BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2013
Privacy and Emergency Access on today’s agenda http://benton.org/calendar/2013-01-11/
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Impact of the June 2012 Derecho on Communications Networks and Services - Report and Recommendations - press release
FCC Publishes Proposed Text-to-911 Rule
WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for January 2013 Open Meeting
Incentive Auction Is Coming, But When?
Border Issues Key Among Auction Concerns - analysis [links to web]
Hundt: Genachowski Doing Great Job on Incentive Auctions [links to web]
Reps Walden, Latta Welcome Progress on Efforts to Increase Unlicensed Spectrum - press release [links to web]
Wireless Carriers Move Beyond Smartphones [links to web]
Verizon: Almost 50% of data traffic now goes over LTE network [links to web]
Amtrak is upgrading its on-train Wi-Fi service [links to web]
PRIVACY
California Attorney General Issues Guidance on How Mobile Apps Can Better Protect Consumer Privacy - press release
Maybe “Being the Product” Isn’t So Bad: Why Data Harvesting Doesn’t Have to be a Nightmare - analysis
President Obama signs bill to let Facebook users share Netflix videos [links to web]
CONTENT
Hollywood's take on White House gun summit
Consumers are stuck between ISPs and content giants in the battle for online video - analysis
Vice President Biden Meets with Groups to Discuss Violence Prevention [links to web]
TCA: Netflix looks to join TV big leagues [links to web]
Chasing Netflix, Intel, AT&T, Verizon & others lose their collective mind - analysis [links to web]
All The News That's Fit To Read, Watch, Listen To And Touch [links to web]
Amazon’s New Deal: Buy a CD and Get the Digital Album for Free [links to web]
Don’t hold your breath waiting for Amazon to give you Kindle copies of your books [links to web]
Tag, Share, And Set Your Life To Music With SoundTracking [links to web]
OWNERSHIP
Motorola Mobility and Google; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment - public notice
Justice Department Files Suit Against Bazaarvoice’s Acquisition of PowerReviews - press release [links to web]
FTC Announces Revised Thresholds for Clayton Act Antitrust Reviews for 2013 - press release [links to web]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Why the UN’s push to control the Internet isn’t over [links to web]
Protecting the Freedom to Compete by Reforming Competition Law - analysis [links to web]
Sen Wyden Calls for Trade Agreements that respect Open Internet Principles - analysis [links to web]
Google Fiber Captivates Kansas City [links to web]
Rise of the next digital divide: Women and the web [links to web]
New White House petition seeks to legitimize DDoS attacks [links to web]
HEALTH
In 2nd Look, Few Savings From Digital Health Records
POLICYMAKERS
Obama’s Chief of Staff Pick Is Said to Be Down to 2
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Brussels takes tough stance on Google
Chinese Newspaper Protests End, but Battle Over Censorship Is Unresolved
Tim Cook: China will be Apple's top market [links to web]
Visit by Google Chairman May Benefit North Korea [links to web]
UK editors resist press regulation plan
MORE ONLINE
How tablets are changing desktop computers [links to web]
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
DERECHO REPORT
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
The Federal Communications Commission announced plans to launch a rulemaking to strengthen the reliability and resiliency nationwide of our country’s 9-1-1 communications networks during major disasters. Widespread outages and disruptions to 9-1-1 services in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions – impacting more than 3.6 million people – led to an in-depth FCC inquiry into what went wrong, and what steps should be taken to better ensure public safety. The inquiry, conducted by the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, included in-depth investigation, public comment and analysis. In the report issued today, the Bureau noted that a significant number of 9-1-1 systems and services were partially or completely down for several days after the derecho – from isolated breakdowns in Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and Indiana to systemic failures in northern Virginia and West Virginia. In all, seventy-seven 9-1-1 call centers (known as public safety answering points or “PSAPs”) serving more than 3.6 million people in these six states lost some degree of connectivity, including vital information on the location of 9-1-1 calls. Seventeen of the 9-1-1 call centers, mostly in northern Virginia and West Virginia, lost service completely, leaving more than 2 million residents unable to reach emergency services for varying periods of time.
Unlike hurricanes and superstorms, which are generally well-forecast, derechos are more like earthquakes, tornados, and man-made events for which there is little-to-no advance notice and opportunity to prepare. As such, the derecho provided a snapshot of the reliability and readiness of a portion of the Nation’s communications infrastructure in the face of unanticipated disasters – and it revealed considerable flaws in the resiliency planning and implementation of the primary 9-1-1 network providers in the affected region. In most cases, the disruptions would have been avoided if the communications network providers that route calls to 9-1-1 call centers, had fully implemented industry best practices and available industry guidance.
The Bureau outlined specific suggestions to address the primary causes of the derecho-related outages and to promote the reliability and resiliency of 9-1-1 communications networks during disasters. Chief among these, the Bureau recommended that the Commission consider actions in the following areas to ensure that communications providers:
Maintain adequate central office backup power
Have reliable network monitoring systems
Conduct periodic audits of 9-1-1 circuits
Notify 9-1-1 call centers of problems
benton.org/node/143143 | Federal Communications Commission | read the report | Commissioner Rosenworcel | Commissioner Pai | The Hill
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FCC PUBLISHES PROPOSED TEXT-TO-911 RULE
[SOURCE: nextgov, AUTHOR: Joseph Marks]
The Federal Communications Commission published a proposed rule requiring all wireless carriers to support text messages to 911 in addition to standard phone calls to the emergency number. The agency said it planned to publish the new rule Dec. 12 and announced a deal with the nation’s four largest wireless carriers to support the service December 7. Publication now starts the clock ticking for wireless carriers, emergency responders and other interested groups to comment on the proposed rule before the FCC votes on a final regulation. The comment period on the proposed rule closes Jan. 29.
benton.org/node/143132 | nextgov | see Federal Register notice
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
FCC ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR JANUARY OPEN MEETING
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the following items will be on the tentative agenda for the next open meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 31, 2013:
Expanding Opportunities for Spectrum Experimentation Report and Order: The Commission will consider a Report and Order to revise and streamline its rules to modernize the Experimental Radio Service by creating a more flexible environment to accelerate innovation and promote the introduction of new products, including medical devices, to the marketplace.
Expanding Broadband Access and Spectrum Availability for Healthcare: The Commission will hear a presentation on the agency’s ongoing work to expand broadband access and spectrum availability for health care uses.
benton.org/node/143154 | Federal Communications Commission
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INCENTIVE AUCTION WHEN?
[SOURCE: TVNewsCheck, AUTHOR: Andrew Dodson]
The Federal Communications Commission wants to do the spectrum incentive auction in 2014 and some involved say that’s possible, but others claim there are too many complications and details that must be worked out to make sure the very complicated process goes smoothly. FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell told a CES audience: “So, while I hope it’s 2014 … folks just need to realistically understand that history tells us that these things can take longer than you hope or expect, especially when you have literally the most complicated spectrum auction in world history.”
benton.org/node/143114 | TVNewsCheck
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PRIVACY
CALIFORNIA GUIDANCE ON MOBILE APP PRIVACY
[SOURCE: State of California Department of Justice, AUTHOR: Press release]
California Attorney General Kamala Harris issued recommendations for mobile application (app) developers and the mobile industry to safeguard consumer privacy. The report provides guidance on developing strong privacy practices, translating these practices into mobile-friendly policies, and coordinating with mobile industry actors to promote comprehensive transparency. The report, Privacy on the Go: Recommendations for the Mobile Ecosystem, is the result of an outreach effort that compiled input from stakeholders throughout the mobile industry. Its purpose is to serve as a template for the mobile industry to develop mobile-friendly privacy policies and practices that will improve consumer privacy without stifling innovation. To accommodate the smaller screens of mobile devices, the report recommends the use of special notifications such as icons, or pop-up notifications to inform consumers about how personally identifiable information is being collected and shared.
benton.org/node/143101 | State of California Department of Justice | read the report | LATimes | Washington Post | NY Times | San Jose Mercury News
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MAYBE BEING THE PRODUCT AIN’T SO BAD
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Liz Gannes]
[Commentary] The often-cited expression “When something online is free, you’re not the customer, you’re the product” is compelling and smart and seems to sum up the problem of living in an advertising-supported online world. But it also stops too short. People trot out this line to advocate disengaging from a world of personalization and privacy scandals. The thing is, you can’t. In this day and age, avoiding security cameras and credit-card tracking and traffic pattern analysis and mobile location data would require a massive bulletproof signal-blocking hermit-crab shell. What you can do is actually get value from being tracked — while holding companies to a high standard of responsibility, of course. We give up massive amounts of personal data on a daily basis. In my opinion, it’s darn well time for these services to give back to us by making good use of the data to give us better experiences.
benton.org/node/143121 | Wall Street Journal
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CONTENT
HOLLYWOOD’S TAKE ON WHITE HOUSE GUN SUMMIT
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Brooks Boliek, Steve Friess]
Film, TV and cable sector lobbyists met with Vice President Joe Biden to discuss efforts to curb gun violence, but it was unclear what more Washington could do to force the entertainment industry to temper the blood and guts. The 2 ½-hour meeting included presentations from companies and trade associations about how they already self-regulate or provide parents the tools to protect children from violent or racy content — such as voluntary ratings systems for movies and TV shows. “The entertainment community appreciates being included in the dialogue around the Administration’s efforts to confront the complex challenge of gun violence in America,” the attendees said in a joint statement. “This industry has a longstanding commitment to provide parents the tools necessary to make the right viewing decisions for their families. We welcome the opportunity to share that history and look forward to doing our part to seek meaningful solutions.” Signing on to the statement were representatives of the Directors Guild of America, Independent Film & Television Alliance, Motion Picture Association of America, National Association of Broadcasters, National Association of Theatre Owners, and National Cable & Telecommunications Association.
benton.org/node/143173 | Politico | The Hill | Variety | Politico
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STUCK BETWEEN ISPs AND CONTENT GIANTS
[SOURCE: GigaOm, AUTHOR: Stacey Higginbotham]
The trouble is that technology has enabled us to break up the process of getting a movie or TV show into many different pieces controlled by different service providers. But as we do this, we’ve have also taken out any accountability, which puts the consumer in the middle of any disputes over service quality. It’s a well-known secret in the peering world that ISPs sometimes choke the traffic coming in from large content companies as a reason to charge them more money for the privilege of interconnecting to them. That’s suspected of happening with Free in France, and has triggered an investigation by the French telecoms authority. It’s also happened in the US, although most of the arguments on the issue are solved by negotiation rather than a government probe.
benton.org/node/143135 | GigaOm
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OWNERSHIP
FTC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT
[SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission, AUTHOR: Richard Donohue]
The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent order -- embodied in the consent agreement -- that would settle these allegations. Comments must be received on or before February 4, 2013.
benton.org/node/143171 | Federal Trade Commission
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HEALTH
RAND’S NEW LOOK AT DIGITAL HEALTH RECORDS
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Reed Abelson, Julie Crewell]
The conversion to electronic health records has failed so far to produce the hoped-for savings in health care costs and has had mixed results, at best, in improving efficiency and patient care, according to a new analysis by the influential RAND Corporation. Optimistic predictions by RAND in 2005 helped drive explosive growth in the electronic records industry and encouraged the federal government to give billions of dollars in financial incentives to hospitals and doctors that put the systems in place. Officials at RAND said their new analysis did not try to put a dollar figure on how much electronic record-keeping had helped or hurt efforts to reduce costs. But the firm’s acknowledgment that its earlier analysis was overly optimistic adds to a chorus of concern about the cost of the new systems and the haste with which they have been adopted.
benton.org/node/143172 | New York Times
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POLICYMAKERS
OBAMA’S NEXT CHIEF OF STAFF
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jackie Calmes]
Having nominated White House Chief of Staff Jacob Lew to move next door to the Treasury Department, President Barack Obama for the fifth time must choose the aide who will be the Oval Office gatekeeper for every problem and person, domestic and foreign, that come before the President, and who is often the last to speak to President Obama before he makes a decision. The title of White House chief of staff hardly conveys the reach of the officeholder; responsibility extends far beyond the White House, throughout the departments and agencies of the executive branch and to relations with Congress. “It is the first person and the last person the president talks to, outside the vice president,” said Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s first and at 20 months his longest-serving chief of staff, and now the mayor of Chicago. “And it is both a chief — meaning top dog — but it is also staff.” “I would argue that they are the second-most-powerful person really in the free world, behind the president and occasionally a vice president like Dick Cheney,” said David B. Cohen, a political scientist at the University of Akron who is writing a book on White House chiefs of staff. “It is the most powerful unelected position. Chiefs of staff are responsible for everything — I mean everything — that comes into the White House.” For some weeks, associates say, President Obama has been considering just two other men to succeed Mr. Lew: Denis R. McDonough, the current deputy national security adviser in the White House, and Ronald A. Klain, former chief of staff to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and before that to Al Gore.
benton.org/node/143164 | New York Times
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STORIES FROM ABROAD
BRUSSELS TAKES TOUGH STANCE ON GOOGLE
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Alex Barker, Richard Waters]
Google will be forced to change the way it presents search results in Europe or face antitrust charges for “diverting traffic” to its own services, the European Union’s competition chief has said, laying out a sharply different approach from his US counterparts. In contrast to the Federal Trade Commission, which has given the all-clear to Google’s search engine, Joaquín Almunia vowed to prevent Google distorting choices for consumers and taking business from rivals. “We are still investigating, but my conviction is [Google] are diverting traffic,” Commissioner Almunia said, referring to Google’s preferential treatment of its own vertical search services. “They are monetizing this kind of business, the strong position they have in the general search market and this is not only a dominant position, I think – I fear – there is an abuse of this dominant position,” Europe’s antitrust enforcer said. His words mark a direct ultimatum to Google as talks on a pre-charge settlement enter a critical phase. They offer the most detailed public explanation of Brussels’ concerns and hint at the likely shape of any deal, which would mark the first time Google has bowed to regulatory pressure on its core business.
benton.org/node/143141 | Financial Times | Wall Street Journal
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CHINESE NEWSPAPER PROTESTS END
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Edward Wong, Chris Buckley]
The demonstrations have died down, and the reporters and editors are back to work at China’s most prominent weekly newspaper. Its latest issue was published more or less on schedule. But the paper, Southern Weekend, is sure to remain a crucial battleground over Communist Party censorship. Southern Weekend has been a weather vane for restrictions on news organizations in China since its founding 29 years ago, and its journalists say their frustration with those constraints has been building for years, turning their relationship with provincial party officials into something of a cat-and-mouse battle. The restrictions have tightened since last summer, leading to the protests that erupted at Southern Weekend’s offices last week over a rewritten New Year’s editorial, one of the sharpest outbreaks of friction so far. The newspaper appeared on newsstands on Jan 10, after protesting journalists accepted a compromise in which provincial propaganda officials promised to loosen some of the more intrusive censorship controls. The police in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, moved to quell any new demonstrations at the offices of the Nanfang Media Group, which owns the paper.
benton.org/node/143163 | New York Times
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UK EDITORS RESIST PRESS REGULATION
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Robert Budden]
The latest UK government proposals for regulation of the press have met with resistance from newspaper editors who fear Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin’s plan could pave the way for state intervention in the press. Editors are pushing ahead with their own proposal – a charitable trust to rubber stamp a new press watchdog. Unlike Letwin’s plan for a Royal Charter, a trust would not need to be backed by statute, a crucial sticking point for many newspapers. “There is a sense that what Letwin is starting to kick around could be worse than statute,” said one newspaper executive who attended a meeting of editors and executives held in central London. Letwin has been taking the lead on behalf of the government to thrash out proposals for future regulation of the press as Labour MPs pledge to enact in full the recommendations put forward last month by Lord Justice Leveson. But pressure is mounting on the government amid fears that Labour and the Liberal Democrats could join forces in a Commons vote later this month to adopt Labour’s draft bill, which backs statutory underpinning.
benton.org/node/143158 | Financial Times
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