Dec 7, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai held a series of telephone calls with small Internet service providers across the country—from Oklahoma to Ohio, from Montana to Minnesota. They told him how the FCC’s 2015 Title II Order had harmed their businesses and why it is important to them that heavyhanded government regulation of the Internet be eliminated.
In a letter dated Dec 7 that was handed to press but is unavailable on the Federal Communications Commission’s website, the agency refuses to assist New York Attorney General Schneiderman’s investigation into the identity theft of a million consumers in the FCC’s network neutrality record. This letter shows the FCC’s sheer contempt for public input and unreasonable failure to support integrity in its process. To put it simply, there is evidence in the FCC’s files that fraud has occurred and the FCC is telling law enforcement and victims of identity theft that it is not going to help.
Various groups have taken the Federal Communications Commission to court, appealing its decision on speeding the transition to fiber and the retirement of legacy network to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, generally thought to be a more friendly venue than the DC Circuit. Asking the Ninth Circuit to reverse and vacate the November order were Public Knowledge, The Greenlining Institute, The Utility Reform Network, and the National Association of State Utility Advocates.
When we set out three weeks ago with our partners at BattlefortheNet.com to launch protests nationwide ahead of the Federal Communications Commission’s Network Neutrality vote, we were confident we could pull off at least five of them and were going to shoot for 15. Dec 7, there were more than 700 protests in all 50 states. It was the largest public outpouring of support for Net Neutrality and internet freedom ever.
A one-digit mistake by CNN has armed President Donald Trump with new ammunition for another fusillade against the media. CNN reported Dec 7 that Donald Trump Jr. received an email on Sept. 4, 2016, that granted special access to WikiLeaks documents. The network said in an online article that the email had been “described to CNN by multiple sources.” But The Washington Post obtained the email itself and reported in the afternoon of Dec 7 that the message was actually dated Sept. 14, 2016 — a difference that sets Trump Jr.’s receipt 10 days later. The date matters.
As attendees of the telecom industry's premier social gathering were escaping the 44-degree chill and entering the Washington Hilton, several dozen net-neutrality protesters chanted outside. Across the street, on an exterior wall of the Courtyard Marriott, the activists projected in giant lettering, "No Slow Lanes. Open & Equal Internet For All."
On March 19, AT&T and the Justice Department are expected to head to court to decide the future of Time Warner in what could be a historic legal showdown over a massive $85 billion merger. The timing of the trial could put AT&T in an uncomfortable position as it seeks to buy up one of the world's most valuable media and entertainment conglomerates, known for popular TV channels such as CNN and hit film franchises like the “Harry Potter” series.
Days before the Federal Communications Commission will vote on its proposed rollback of Net Neutrality rules that protect the open internet, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) introduced the Save Net Neutrality Act (H.R. 4585) to stop the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would result in a final rule eliminating the existing Net Neutrality policy. The FCC offered an NPRM on May 18, 2017 which would rollback Net Neutrality rules established by the Commission in 2015.
One of the major challenges for education technology leaders is addressing digital equity, particularly out-of-school broadband access. Hear how school districts are working with local, regional, and national businesses in leveraging the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to close the digital access gap. School and business leaders will discuss how collaboration can improve school-to-home connectivity as well as access to devices and internet-based resources for families in need.
Moderator: Jayne James, CoSN Project Director
Presenters:
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