October 2014

INTERNET/BROADBAND

PRESIDENT OBAMA BACKS NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Edward-Isaac Dovere]
President Barack Obama said that he’s “unequivocally” committed to network neutrality. In his first stop of a three-day trip to California built mostly around midterm fundraising, President Obama hosted a town hall with a group of tech entrepreneurs at the Cross Campus workspace that serves the start-up community. President Obama said his administration was going to make sure net neutrality remains untouched. “It’s what has unleashed the power of the Internet, and we don’t want to lose that or clog up the pipes,” President Obama said. "[W]hat I’ve been clear about, what the White House has been clear about is, is that we expect whatever final rules to emerge to make sure that we’re not creating two or three or four tiers of Internet. That ends up being a big priority of mine."
benton.org/headlines/president-obama-network-neutrality-dont-clog-pipes | Politico | Multichannel News | The Wrap | The Hill
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KILLER APPS IN THE GIGABIT AGE
[SOURCE: Pew Internet and American Life Project, AUTHOR: Lee Raine, Janna Anderson, Jennifer Connolly]
The age of gigabit connectivity is dawning and will advance in coming years. The only question is how quickly it might become widespread. To explore the possibilities of the next leap in connectivity we asked thousands of experts and Internet builders to share their thoughts about likely new Internet activities and applications that might emerge in the gigabit age. Following is a selection of respondent answers that speak to each of the themes.
People’s basic interactions and their ability to ‘be together’ and collaborate will change in the age of vivid telepresence—enabling people to instantly ‘meet face-to-face’ in cyberspace with no travel necessary.
Augmented reality will extend people’s sense and understanding of their real-life surroundings and virtual reality will make some spaces, such as gaming worlds and other simulated environments, even more compelling places to hang out.
The connection between humans and technology will tighten as machines gather, assess, and display real-time personalized information in an ‘always-on’ environment. This integration will affect many activities—including thinking, the documentation of life events (‘life-logging’), and coordination of daily schedules.
Specific economic and social sectors will be especially impacted; health/medicine and education were mentioned often.
New digital divides may open as people gain opportunities on different timelines and with different tools.
Who knows? ‘I have no idea due to rapid change.’ ‘The best Internet apps are yet to emerge.’ ‘If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you, I would invest in it!’
Advances will be gradual for various reasons: Bandwidth is not the issue. The US will lag because a widespread gigabit network is not easily achieved.
benton.org/headlines/killer-apps-gigabit-age | Pew Internet and American Life Project | About This Report and Survey | Big-Picture Responses: Part 1 | Big-Picture Responses: Part 2 | Elaborations: More Expert Responses
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UN-TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Blair Levin]
[Commentary] From Champaign Urbana to the Research Triangle Park, from Louisville to College Station, from Connecticut to New Mexico to Maine, dozens of communities have recognized that the broadband networks they use today will not be sufficient in the years ahead. They also recognized that current market forces were unlikely to deliver the abundant bandwidth they would soon need. Therefore, they have taken action to change those market dynamics. These efforts are designed to prepare the communities for a future dependent on much greater bandwidth. No one, however, knows for certain what that future will bring. We can, however, know more by reviewing the Pew Research Center study on Killer Apps in the Gigabit Age.
http://benton.org/blog/un-tragedy-commons-and-bandwidth-abundance
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THE COST OF AN INTERNET ACCESS TAX
[SOURCE: American Action Forum, AUTHOR: Will Rinehart]
A ban on Internet access taxes has sailed through the House and is awaiting Senate action before the end of session. The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act is a permanent extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA), which was passed in 1998 to prevent local and state governments from taxing consumers for Internet access or levying Internet-specific taxes. By our estimates, letting the Internet Tax Freedom Act sunset could cost consumers $14.7 billion a year in taxes if Internet access were subject to the countless taxes of wireless service. With businesses and families already feeling the brunt of the high taxes and a slow recovery, a new tax could hurt this dynamic part of the economy. With a sunset of ITFA coming in mid-December, some have tried to rope this must-pass bill with the more contentious issue of Internet sales tax. However, taxation of Internet access should be judged on its own merits, separate from the broader issue of taxation on goods sold over the Internet.
benton.org/headlines/cost-internet-access-tax | American Action Forum
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ELECTIONS AND MEDIA

POLITICAL AD FUNDING
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Philip Elliott]
Kansas has seen the greatest number of ads for state-level political office, such as lieutenant governors and state treasurers, from groups that do not disclose their donors. Secretive groups account for more than half of the spending in that state's competitive race for governor. But, Kansas, is not alone. More than $9 million in ads have come from such anonymous groups in races for governor and state legislatures in 16 states, according to an analysis released by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity. The bulk of the spending for next month's elections is yet to come.
benton.org/headlines/political-ad-funding-most-mysterious-kansas | Associated Press | Center for Public Integrity
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VOTER ID REFORM
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Nancy Scola]
As debate rolls on over the impact of voter identification laws on elections in the United States, a new wrinkle has quietly been introduced: Google. Users across the United States who use Google to search for information on whether they might need a driver's license or other form of ID to cast a ballot at their local polling place will be presented with the nitty-gritty details of the oft-complicated voting identification requirements and laws -- specified down to whatever spot in the country from which he or she happens to be searching. The new results are part of a broader Google push to increase what we might call ambient civic awareness. Google searches for "How do I vote?," for example, bring up the step-by-step process for casting a ballot, either in person or by mail, with details, too, on how to make sure a voter is registered.
benton.org/headlines/google-integrates-voter-id-requirements-its-search-results | Washington Post
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WIRELESS

CRAMMING INCENTIVES
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: David Lazarus]
[Commentary] Phone companies continue to insist that they're doing everything possible to protect consumers. They're not. Far from it. "State law says that a telephone bill may only contain authorized charges," said Lindsay Brown, a staff attorney with the Office of Ratepayer Advocates, the consumer-watchdog arm of the California Public Utilities Commission. "If a telephone bill contains any unauthorized charges, that is not in compliance with the law," she said. Most people would read "authorized charges" as fees approved in advance by customers. Thus, the onus is on phone companies, as gatekeepers of customers' bills, to ensure that a third-party charge is kosher before payment can be sought. But that's not how the phone companies see it. They consistently have staked out the position that it's up to consumers to spot unauthorized charges on their bills. Here's the thing: The phone companies would rather see these charges on your bill. And there's a simple reason for that. "They make money from them," said Joe Ridout, consumer services manager with the advocacy group Consumer Action.
benton.org/headlines/phone-carriers-have-big-incentive-allow-cramming | Los Angeles Times
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LOBBYING

ONWARD INTERNET
[SOURCE: Pro Publica, AUTHOR: Robert Faturechi]
Onward Internet may be the latest stealth entrant in the increasingly nasty battle over net neutrality, which will determine how the government regulates Internet providers. The production agency for Onward Internet wouldn't say who their client is, but an employee for the company that rented the space for the Hayes Valley installation let slip that "It's something called the National Cable and Telecommunications Association" – the principal trade group for the telecom industry. Telecom companies have been the fiercest opponents of a proposal under which the government would treat broadband like a utility, making it easier for regulators to keep internet providers from blocking certain sites or saddling some content providers with slower speeds or higher fees. It's unclear what the lobbying giant hopes to get out of this particular campaign, but the Onward Internet website, call-in line and Twitter feed are collecting messages of support from visitors who would have no way of knowing they're backing a telecom industry campaign.
benton.org/headlines/mysterious-campaign-appears-be-latest-salvo-battle-over-net-neutrality | Pro Publica
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FREEDOM BUSINESS ALLIANCE
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Julian Hattem]
Former Rep Chip Pickering (R-MS), who currently leads the Comptel communications trade group, is leading the new Internet Freedom Business Alliance, a coalition of tech companies, realtors and start-ups pushing for strong rules for the Internet. Companies including Tumblr, Reddit and Etsy have signed on as founding members of the alliance, which is singularly focused on network neutrality, the concept that Internet service providers should be prohibited from giving people different service depending on which websites they visit. The group seems to be targeting conservatives by pushing a “free market” agenda.
benton.org/headlines/former-rep-pickering-lead-tech-company-push-against-fast-lanes | Hill, The
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FCC REFORM

AN UPDATE ON PROCESS REFORM EFFORTS TO REDUCE BACKLOG
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Diane Cornell]
Since the release of the Report on Federal Communications Commission Process Reform, the dedicated staff here at the FCC has been hard at work on implementing the report’s recommendations. One area of particular focus has been tackling matters that have been considered backlogged, and -- even more importantly -- increasing speed of disposal for all matters. As noted in the Report, backlogs generally develop because of (1) increased volume of work; (2) complex issues; (3) inter-related issues; and/or (4) need for coordination with others. Two key internal process reform working groups have been examining ways to not only reduce the number of items currently pending at the FCC, but to also move incoming items through the system faster. Here’s few examples of progress in this area.
benton.org/headlines/update-process-reform-efforts-reduce-backlog | Federal Communications Commission
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STORIES FROM ABROAD

ZUCKERBERG IN INDIA
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Eric Bellman]
Close to a billion residents of India don’t have Internet access, and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg says he wants to help fix that. The founder of the social-media company arrived in New Delhi for a summit aimed at finding ways to get more people online -- especially in developing countries -- to spread knowledge and improve lives. “When people are connected we can accomplish some pretty amazing things,” Zuckerberg said ahead of the meetings organized by Internet.org, a group backed by Facebook and big global technology companies. The organization, which also includes local community leaders and nonprofits, says its goal is to get emerging economies better connected. Internet.org launched a contest to promote the creation of apps, websites and online services for women, students, farmers and migrant workers in India.
benton.org/headlines/zuckerberg-champions-world-wide-spread-internet | Wall Street Journal | PCWorld
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Analysis

October 2014

October 10, 2014 (Gigabit Apps; Don’t ‘clog up the pipes’)

President Obama on network neutrality: Don’t ‘clog up the pipes’

Phone carriers have big incentive to allow cramming

Microsoft’s Nadella Sets Off a Furor on Women’s Pay

Pay TV’s New Worry: ‘Shaving’ the Cord

Panel: US lags on 'e-Government'

iPhones, iPads and the Search Query Gap

Zuckerberg Champions World-Wide Spread of Internet

Google Provides Details on ‘Right to Be Forgotten’ Requests in EU; Facebook Leads in Removed Links

Apps Speed Up, and Often Muddle, Hong Kong Protesters’ Messages