December 2010

BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010

NEWS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
   Our Generation's Sputnik Moment is Now
   Partnership for Cybersecurity Innovation
   White House to continue copyright crackdown

INTERNET/BROADBAND
   FCC network neutrality proposal opens door for prioritization and higher fees for consumers
   Broadband decisions: What drives consumers to switch
   Broadband satisfaction: What consumers report about their broadband Internet provider
   Commerce's Inspector General Shares Concerns with Congress
   Consumers Key to Regulation of the Net
   Broadband plan concerns South Dakota officials, rural telecom providers

BROADCASTING/TELEVISION
   Copps' Media Call to Action draws fire from Barton
   Minority media group takes on Obama over Comcast-NBC Universal merger
   Comcast/NBCU OK with Quarterly Public Interest Reporting Requirements
   Still Counting on the Power of Television

WIRELESS
   AT&T ranked worst cellphone service provider by Consumer Reports
   Clearwire eyes selling up to $2 billion spectrum
   Apple ups ante on Motorola patent infringement suit
   Google Widens Its Lead In Mobile Ads; Bulk Of Money Is Online, Not In Apps
   White Space Rules Go Into Effect Jan. 5, 2011
   One Data Plan for Multiple Devices: What a Concept!

CONTENT
   A Copyright Office for the 21st Century
   MPAA to universities: curb piracy or lose federal funding
   No Longer Tiny, Netflix Gets Respect -- and Creates Fear

EDUCATION
   10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning

HEALTH
   Department of Health and Human Services to fund state Health Info Exchange breakthrough pilots

GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
   Bullying and Censorship
   Economy and Wikileaks Lead the News

STORIES FROM ABROAD
   Plans announced for a ‘digital hub’ in every UK community to boost economy
   This Is How RIM Will Let the Indian Government Spy on BlackBerry Owners
   Crash hurts Russia satellite challenge to U.S. GPS
   BT warned over broadband funds

PHILANTHROPY
   Silicon Valley billionaire backs futuristic philanthropy

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NEWS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

OUR NEW SPUTNIK MOMENT
[SOURCE: The White House, AUTHOR: President Barack Obama]
At Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem (NC), President Barack Obama delivered an address on the economy. "In 1957..., the Soviet Union beat us into space by launching a satellite known as Sputnik. And that was a wake-up call that caused the United States to boost our investment in innovation and education -­ particularly in math and science. And as a result, once we put our minds to it, once we got focused, once we got unified, not only did we surpass the Soviets, we developed new American technologies, industries, and jobs. So 50 years later, our generation’s Sputnik moment is back. This is our moment. If the recession has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot go back to an economy that's driven by too much spending, too much borrowing, running up credit cards, taking out a lot of home equity loans, paper profits that are built on financial speculation. We've got to rebuild on a new and stronger foundation for economic growth. We need to do what America has always been known for: building, innovating, educating, making things. We don't want to be a nation that simply buys and consumes products from other countries. We want to create and sell products all over the world that are stamped with three simple words: “Made In America.” That's our goal.
And broadband is part of the agenda. "You've got a billion people in India who are suddenly plugged into the world economy. You've got over a billion people in China who are suddenly plugged into the global economy. And that means competition is going to be much more fierce and the winners of this competition will be the countries that have the most educated workers, a serious commitment to research and technology, and access to quality infrastructure like roads and airports and high-speed rail and high-speed Internet. Those are the seeds of economic growth in the 21st century. Where they are planted, the most jobs and businesses will take root." The President added, "There is no reason that over 90 percent of the homes in South Korea have broadband Internet access, and only 65 percent of American households do."
benton.org/node/45902 | White House, The
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PARTNERSHIP FOR CYBERSECURITY INNOVATION
[SOURCE: The White House, AUTHOR: Aneesh Chopra, Howard Schmidt ]
The Obama Administration released a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the Department of Commerce, the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS/S&T), and the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC). The goal of the agreement is to speed the commercialization of cybersecurity research innovations that support our Nation’s critical infrastructures. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration between the public and private sectors as directed by President Obama in his cybersecurity policy address. This agreement will accelerate the deployment of network testbeds for specific use cases that strengthen the resiliency, security, integrity, and usability of financial services and other critical infrastructures’ functions, processes, and people by:
Facilitating coordination and cooperation among Federal agencies and the financial services sector in the development and delivery of innovative cybersecurity technologies and processes; and
Establishing clear processes for the implementation of specific use cases.
benton.org/node/45900 | White House, The | read the MOU
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COPYRIGHT CRACKDOWN
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Tony Romm]
The Obama administration is just getting started in its mission to shut down rogue websites that illegally share copyrighted content such as movies and music. The White House's intellectual property czar, Victoria Espinel, said that the Internet community should "expect more of that" pre-emptive action as the administration ramps up its efforts to combat online copyright infringement -- especially the illegal copying and sale of pharmaceutical drugs. "We are going after the piraters and counterfeiters," Espinel said at a Brookings Institution conference on Internet policy, adding that intellectual property infringement is a "direct threat" to consumers and jobs. Espinel's remarks come only a week after the Department of Justice shuttered more than 80 websites believed to be facilitating the sale of counterfeit goods and the sharing of illegally obtained movies, songs and TV shows. That effort, timed for "cyber Monday," was the second leg of the agency's Operation in Our Sites campaign -- which targeted nine websites that offered pirated movies.
benton.org/node/45898 | Politico
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INTERNET/BROADBAND

FINDING THE DEVIL IN NET NEUTRALITY DETAILS
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cecilia Kang]
The proposed network neutrality regulations being reviewed by Federal Communications Commissioners would allow broadband service providers to prioritize their own content and that of partners over that of competitors. The draft proposal also would allow broadband network operators to charge consumers based on how much data they use, according to one source at the FCC who has seen the draft of the rules. What that means is that a company such as Comcast could make its soon-to-be acquired library of NBC content cheaper to watch and delivered at better quality than streaming videos from competitors like Netflix. Add the permission of usage based pricing, which apparently Comcast insisted on in meetings with the FCC chairman’s staff, and you could see a scenario where users would be less inclined to subscribe to Netflix because they would meet their usage caps and end up spending more money for competing services. “This allows for fast and slow lanes and while it suggests it would be a negative thing, nowhere does it say it violates the principle of rules,” the sources said. The source said the FCC would require network operators disclose how they are managing services that allow for prioritization of certain content. But for enforcement purposes, carriers don't have to prove it is reasonable so there is less burden on the carrier.
benton.org/node/45914 | Washington Post
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WHAT MAKES CONSUMERS SWITCH ISPs?
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
The Federal Communications Commission's April 2010 survey sought to understand the context surrounding people's decisions about their home broadband service. Specifically, the survey explored the considerations people have in mind when contemplating or making a change in broadband service. This involved asking people who have not switched service providers whether they considered doing so and what influenced their decision to stick with their provider. For those who have switched service, the survey inquired about why they did so and how the process of changing service went for them. The survey found that, at least in the prior three years, a minority of home broadband subscribers switched service providers. The survey also found that there are things that inhibit users from switching service, such as the need to pay set-up fees for new service and the basic hassle of making a switch. Those who have switched broadband providers are typically looking for better price or performance, and very few switched because they want additional features from their providers such as more email accounts or online storage.
Here are the survey's main findings:
Just over one-third of Internet users changed their service provider in the prior three years.
Among those who have not switched Internet service providers (ISPs) in the prior three years, few have considered making a change in ISP service.
Among broadband users who say they have a choice of Internet service providers, a minority would seriously consider switching to a provider in their area and a majority thought it would be at least somewhat easy to do.
Financial and non-financial factors, such as installation fees or the hassle of getting new service, can inhibit consumers from changing service.
Internet users who have switched service in the past three years cite a desire for better service or price as a reason for their change. Very few of those who changed service said it was because they wanted more features from their provider, such as more email accounts or online storage.
benton.org/node/45864 | Federal Communications Commission | FCC blog
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BROADBAND PROVIDER SATISFACTION
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: ]
The Federal Communications Commission's April 2010 survey sought to understand people's attitudes about their home broadband service. Specifically, the survey explored how people rate certain aspects of their Internet service, from installation and customer service to how understandable they find their bills. The survey found that broadband users report higher levels of satisfaction with the speed and reliability of their service than with the cost of their service.
Here are the survey's main findings related to satisfaction with service:
Most Internet users have a very good understanding of the information on their bills regarding how to contact customer service or the price they pay. However, when asked about the clarity of information on their bill about speed, restrictions on service, or fees for terminating service, few users find this information very clear.
A majority of broadband users are very satisfied with various dimensions of their service, but nearly one quarter express dissatisfaction with the price they pay.
benton.org/node/45862 | Federal Communications Commission
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COMMERCE IG REPORT TO CONGRESS
[SOURCE: Department of Commerce, AUTHOR: Todd Zinser]
The Department of Commerce's Office of Inspector General has presented its Semiannual Report to Congress for the 6 months ending September 30, 2010. One of eight management challenges identified in the report is Enhancing Accountability and Transparency of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Program’s Key Technology and Construction Programs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) is an unprecedented effort to promote economic activity, invest in long-term growth, and implement a level of transparency and accountability that will allow the public to see how their tax dollars are being spent. The Department of Commerce received $7.9 billion in Recovery Act funds. Of that amount, approximately $6 billion were obligated in the form of grants or contracts for key technology and construction programs in four of the Department’s operating units: Economic Development Administration (EDA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NOAA, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). As of September 30, 2010, the Department has spent $1.7 billion (or 24 percent of the obligated funds), leaving significant spending yet to be completed. Of the riskier programs, the largest is NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), which awarded 233 grants totaling $3.9 billion for broadband Internet access across the nation. There is considerable uncertainty about how NTIA will administer or monitor these grants because the agency has not received any funding to manage the program beyond September 30, 2010. Additionally NOAA, NIST, and EDA are overseeing a number of development and construction activities. Effective management by the agencies is critical to completing these projects on schedule and within budget, and to making certain the public receives the intended benefits from the Recovery Act. In the year ahead, we will focus on how the four agencies manage the contracts and grants awarded to ensure that the technology and construction programs are managed effectively. We are particularly interested in how the agencies monitor recipients’ adherence to grant or contract terms, proper payments or drawdowns of funds, required matching shares for grant programs, and adherence to Recovery Act requirements such as the Buy America Act.
benton.org/node/45889 | Department of Commerce
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CONSUMERS KEY TO NET REGULATION
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Eliza Krigman]
As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to vote on an Open Internet regulation, Verizon and the Consumer Federation of America agreed that Internet users will be the linchpin of any successful effort to govern the web. "Consumers will be at the center of enforcement," Kathy Brown, a Verizon executive said during an event at the Brookings Institution on Internet policy making. Mark Cooper, research director of the Consumer Federation of America, agreed, but called for a system to ensure success of the consumer's involvement. "We need principles from above, a set of structures in the middle, and a crowd on the bottom to do the policing," Cooper said. Such a system would be able to answer questions about who gets to complain, which behaviors are objectionable, what the consequences are for violators, how to register complaints, and then know what actions were taken to address complaints, Cooper said.
benton.org/node/45860 | National Journal
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RURAL AREAS AND THE NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN
[SOURCE: Rapid City Journal, AUTHOR: David Montgomery]
Some state regulators and rural Internet providers worry that the National Broadband Plan is going to leave people living in rural areas behind even as it ushers urban residents into a world of affordable, lightning-fast Internet access. “The National Broadband Plan that’s been released by the Federal Communications Commission, while well-intended, contains a lot of bad news for South Dakota,” said Dusty Johnson, an outgoing Republican commissioner on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. The National Broadband Plan has three general goals ­ that all Americans should have access to high-speed Internet, that all should be able to afford it and that all should be able to acquire the skills to take advantage of it. The plan to expand digital literacy draws nothing but praise from broadband companies and public officials. It’s the other two goals that worries people like Public Utilities Chairman Steve Kolbeck, outgoing Gov. Mike Rounds and GoldenWest Telecommunications chief executive Denny Law. As a whole, nearly two-thirds of Americans use broadband Internet at home. That number, however, is significantly lower in rural areas where only 50 percent use broadband. With limited resources to promote Internet access, which underserved populations should receive the most assistance to expand telecommunications access and affordability? The National Broadband Plan would create a new fund, the Connect America Fund. Its goal would be to support Internet service with speeds of at least 4 megabits per second ­ with no regard for the location of the user. And under the plan, the Connect America Fund would receive up to $15 billion from the Universal Service Fund to accomplish its goal. The fear of rural advocates is that the Connect America Fund would focus on impoverished urban areas, where high population density makes it possible to get more bang for the buck ­ leaving rural areas with a financial shortfall.
benton.org/node/45857 | Rapid City Journal
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BROADCASTING/TELEVISION

BARTON RESPONDS TO COPPS
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Sara Jerome]
Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) is pushing back against a contention by Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps that the government should create new regulations to promote diversity in news programming. Rep Barton was reacting to a proposal made last week by Commissioner Copps, who in a speech suggested that broadcasters be subject to a new "public values test" every four years. "I hope … that you do not mean to suggest that it is the job of the federal government, through the [FCC], to determine the content that is available for Americans to consume,” Barton wrote in a letter to Copps. Rep Barton questioned whether Commissioner Copps believes the government should reinstate the defunct Fairness Doctrine, a controversial standard that required broadcast licensees to offer "balanced" coverage. Critics saw it as an affront to free speech. Rep Barton also asked whether "five commissioners can do a better job of ensuring that Americans have access to a wide diversity of content and viewpoints than Americans can themselves by expressing their preferences ... in the vigorously competitive marketplace."
benton.org/node/45896 | Hill, The | B&C
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NEW COMCAST-NBC OPPOSITION
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Sara Jerome]
The National Coalition of African American Owned Media (NCAAOM), a minority media group, is taking its opposition to the Comcast-NBC Universal merger directly to President Barack Obama, citing his promises to foster diversity and fight corruption. NCAAOM bought a full-page ad in the Washington Post on Dec 6 panning the Comcast-NBC Universal deal, which is under review in the Justice Department and at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The ad is written specifically for President Obama. It includes an excerpt of a letter he sent to the FCC while he was a senator that advocated for greater diversity in media ownership.
benton.org/node/45851 | Hill, The
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COMCAST OK WITH REPORTING
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
At a Dec. 2 meeting between NBCU Executive VP/General Counsel Rick Cotton, Comcast VP of Regulatory and State Legislative Affairs Kathy Zachem with top Federal Communications Commission staffers, the companies said they are not opposed to reporting back to the government quarterly on the host of public interest commitments they have made to help secure government approval of their proposed joint venture.
benton.org/node/45883 | Broadcasting&Cable
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POWER OF TV ADS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Stuart Elliott]
TV or not TV? On Madison Avenue next year, leading forecasters say, that is not likely to be the question. A major reason those forecasters are predicting that the advertising industry will recover faster from the recession than they had expected -- both in the United States and globally -- is the continued, strong demand among marketers for commercial time on television. That is being demonstrated, they say, in most developed markets as well as in emerging markets like China. The robustness of the ardor for television ads is startling some forecasters, who had believed that the intensifying demand for online advertising would cut into sales for TV as it has for, say, newspapers. That does not seem to be the case, even as they point to a sharp climb in spending for Internet ads as another reason the recovery will proceed -- and even gain momentum -- into next year.
benton.org/node/45912 | New York Times
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WIRELESS

AT&T RANKS
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Tiffany Hsu]
Consumer Reports has declared AT&T to be the worst cellphone service provider in the country. That brings AT&T, the exclusive service provider for the Apple iPhone, to dead last behind top-scorer U.S. Cellular as well as Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile. The company struggled in all 10 categories used to determine the rankings. Consumer Reports readers gave AT&T a score of 60, far behind the 69 they gave to second-to-last T-Mobile. AT&T’s data and voice services and its customer service -- including staff knowledge and ability to resolve issues -- were all deemed lacking.
benton.org/node/45853 | Los Angeles Times
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GOOGLE'S MOBILE ADS LEAD
[SOURCE: paidContent.org, AUTHOR: Ingrid Lunden]
New figures from IDC really bring home just how far ahead Google is from the rest of the pack when it comes to mobile advertising: Google accounts for 59 percent of all mobile advertising revenue in the US, with the next-closest competitor, Apple, coming in with just an 8.4 percent share of the market, worth $877 million overall. What’s notable about the figures is that although a lot of talk about mobile media today is focused around apps, this is not where the majority of money is coming from in mobile advertising. IDC estimates that of Google’s $1 billion in mobile ad revenues, only about $150 million is coming from apps, another portion from licensing fees, and the “bulk” coming from mobile web, in the form of display and search ads. Google’s share represents a jump of 10 percent on last year’s 48.6 percent - a result of the growing use of smartphones (and hence mobile web), the growth of the Google-backed Android platform, and the $750-million acquisition of AdMob in November 2009.
benton.org/node/45881 | paidContent.org
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WHITE SPACE ORDER
[SOURCE: Television Broadcast, AUTHOR: Deborah McAdams]
The rules governing the use of unlicensed devices in TV white spaces will officially go into effect Jan. 5, 2011. The rules, adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in September, have been published in the Federal Register, the final step of codification. The FCC first issued an unlicensed devices order in 2008 and received 17 petitions of reconsideration. The September order was modified in response to those petitions. Issues addressed included protection for TV signals, reservation of two channels for wireless microphones and technical rules for the devices, e.g., power levels and the method for identifying unoccupied spectrum. Said method involves having the devices communicate their coordinates to a database tracking open and unoccupied TV channels. The September order did not name a database manager. As of September, nine companies submitted proposals to manage the database for unlicensed devices. At the time, the FCC had not yet decided if it would choose one or multiple managers. The nine in the running include Google, Comsearch, Neustar, Key Bridge Global, KB Enterprises with LS Telcom, Frequency Finder with RadioSoft, WSdB LLC, Spectrum Bridge and Telcordia Technologies.
benton.org/node/45879 | Television Broadcast | read the rules
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ONE DATA PLAN FOR MULTIPLE DEVICES
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: Kevin Tofel]
Rogers Communications, a Canadian cable television and wireless communications provider, said that it will allow customers to share existing mobile broadband plans between devices for a $15 monthly fee. This differs from a tethering or hotspot plan because it’s actually a bill sharing function: customers can add a secondary 3G-enabled device without purchasing a separate and more expensive full data plan for it. Two devices, for example, would share the monthly data allotment from a single plan. What’s driving the potential for data sharing between devices? “Data sharing is important because tablets will not replace smartphones,” Chief Marketing Officer for Rogers, John Boynton said at a conference, held last week to discuss the impact of such secondary devices. Indeed, some are grumbling about the high price of required data plans for 3G tablets, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.
benton.org/node/45847 | GigaOm
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CONTENT

COPYRIGHT OFFICE REFORM
[SOURCE: Public Knowledge, AUTHOR: ]
The U.S. Copyright Office should use the occasion of the appointment of a new Register of Copyrights to make fundamental changes in how the Office operates, Public Knowledge said. Current Register Marybeth Peters has served since 1994 and has announced she will retire at the end of this year. The report said: “There is no reason that a 22-month backlog should exist for paper registrations. There certainly is no reason that the ‘new’ eCO [electronic] registration process should have a 6-month backlog after only two years of operation. These delays are symptoms of a system that is not designed to handle the demands of modern copyright.” PK recommended these objectives: Minimize Processing Delays, Bring All Entries Online, Make the Registry Searchable, Create a Visual Registry, Design for the Future
benton.org/node/45843 | Public Knowledge | read the report
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HEALTH

STATE HEALTH INFO EXCHANGE PILOTS
[SOURCE: GovernemntHealthIT, AUTHOR: Mary Mosquera]
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information technology is providing grants to states in order to fund health information exchange breakthroughs in five challenging areas that will promote sharing of patient records nationwide: improving long-term and post-acute care transitions through HIE; giving patients access to their own health information; developing tools and approaches to search for and share granular patient data, such as specific lab results for a given time period; and fostering strategies for population-level analysis. The Health Information Exchange Challenge Program will fund pilots in 10 states and supplement what they have already received for creation of their statewide health information exchanges. When granted, the awards will fund the development of technology and mechanisms in pilot sites. The states will then share them with other states and communities to increase their ability to exchange information nationwide. Awards will range between $1 million and $2 million each, for a total of $16 million to 10 states. States must apply by Jan. 5.
benton.org/node/45845 | GovernemntHealthIT
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GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

BULLYING AND CENSORSHIP
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] In an appalling act of political cowardice, the Smithsonian Institution last week removed “A Fire in My Belly,” a four-minute video clip, from an exhibit called “Hide/Seek” at the National Portrait Gallery. The privately financed show explores identity, gender and homosexuality in American portraiture. A spokesman for Representative John Boehner, the incoming House speaker, called for the Smithsonian to shut down the exhibition or “be prepared to face tough scrutiny” under the new Republican majority. Secretary G. Wayne Clough of the Smithsonian immediately yielded, removing the video from the exhibit. His excuse was that the video “was detracting from the entirety of the exhibition.” The Catholic League is entitled to protest, as are members of Congress, although the bullying from Mr. Boehner’s office was chilling. Mr. Clough had a responsibility to defend this work and to reject censorship. He failed. On Monday, the Smithsonian announced that the exhibit will remain open, as planned, until Feb. 13, but without Mr. Wojnarowicz’s video. That is not remotely good enough.
benton.org/node/45908 | New York Times
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STORIES FROM ABROAD

UK BROADBAND PLAN
[SOURCE: UK Department for Culture Media and Sport, AUTHOR: Press release]
The UK government announced its ambition for a ‘digital hub’ in every community in the country, as part of an £830 million strategy to make sure the UK has the best broadband network in Europe by 2015. ‘Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future’, published today by Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Olympics, Culture, Media and Sport, sets out an action plan to stimulate private investment and competition, and create an environment in which business can flourish by removing key barriers around hardware and cutting costs. The hubs will act as central digital points in each community, with high speed connections to the nearest exchange and communities working with local providers to extend networks to individual homes.
The plans also include:
Cutting the costs of and access to infrastructure and increasing shared access by working with house builders to make new homes broadband ready, and cutting the costs of laying cable by clarifying the rules on streetworks
Awarding spectrum for mobile services
Investing £50 million in a second wave of test projects, on top of the four rural pilots we are currently running
benton.org/node/45855 | UK Department for Culture Media and Sport | read the proposal
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RIM AND INDIA
[SOURCE: Fast Company, AUTHOR: Kit Eaton]
BlackBerry smartphones have been under fire around the world from terrorism-fearing governments. Now RIM's revealed how it'll let the Indian government spy on users, so the service can stay running. It's not too bad. RIM's service trades on its security, which appeals to business users worried about their secret company data, but the system is so successfully encrypted that numerous regimes around the world have become worried that their security services can't access messages sent on the devices. To those with a paranoid bent, this would allow terrorist or anti-government things to go on without surveillance. RIM's been involved in discussions with the Indian government for several months about precisely this problem, and the authorities have threatened that RIM's service could be terminated in 2011. This now looks like it's not going to happen, as RIM has consented to the governments wishes. It will allow access to BlackBerry Messenger communications inside India on a "case by case" basis, where "lawful" access requests are made. This means the government will have to follow due legal process to spy on BlackBerry users, on an individual basis, and with the consent of the courts.
benton.org/node/45877 | Fast Company
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BT WARNED OVER BROADBAND FUNDS
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Andrew Parker]
BT has been warned by Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, that the telecoms company will not get a “blank cheque” from the government to extend its high-speed broadband network. But analysts said BT was in pole position to secure the largest portion of the £830m of public funds the government is making available to ensure rural areas do not miss out on high-speed Internet access.
benton.org/node/45910 | Financial Times
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PHILANTHROPY

FUTURISTIC PHILANTHROPY
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Brandon Bailey]
Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel worries that people aren't thinking big enough about the future. So he convened an unusual philanthropic summit at which he introduced other wealthy tech figures to nonprofit groups exploring such futuristic -- some might say "far out" -- ideas as artificial intelligence, the use of "rejuvenation biotechnologies" to extend human life, and the creation of free-floating communities on the high seas. While some of the nonprofits are outside the mainstream, Thiel is known for contrarian thinking. He recently made headlines by announcing that his foundation will offer fellowships of up to $100,000 for entrepreneurs younger than 20 who want to leave school, at least temporarily, to pursue scientific or technical breakthroughs. Critics accused Thiel of encouraging smart young people to drop out of school. Thiel notes that some of the tech industry's most successful companies, including Facebook, Apple and Microsoft, were started by visionaries who didn't wait to finish their formal education. Thiel, himself a Stanford Law School graduate, holds a master rating from the U.S. Chess Federation. He is often described as the "don" of the "PayPal mafia," an informal network of entrepreneurs who worked at PayPal before launching a host of other successful startups.
benton.org/node/45906 | San Jose Mercury News
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