Europe’s new data and privacy rules take effect May 25, clarifying individual rights to the personal data collected by companies around the world for targeted advertising and other purposes. Not much will change for you, at least right away; companies will keep on collecting and analyzing personal data from your phone, the apps you use and the sites you visit.
[Commentary] Today network neutrality is often described as the principle that internet service providers (ISPs)—and only ISPs—treat all data on the internet the same. But it wasn’t always this way and shouldn’t be this way going forward.
[Commentary] The Senate voted 52–47 to revive an Obama administration rule ensuring equal treatment for online traffic—the so-called “net neutrality” rule recently erased by the Trump Federal Communications Commission. But the vote wasn't really about "net neutrality." Instead, it was a deeply political, bipartisan call—three Republican Senators signed on—for internet freedom writ large. Here's why: "Net neutrality," these days, is shorthand for "We don't like how much unconstrained power Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon, and CenturyLink have over us."
[Commentary] The Republican Senate's passage May 16 of a measure that would reinstate the Federal Communications Commission's network neutrality rules is a strong indication that support for those regulations is gaining steam. Net neutrality started as an obscure policy debate, but it has become a mainstream issue, and the more people know about it, the more they support it, regardless of their political identification.
On May 9, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai responded to various Members of Congress about the FCC's efforts to accelerate wireline broadband deployment to all Americans, particularly about the transformation of communication networks from traditional telephone service provided over copper wires towards incorporating services provided over next-generation technologies. Chairman Pai wrote, "I agree with you that we must protect consumers during and after technology transitions - and our rules continue to do just that.
On Dec 12, 2017, Sen Claire McCaskill (D-MO) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission to urge the FCC to ensure that the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II Auction has sufficient safeguards to ensure a fair auction and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. On May 10, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai responded by writing, "I agree that safeguards in any broadband funding program are critical to ensure success in getting Internet access to as many unserved Americans as possible and in preventing waste and fraud.
On March 13, 2018, Sen Jon Tester (D-MT) and Gov Steve Bullock (D-MT) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to express concerns with FCC regulations that are causing significant delays on certain school broadband projects in rural states. "It is unacceptable for bureaucratic red tape to stand in the way of high-speed internet being delivered to rural classrooms. As such, we urge you to take immediate corrective actions," they wrote. On May 10, Chairman Pai responded by writing, "[T]here have been serious flaws in the administration of the E-Rate program.
On April 16, 2018, Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai regarding the merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media Company. "In making its determination whether the proposed merger to allow a single company to reach 72 percent of U.S. television households serves the public interest, I urge the FCC to carefully consider Sinclair's conduct and the significant harm it poses," Sen Durbin wrote.
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