1. Monthly archive
  2. April 2018

April 2018

The FCC’s 2018 Broadband Report: How Do You Politicize a Statistical Report?

[Commentary] Until recently, the Federal Communications Commission dutifully provided statistics, perhaps framed in ways to support a policy objective. But until now, not one statistical report included a partisan jab. Despite lots of blabber about empiricism and humility, someone thought it fair and balanced to couple regularly-reported statistics with an unsupported assertion that the 2015 Open Internet Order singularly caused a decline in the pace of increased subscribership and network performance during the last two bummer Obama years.  In a statistical report, mandated by law, the FCC

Why we need a ‘privacy label’ on the internet

[Commentary] When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before two committees earlier in April, even GOP lawmakers typically opposed to regulations said new rules to restrict the actions of Facebook and other internet companies may be necessary. That’s a bad idea. Restrictions may help establish better metes and bounds around privacy and security practices, but there will still be privacy lapses or security breaches due to, among other things, employee negligence, systems failure and the violations of agreements and those laws. 

Facebook apologies aren't enough. The whole Internet needs a privacy overhaul.

[Commentary] Our current privacy framework no longer works. While the hearings this month offered little in terms of solutions, they did put a spotlight on a problem that’s been glaringly obvious for years: Consumers have little control over their data online. We need a privacy framework that gives consumers control over their own data. Companies across the board must be required to get express consent from their users prior to sharing their data. At the outset, consumers should be asked to respond to a simple statement that they do or do not want their personal data shared.

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