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Smartphone adoption among American teens has increased substantially and mobile access to the internet is pervasive. One in four teens are “cell-mostly” internet users, who say they mostly go online using their phone and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer.

These are among the new findings from a nationally representative survey of 802 teens ages 12-17 and their parents which shows that:

• 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of those own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23% in 2011.
• One in four teens (23%) have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population.
• Nine in ten (93%) teens have a computer or have access to one at home. Seven in ten (71%) teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members.

Mobile access to the internet is common among American teens, and the cell phone has become an especially important access point for certain groups:

• About three in four (74%) teens ages 12-17 say they access the internet on cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices at least occasionally.
• One in four teens are “cell-mostly” internet users — far more than the 15% of adults who are cell-mostly. Among teen smartphone owners, half are cell-mostly.
• Older girls are especially likely to be cell-mostly internet users; 34% of teen girls ages 14-17 say they mostly go online using their cell phone, compared with 24% of teen boys ages 14-17. This is notable since boys and girls are equally likely to be smartphone owners.
• Among older teen girls who are smartphone owners, 55% say they use the internet mostly from their phone.

On March 12, the Senate Commerce Committee held an oversight hearing on the Federal Communications Commission. All five FCC commissioners testified.

Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) identified cybersecurity, construction of a nationwide interoperable public safety network, and broadband access for schools as key priorities for government and industry to come together to address. Concerning the public safety network, the Chairman asked the FCC move forward on an aggressive timetable to craft and implement incentive auctions to raise the funds needed for construction. He also called for an update the E-Rate program that subsidizes the communications costs of schools and libraries. “By the end of this decade, I believe that every school in America should have 1 Gigabit of connectivity. And, if every coffee shop in America can offer wireless connectivity, then surely every school in America should be able to offer it as well. We owe our children this,” Chairman Rockefeller said. Committee Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD) prioritized making spectrum available for wireless communications and “establishing a 21st century legal and regulatory structure that serves the purposes of our 21st century economy.” He suggested developing a new FCC reauthorization bill “to ensure the Commission is an efficient and truly modern regulator—one that is a reliable resource for Congress and an effective agency for American citizens and industry alike.”

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said that given that the FCC is already operating at its lowest staffing level in years, the additional sequestration cuts could have dire consequences. The total FCC budget is $341,923,845. Sequestration would cut about $17 million, and would need to be realized in seven months. But, according to Senate Commerce Committee Republican staffers, the sequester should not have much of an effect on the FCC's operations -- the Universal Service Fund is not affected, the incentive auctions are not affected, and even staff cuts do not appear “to affect the FCC's ability to function adequately.”

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, a former Rockefeller staffer, echoed Chairman Rockefeller’s call for an E-Rate upgrade: "Going forward, we need to update the E-Rate program to meet 21st century education needs. Year-in and year-out, the demand for this program is double the amount the Commission makes available. Moreover, our surveys suggest that 80% of schools and libraries believe their broadband connections do not meet the current needs. So I believe it is time for E-Rate 2.0. I think it is time to reboot, reinvest, and reinvigorate this program and put it on a course to provide higher speeds and greater opportunities in the days ahead."

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai says he sees some "storm clouds" on the spectrum auction horizon, primarily by limiting participation and not raising enough for public safety. He pointed out that the only closing condition on the auction was that the revenues from the auction of spectrum reclaimed from broadcasters cover the costs of the incentive auction that clears that spectrum. He says the goal must then be to maximize the revenues.

Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL) urged the FCC to use its existing legal authority to force the donors behind political TV ads to reveal themselves. He noted that FCC regulations currently require TV broadcasters and cable providers to "fully and fairly disclose the true identity" of sponsors of ads – and rgued that the rule means that groups must state more than just a vague name, like the "Committee for God, Mother and Country" on their ads—they must identify their major donors.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) brought up the issue of sports blackouts and his request to the commission that it look into lifting its 40-year-old blackout rules. He said they were "deeply troubling," particularly when his constituents' favorite teams are involved. He asked the status of that issue, which he said was "profoundly important," not only to people in Connecticut but across the nation. Chairman Genachowski said that the FCC may have to take action on retransmission consent to reduce the potential for blackouts, but then suggested the commission would need help from Congress.

US Cyber Command has observed cyberattacks on Wall Street "grow significantly" and industry predicts these attacks will continue to rise this year, the nation's top cybersecurity chief said at a Senate hearing.

The public websites of several U.S. banks were hit by a spate of denial of service attacks this fall, causing those sites to be inaccessible and unable to load. While these attacks proved to be more of a "nuisance" than a national security threat, the head of U.S. Cyber Command warned that continued attacks on the banking industry could have more serious effects and prevent people from accessing their money. "The issue that we're weighing is, when does a nuisance become a real problem and when are you prepared to step in for that? That's the work the administration is going through now and highlighting that," said Gen. Keith Alexander, the head of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency. "I do see this as a growing problem." In his opening remarks, Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) raised concerns about reports of China hacking into the computer systems of American companies and called for the U.S. and its allies to start "imposing costs and penalties on China for this behavior."

The nation’s top intelligence officials told senators that cyberattacks are the leading security threat facing the United States. Testifying at the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on worldwide threats, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told lawmakers that terrorist groups are increasingly pursuing the ability to wage cyberattacks, which, if successful, could bring businesses and the government to a collapsing halt.

“Our statement this year leads with cyber, and it's hard to overemphasize its significance,” said Clapper, reading a statement on behalf of himself, FBI Director Robert Mueller, CIA Director John Brennan and National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen. “Increasingly state and non-state actors are gaining and using cyber expertise,” he said. “These capabilities put all sectors of our country at risk, from government and private networks to critical infrastructures. We see indications that some terrorist organizations are interested in developing offensive cyber capabilities, and as cyber criminals are using a growing black market to sell cyber tools that fall into the hands of state and non-state actors.”