May 2010

More than half of Facebook users 'could quit the site over privacy worries'

Concerns about privacy are running so high that 60 per cent of the 1,588 Facebook users questioned by Sophos, a computer security organisation, said they were considering deleting their accounts on the social networking site. A further 16 per cent said they had already stopped using Facebook because they felt they had inadequate control over their data, while a quarter said that they would not be quitting the social networking site, which has almost 500 million users worldwide.

China issues new rules on Internet map publishing

An updated standard for Internet map servers will be implemented next month to avoid state secrets being disclosed and uncertified maps published online, authorities have said. The new standard issued by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, one year after the first standard was launched, requires all Internet map servers to keep servers storing map data inside the country and provide public Internet protocol addresses. Under the latest standard, qualified online map servers must have no record of information leakage in any form in the past three years. The new regulation includes all maps downloaded or copied from the Internet onto cell phones and handheld computers. By the end of December, the authorities will also crack down on unregistered or illegal Internet map servers and release the blacklist to the public.

FCC's Copps at the Peoples' Friendship University, Moscow

On his 17th visit to Russia, Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps spoke about the importance of the U.S.-Russia relationship -- and the importance of Information and Communications Technologies.

Network neutrality: Old issues never die

[Commentary] Just because a telecommunication system carries digital data it is not an information service. Just because a packet-switched network uses computers to switch and route data signals it is not an information service. Telecommunication networks are telecommunication services whether they carry voice, video, or data signals, and should be regulated and treated as common carriers. The information accessed over telecommunication networks are information, computing, or entertainment services and should not be regulated. The issues, just like decades ago, are unnecessarily made to appear complicated. Lawyers and lobbyists make a fortune, and politicians scratch their heads in delay and confusion. But being neither a lawyer, lobbyist, nor politician, the issues are as clear today in my mind as they were decades ago. If it looks like telecommunication involving transmission and switching, it is telecommunication and should be treated as common carriage.

Schmidt Says Google Will Fight Hard For AdMob Acquisition

It's been more than six months since Google agreed to pay $750 million for AdMob and the company is still waiting for government approval.

Many sources have said the Federal Trade Commission is considering blocking the deal between Google, the dominant online advertising company, and AdMob the largest mobile ad network. But Google's CEO Eric Schmidt said the company is prepared to fight "very hard" if regulators stop the deal. Additionally, he believes it should be approved in order for Apple to have more competitors. A decision has been expected at any moment for the past couple of weeks, but Schmidt opened up the possibility to it taking longer by saying he anticipated a decision over the next few weeks.

Cable Operators Suggest Putting Retrans Stations On Tier

A group of midsized cable operators has asked the Federal Communications Commission to move retransmission broadcast television stations off the must-buy tier as one of the ways to reform the retransmission consent process.

That came in a filing Tuesday at the Federal Communications Commission, which is seeking comment on what, if any, changes to make to the retransmission-consent regime. Proposing the switch were Massillon Cable TV, WaveDivision Holdings, NPG Cable Inc., the Comporium Group and Harron Communications. They say that allowing cable operators to place "for-pay retransmission consent signals" on a separate, non-mandatory tier would allow customers to not pay for broadcast channels.

ACA on Retransmission Consent

The American Cable Association called on the Federal Communications Commission to assert its authority and protect consumers by creating new retransmission consent rules designed to prevent broadcasters from charging discriminatory fees and creating joint negotiating entities in order to further maximize their economic leverage over small cable providers.

In comments filed with the FCC, ACA documented that price discrimination by broadcasters against small cable operators continues unabated, based on market analyses performed at ACA's request by Dr. William Rogerson, Professor of Economics at Northwestern University and former FCC Chief Economist from 1998-99. In studying the relevant available data, Dr. Rogerson determined that small cable operators pay at least twice as much for retransmission consent per-subscriber as larger pay-TV providers, and that the difference in the prices paid has no basis in the broadcasters' cost of delivering the signal to cable headends. Small cable and its customers end up paying far more for access to the affiliate and owned-and-operated signals of ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations primarily because these broadcasters have significant bargaining power over ACA members, Dr. Rogerson concluded.

ACA also called on the FCC to crack down on local broadcasters that have joined forces to negotiate retransmission consent deals in an effort to more pressure on small cable to overpay for their signals. Although FCC rules generally ban the common owners of two Big Four network stations in the same market, many broadcasters have avoided scrutiny by fashioning alliances not normally reviewable by the FCC, such as local marketing and shared services agreements. Through these duopoly-style arrangements, one entity is allowed to conduct retransmission consent negotiations on behalf of two "must have" affiliates, resulting in small cable operators paying substantially more for retransmission consent than if the two affiliates had to negotiate separate deals. ACA cited evidence provided by cable operator Suddenlink Communications showing that these broadcaster negotiating alliances drive up the cost of retransmission consent by about 21%. ACA has identified at least 93 sharing agreements or duopolies in 78 television markets, affecting more than 37% of the 210 DMAs and with the heaviest concentration found in smaller markets served by ACA members.

Consumers' opinion of the wireless industry improves

Customer opinion of wireless service providers is at an all-time high, according to the latest release of the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.

ACSI, which rates satisfaction levels on a 100-point scale, gave wireless operators a score of 72, up from 69 last year, showing that the public is starting to place greater confidence in their wireless providers.

Wireless operators scored a 65 in 2004 when ACSI first started tracking the industry, but after a dip to 63 the following the year, customers' opinions of their wireless operators have gradually improved since. Compared to the fixed-line telephone industry, which scored 75, wireless still has some catching up to do, but it has long surpassed cable and other paid TV programming providers, which scored 66. Of the individual operators, Sprint showed the most year-over-year improvement, rising from 63 to 70. Verizon Wireless, which has traditionally been the most well-perceived carrier, had to share its top rating among the big four operators with T-Mobile, which improved from 71 to 73 this year. Verizon saw its rating fall a point from its all-time high of 74 last year. But the biggest surprise were the gains made by smaller operators and MVNOs such as Leap Wireless, MetroPCS, US Cellular and TracFone. Though the ACSI survey didn't break out the individual operators, as a group they recorded the highest customer satisfaction rating in the index's history: 76.

The Six Most Important Smart Grid Trends

What are the most interesting and important Smart Grid trends today? Consumer engagement. Data management. Disruptive technologies and approaches. Finding the right supplier. Grid optimization.

Four things you wouldn't expect to be affected by piracy

Movies, TV shows, software, games, porn, and music are the usual topics of conversation when it comes to any discussion about online piracy. After all, those types of media make up the lion's share of content found via P2P. Still, the online world has opened the doors to sharing all manner of ideas and intellectual property besides these obvious examples, and there are a few unexpected types of content that get ripped off pretty often, thanks to the Internet. What else? Sewing patterns, boat hull designs, sheet music, and electronic embroidery files.

Benton

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