June 2018

On June 20th, a committee of the European Parliament will vote on whether to proceed on a copyright proposal that some say will destroy the internet as we know it. That may sound fairly hyperbolic, but over 70 experts — including World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales — have criticized the proposal, saying it will turn the internet into “a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users.” The controversial provision in question is Article 13, which requires internet platforms to filter uploads for copyright infringement.

Blackfoot, the owner and operator of the region’s largest multi-gigabit network, welcomed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to Montana. During Chairman Pai’s visit, Blackfoot CEO, Jason Williams led a tour of the company’s fiber construction, followed by a working session that was focused on delivering broadband access to rural communities across Blackfoot’s service areas. “Bridging the digital divide and expanding Internet access to all corners of the country is my top priority at the FCC,” said Chairman Pai.