MERGER
Comcast Wins Bid For AT&T's Cable Unit (NYT)
INTERNET
Diverse Consumer Coalition Launches Privacy Education Site (WP)
Communal Broadbrand (SF)
Women Catch Up On Net Use (BBC)
SECURITY
Electronic Communications Networks in the Wake of September 11th
(HOUSE)
MERGER
COMCAST WINS BID FOR AT&T'S CABLE UNIT
Issue: Merger
AT&T agreed yesterday to sell its cable television business, the nation's
largest, to the Comcast Corporation for about $47 billion in stock. The deal
would create a cable giant with more than 22 million subscribers, almost
twice the size of the next-biggest cable operator, AOL Time Warner, which
was a losing bidder in the deal. The combined company, to be called the AT&T
Comcast Corporation, would have lines into one-fifth of the nation's homes -
links capable of providing not only cable television programs but high-speed
Internet access and, in some cases, telephone service. Despite combining the
No. 1 and No. 3 cable companies, the merger is not expected to encounter
serious obstacles among regulators. Policy analysts noted that recent court
decisions favorable to the cable industry and the leanings of the Bush
administration have created a new era of deregulation in the communications
industry.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Seth Schiesel and Andrew Ross Sorkin]
(Http://Www.Nytimes.Com/2001/12/20/Business/Media/20CABL.Html)
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INTERNET
DIVERSE CONSUMER COALITION LAUNCHES PRIVACY EDUCATION SITE
Issue: Privacy
As the holiday shopping season shifts into high gear, a diverse coalition of
consumer rights groups is launching a Web site designed to educate Net users
about ways to control their personal information online. The new Web site,
www.consumerprivacyguide.org, offers tips for understanding the fundamentals
of online privacy - such as how to read a privacy policy - as well as advice
on using more sophisticated privacy tools, including anonymous remailers and
encryption. The site was launched by the Center for Democracy & Technology
with the support of more than a half-dozen other privacy and consumer rights
organizations, many of whom endorse fairly divergent views on Congress' role
in protecting consumer privacy online. "Online privacy is clearly one of the
emerging civil rights issues with implications for business, for our
politics, and government, and there needs to be a voice for empowering
citizens in this debate," said Scott Harshbarger, president of Common Cause,
one of the site's sponsors. "While legislation may be needed, we know that
at a minimum we can help by making this information available."
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Brian Krebs (Newsbytes.com)]
(Http://Www.Washtech.Com/News/Regulation/14248-1.Html)
COMMUNAL BROADBRAND
Issue: Broadband
With the dropping cost of rigging local-area, high-speed wireless networks,
some tech-savvy Bay Area neighbors are finding economies in sharing
broadband Internet service. The technology that enables this sharing is
802.11, also known as Wi-Fi, and has range of little more than 100 feet. The
gear is designed to help users wirelessly connect their broadband-linked
desktop computer to laptops, PDAs or other peripherals, but some are using
the technology to share his broadband Internet connection with their
neighbors. While cable modem carriers such as AT&T may have stringent rules
about sharing bandwidth outside the customer's home, some DSL providers are
lax about the issue.
[SOURCE: SFGate, AUTHOR: Matthew Yi]
(Http://Www.Sfgate.Com/Cgi-Bin/Article.Cgi?F=/C/A/2001/12/19/BU44717.DTL)
WOMEN CATCH UP ON NET USE
Issue: Internet
Women in Britain are catching up with men when it comes to logging on to the
Internet, according to research. Figures from the Office of National
Statistics show a steady increase in the number of people using the Internet
in Britain. But the number of women using the Web leapt 12% on last year
compared with a minimal change in figures for men. Statistician June Bowman,
who compiled the figures, said that while "Income is still a strong
determinant of internet access in the home," she believes the divisions are
getting smaller.
[SOURCE: BBC]
(Http://News.Bbc.Co.Uk/Hi/English/Uk/Newsid_1717000/1717424.Stm)
SECURITY
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH
Issue: Security
On December 19, the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer
Protection heard testimony on electronic communications networks in the wake
of September 11th. An audio archive of the hearing is available at the URL
below.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://energycommerce.house.gov/107/hearings/12192001Hearing458/hearing.htm
)
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