on them? Here’s what the data tells us:
Twitter Suppresses Speech by Calling It ‘Manipulated Media’
Twitter recently rolled out a new policy aimed at “manipulated media.” Its first target: a 13-second clip tweeted by Dan Scavino, White House director of social media, featuring [out of context words from Joe Biden]. The Biden campaign quickly denounced the video as “disinformation” and pressured both Twitter and Facebook to take it down. Twitter slapped the manipulated-media label on it. Facebook put a “partly false” screen over it. The debate that followed helped earn the clip millions of views.
AT&T Closing 40% of Retail Stores (Multichannel News)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Wed, 03/18/2020 - 14:20
FCC Acts to Support Telehealth and Remote Learning During Coronavirus
The Federal Communications Commission announced important changes to the Rural Health Care (RHC) and E-Rate programs that will make it easier for broadband providers to support telehealth and remote learning efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has waived the gift rules until Sept 30, 2020 to enable service providers to offer, and RHC and E-Rate program participants to solicit and accept, improved connections or additional equipment for telemedicine or remote learning during the coronavirus outbreak.
Chairman Pai Thanks Companies That Have Gone Above And Beyond The Keep Americans Connected Pledge
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai commended broadband and telephone service providers that have responded to his call to take the Keep Americans Connected Pledge and have gone even further to enhance Americans’ connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic. The week of March 9, Chairman Pai specifically asked companies with low income broadband programs to expand and improve them and those without to adopt such programs.