Broadband Breakfast
Twitter Q&A on Children’s Online Privacy with Reps. Markey and Barton
Senator Edward Markey and Rep Joe Barton hosted a Twitter Q&A April 9, 2014 on children’s online privacy.
Using the hashtag #AskKidsPriv, the lawmakers will answer questions on Twitter about how parents can protect their children online, what tools are available to prevent online tracking of children, and their legislation The Do Not Track Kids Act.
The Do Not Track Kids Act, co-sponsored by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the Senate and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) in the House, amends the historic Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), will extend, enhance and update the provisions relating to the collection, use and disclosure of children’s personal information and establishes new protections for personal information of children and teens.
Fiber Investments by Counties Pay for Themselves, Says Broadband Consultant
It makes sense for communities and local government to build fiber networks to manage their communications need, said Joanne Hovis, President of CTC Communications.
Using a simple analysis of the costs to deploy T-1 communications networks versus fiber networks, Hovis showed how Montgomery County schools paid $3,600 per megabit per second (Mbps) annually to receive service at 1.54 Mbps.
These costs were lowered to $1,800 per Mbps through eRate funds. But, when calculating the costs of building a fiber network in the county, schools were able to receive 100 Mbps service at a cost of $70 per Mbps, she said.
“Think about these kinds of strategies as you think about your fiber strategy,” Hovis said, at a session on “building the economic case for fiber broadband.”
[Editor's note: Joanne Hovis is also a member of the benton Foundation Board of Directors]