Los Angeles Times

When the Trump administration decided to dump net neutrality rules designed to treat all data equally, the states revolted. Thirty legislatures introduced bills to prohibit internet service providers from hindering access to certain sites and charging fees for faster speeds. Four states, including California, passed laws, and six governors issued executive orders declaring they would not do business with internet providers that violated net neutrality.  The Trump administration decided to fight back and challenge California’s law, the broadest in the nation.

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Sept 26 on “Examining Safeguards for Consumer Data Privacy,” intended as an opportunity for lawmakers to learn about “possible approaches to safeguarding privacy more effectively.” That’s great except for two small things. No consumers were invited to speak on safeguarding consumer data privacy. No consumer advocates were invited to speak on safeguarding consumer data privacy. Who was invited?

Comcast triumphed over the Walt Disney in a hard-fought battle for Sky television, by offering $39 billion for the satellite-TV service that has 23 million customers in five European countries. Sky’s independent board members must approve the winning bid  and shareholders must ratify the deal before the sale will be complete. Soon, Comcast will have a presence in some of the most prosperous countries in Europe — Britain, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.

At a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing, senators had no shortage of complaints for Facebook and Twitter. They decried the platforms’ vulnerability to foreign influence, their arcane handling of user data, and the perception that they buried conservative voices. Congress wanted to send a signal that Silicon Valley would no longer get a free pass — and that the laissez faire environment that has allowed them to reap billions in profits despite the vitriolic culture that social media has engendered was not guaranteed to last. 

Internet service providers could not stop the California Legislature from passing tough state net neutrality rules. But they did manage to yank out most of the rules’ teeth.