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  2. June 2019

June 2019

If Sen Hawley's really after big tech, he must champion net neutrality

Sen Josh Hawley (R-MO), in his first term, has targeted large technology firms such as Google and Facebook with upcoming legislation. He has announced legislation in two areas, targeting software publishers that market loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions to kids, and calling for a "do not call list"-style option to bar companies from tracking personal data. While there's nothing inherently concerning about either of these bills, they don't strike us as urgent. But those two measures are small shots in this hunt.

Sen Schumer calling on the FCC to demand accurate service data from internet providers

On June 2, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticized the Federal Communications Commission after the release of its 2019 Broadband Deployment Report, and called for more scrutiny of data. He and other critics think the rosy picture the report paints doesn’t accurately reflect the situation on the ground. “While we live in an era of faster and faster, the reality of internet speed across New York is that it may move more like molasses than lightning,” Sen Schumer said. “The FCC has said internet speeds are up to standards in its report.

Many Americans Say Made-Up News Is a Critical Problem That Needs To Be Fixed

Many Americans say the creation and spread of made-up news and information is causing significant harm to the nation and needs to be stopped. Indeed, more Americans view made-up news as a very big problem for the country than identify terrorism, illegal immigration, racism and sexism that way.

Ripping Huawei out of US networks could be a nightmare for rural providers

Joe Franell is a fan of Huawei’s equipment. As the CEO of Eastern Oregon Telecom, he’s responsible for providing internet to about 4,000 customers, many in small communities or remote farmland. He’s been lucky: the Huawei equipment he uses has never failed, which he hasn’t been able to say about everything else in the company’s network.

ISPs Tell FCC Pennsylvania Is Covered; Researchers Disagree

While Internet providers report to the Federal Communications Commission that all of Pennsylvania has high-speed broadband service, customers, including some in Berks County (PA), know there are rural areas where broadband cannot be accessed.

Breaking up Big Tech will be really hard to do—here’s why

If any of the tech giants are found guilty of anticompetitive behavior, they’re likely to be hit with heavy fines and other sanctions. But trying to force through a breakup of one or more of the companies will be tough to do because:

  1. Big tech firms have generally made their services available for free.
  2. They aren’t “natural monopolies.” 
  3. Big tech firms dominate data gathering and use insights to provide even more free services.

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