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INTERNET/BROADBAND

APPROACH TO CYBERSECURITY
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Ellen Nakashima]
The federal government has taken a “failed approach” to cybersecurity, with efforts that focus on reducing vulnerabilities rather than actively deterring attackers, according to one of the FBI’s top former cyber officials. Steven Chabinsky, a 17-year bureau veteran who stepped down this month as the FBI’s top cyber lawyer, argued that the movement to set security standards for companies — which has been a goal for the Obama administration and the focus of congressional debate — is useful only “in the margins.” More important is to enable companies whose computer networks are targeted by criminals and foreign intelligence services to detect who’s penetrating their systems and to take more aggressive action to defend themselves, Chabinsky said in his first interview since leaving office. “The FBI needs stronger partners in the private sector who can figure out who the bad guys are, and there needs to be much stronger relationships between the private sector, law enforcement and the courts to ensure that all the legal authorities that exist can be brought to bear against cyberattackers,” he said.
benton.org/node/134496 | Washington Post
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THE NEED FOR SPEED
[SOURCE: TechCrunch, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski]
[Commentary] America led the 20th century economy because we led the world in innovation. With the right policies and private sector action, we can deploy world-leading wired and wireless networks that enable the U.S. to continue to push the envelope on technological innovation, ensure a strategic bandwidth advantage, and strengthen our global competitiveness. We must ensure the Internet remains an open platform that continues to enable innovation without permission. We must unleash more wireless spectrum for broadband and significantly increase the efficiency of spectrum use. The Commission is moving forward with a bold new plan for incentive auctions – a new paradigm in spectrum policy that uses market forces to repurpose beachfront spectrum used by TV broadcasters for licensed (think 4G LTE) and unlicensed (think Wi-Fi) wireless broadband. And we must promote universal access to broadband through programs like the new Connect America Fund, the most significant program ever developed to expand Internet infrastructure in rural America.
benton.org/node/134481 | TechCrunch
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AMAZON AND TAXES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Greg Bensinger]
Amazon has long drawn hackles from bricks-and-mortar retailers that allege the Seattle Web giant enjoyed an unfair advantage in states where it didn’t have to collect sales tax. That advantage came to an end recently when Amazon began collecting sales tax in Pennsylvania and Texas and in California starting over the past weekend. But it may not matter anymore. A new survey by Wells Fargo analyst Matt Nemer showed that consumers in Texas, the second most populous state in the nation, essentially haven’t changed their buying habits since the online sales tax went into effect in July. Nemer found that among 1,000 Texans surveyed in September, 27% shopped regularly on Amazon.com, down from 30% in June. That, he noted, was within the margin of error of 3% to 4%. Among attributes that contributed most to Texans’ shopping habits, a lack of sales tax was least important, trailing convenience
benton.org/node/134518 | Wall Street Journal
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OWNERSHIP

CABLE-PHONE OWNERSHIP
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Adam Mazmanian]
Cable companies will be allowed to acquire local phone companies, thanks to a Federal Communications Commission order. Such deals are prohibited under a strict reading of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, although cable and telephone companies were permitted to enter into joint ventures, and under certain conditions, phone companies are permitted to acquire cable systems. The order, technically a "limited forbearance," announces that the FCC will not apply the letter of the law, in an effort to "harmonize" the rules for both cable and telephone companies. In the order, the FCC pointed out that the "competitive effect of [such] mergers ... will be similar, irrespective of which of the merging parties initiates the purchase of the other."
benton.org/node/134512 | National Journal | read the order | Chairman Genachowski | Commissioner McDowell | Commissioner Pai | B&C
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GOOGLE ACQUISITIONS
[SOURCE: The Verge, AUTHOR: Ben Popper]
Since its early days, Google has looked outside itself for inspiration on new directions its business could take. The search giant’s mergers and acquisitions team set new records in 2010 and 2011 for the sheer number of companies it acquired. Last year alone it bought up 25 companies, one every two weeks. If you count the firms acquired for patents and intellectual property, the total number is a whopping 79. Taking a look at Google’s peers, it becomes clear just how astonishing these numbers are. Facebook bought just ten companies in 2011; Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft only three apiece. The pace of acquisition has certainly slowed a little in 2012, with only eleven so far, counting the acquisition of Snapseed-creator Nik Software we reported on this morning. But one of the deals which closed this year was the $12 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility, by far the most money Google has ever spent on an acquisition and the largest number of new employees. It’s also a purchase far outside its comfort zone of software. Google has taken plenty of flak for its extremely broad — some would say lack — of focus. But by and large it’s been the most successful among the massive tech firms when it comes to incorporating new companies. Doubleclick and AdSense, both acquired, are major drivers of Google’s revenue. YouTube dominates online video. Android goes head-to-head with Apple in mobile. And it’s not just companies that are bolted on whole cloth. Premier products like Google Maps, Docs, Analytics, and Voice were also crafted in large part by teams brought in from outside.
benton.org/node/134485 | Verge, The
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ELECTIONS AND MEDIA

NAB ASKS FOR DELAY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Broadcasters have asked a federal court to delay hearing its appeal of the Federal Communications Commission's political file online posting requirement, suggesting that experience gained from this election cycle will help it determine how, and if, to proceed. The National Association of Broadcasters says the FCC and its supporters are OK with pushing back the schedule. In a petition to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the NAB asked the court to defer NAB's opening brief from Oct. 4 to Feb. 15, 2013. NAB offered to provide a status report to the court in January on any "relevant developments."
benton.org/node/134514 | Broadcasting&Cable | The Hill
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SUPER PAC FOR ROMNEY
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Sarah Wheaton]
Mitt Romney may have had a bad run in polls in recent weeks, but he still has supporters who are bullish about his chances in some states that President Barack Obama won handily in 2008. Restore Our Future, the “super PAC” supporting Romney, is investing $1.5 million on ads in Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a media buyer who monitors spending in battleground states. The investment suggests that for all the advantages President Obama has had coming out of the nominating conventions, Romney can rely on one clear advantage he has over Democrats: outside groups with much more money to spend supporting his candidacy and tactically placing their bets in states where they believe he has a chance to win. Restore Our Future’s $720,000 investment in Michigan is particularly remarkable. Romney’s campaign and his other allies seem to have all but given up on the state, even though the candidate grew up there and his father, George Romney, was once governor. The Romney campaign itself, which is running state-specific spots in those states it ostensibly considers to be the most in play, left Michigan off that list.
benton.org/node/134531 | New York Times
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TELEVISION/RADIO

FRANK RICH AND THE RIGHT
[SOURCE: New York Magazine, AUTHOR: Frank Rich]
[Commentary] Glenn Beck’s morning radio show, heard on more than 400 stations, attracts a cumulative weekly audience of at least 8.25 million listeners, according to the trade publication Talkers. That makes him the fourth-most-popular talk-show jock in the country, in a three-way tie for that spot with the conservative doomsayer Mark Levin and the (apolitical) money guru Dave Ramsey. The trinity of talk-radio giants at the top of the Talkers list are also right-wing icons: Rush Limbaugh (with 14.75 million listeners), Sean Hannity (14 million), and Michael Savage (8.75 million). You can devote every weekday cycling in succession through these four horsemen preaching a liberal apocalypse, with detours to second-tier conservative talkers like Neal Boortz, Michael Medved, and Hugh Hewitt whenever you feel like a palate cleanser. That’s what I did all week. After which I settled in with Fox’s prime-time schedule each night. What did I learn in my week imbibing the current installment of the Reagan revolution? I came away with empathy for those in the right’s base, who are often sold out by the GOP Establishment, and admiration for a number of writers, particularly the youngish conservative commentators at sites like the American Conservative and National Review Online whose writing is as sharp as any on the left (and sometimes as unforgiving of Republican follies) but who are mostly unknown beyond their own ideological circles.
benton.org/node/134486 | New York Magazine
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CONTENT

GOOGLE BOOKS UPDATE
[SOURCE: paidContent.org, AUTHOR: Jeff John Roberts]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted a stay in the long-running copyright case between the Authors Guild and Google over the search giant’s book scanning project. In its order, the New York court agreed to stay proceedings in a lower court while it reviews Judge Denny Chin’s decision last May to certify the class action — a move that allowed authors and illustrators to go forward with claims that Google scanned their works without permission. The decision means that the overall case will be on hold for several months. If the appeals court upholds the certification order, it will likely return the case to Judge Chin (who is now on the Second Circuit too) with detailed instructions about how to proceed.
benton.org/node/134491 | paidContent.org
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PRIVACY

KIDS AND MOBILE GAMES
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Anton Troianovski]
U.S. food companies are reaching children by embedding their products in simple and enticing games for touch-screen phones and tablets. The new medium is far cheaper than Saturday morning TV commercials and could prove as effective. The mobile games demonstrate how new technology is changing U.S. commerce, drawing tighter bonds between marketers and young consumers. "The apps are certainly targeted at kids," said Melinda Champion, vice president of marketing at J&J Snack Foods Corp. in New Jersey, which makes SuperPretzel and Icee drinks. "If you get the kids saying, 'Mom, I would love a SuperPretzel,' mom will often buy it for them."
benton.org/node/134528 | Wall Street Journal
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM

PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Brooks Boliek]
For the telecom world, the biggest lesson of the GOP convention wasn’t political — it was that a nationwide interoperable broadband network could actually work. The convention in Tampa (FL) marked the first time law enforcement personnel were able to use the type of system envisioned by policymakers since the Sept. 11 attacks highlighted critical weaknesses in first-responder communications. Vendors and public safety officials hope the lessons can be applied nationwide. The communications system used during the convention, which relied on several vendors and often used off-the-shelf technology, allowed coordination for the public safety network over some 15 jurisdictions, all for a high-profile event that had the added complication of a passing hurricane.
benton.org/node/134523 | Politico
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HEALTH

HEALTH INFO TECH
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Stephen Soumerai, Ross Koppel]
[Commentary] The savings claimed by government agencies and vendors of health information technology are little more than hype. With a few isolated exceptions, the preponderance of evidence shows that the systems had not improved health or saved money. In short, the most rigorous studies to date contradict the widely broadcast claims that the national investment in health IT—some $1 trillion will be spent, by our estimate—will pay off in reducing medical costs. Those studies that do claim savings rarely include the full cost of installation, training and maintenance—a large chunk of that trillion dollars—for the nation's nearly 6,000 hospitals and more than 600,000 physicians. But by the time these health-care providers find out that the promised cost savings are an illusion, it will be too late. Having spent hundreds of millions on the technology, they won't be able to afford to throw it out like a defective toaster. We fully share the hope that health IT will achieve the promised cost and quality benefits. As applied researchers and evaluators, we actively work to realize both goals. But this will require an accurate appraisal of the technology's successes and failures, not a mixture of cheerleading and financial pressure by government agencies based on unsubstantiated promises.
benton.org/node/134527 | Wall Street Journal
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JOURNALISM

BREAKING UP THE ECHO
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Cass Sunstein]
[Commentary] It is well known that when like-minded people get together, they tend to end up thinking a more extreme version of what they thought before they started to talk. The same kind of echo-chamber effect can happen as people get news from various media. Liberals viewing MSNBC or reading left-of-center blogs may well end up embracing liberal talking points even more firmly; conservative fans of Fox News may well react in similar fashion on the right. The result can be a situation in which beliefs do not merely harden but migrate toward the extreme ends of the political spectrum. As current events in the Middle East demonstrate, discussions among like-minded people can ultimately produce violence. The remedy for easing such polarization, here and abroad, may seem straightforward: provide balanced information to people of all sides. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that balanced presentations — in which competing arguments or positions are laid out side by side — may not help. At least when people begin with firmly held convictions, such an approach is likely to increase polarization rather than reduce it. Can anything be done? There is no simple term for the answer, so let’s make one up: surprising validators. People tend to dismiss information that would falsify their convictions. But they may reconsider if the information comes from a source they cannot dismiss. People are most likely to find a source credible if they closely identify with it or begin in essential agreement with it. In such cases, their reaction is not, “how predictable and uninformative that someone like that would think something so evil and foolish,” but instead, “if someone like that disagrees with me, maybe I had better rethink.”
benton.org/node/134530 | New York Times
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STORIES FROM ABROAD
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HUAWEI: AUSTRALIA LAW COULD EXCLUDE CHINA FIRMS
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Rod McGuirk]
An official of Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei Technologies said he is concerned that new Australian laws to protect communication networks from cyber-attacks could exclude companies from tendering for work simply because they're Chinese. Huawei's Australian subsidiary was last year barred on security grounds from working on a national broadband network that is now under construction. Its chairman John Lord told a parliamentary committee hearing on the proposed law that Australia could lose its competitive edge if it excluded companies from sensitive projects based on their nationality alone.
benton.org/node/134509 | Associated Press
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PROTESTS SPREAD
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Matthew Rosenberg, Sangar Rahimi]
Facing Afghanistan’s first significant outbreak of violence over an anti-Islam film that has inflamed mobs elsewhere, the police moved swiftly to contain rampaging groups of young men who were burning tires and throwing stones along a thoroughfare leading east out of Kabul, keeping the protesters from advancing toward the city and dispersing them within hours. The work by the police earned the praise of Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of the American-led military forces in Afghanistan, and capped nearly a week in which the Afghan government has quietly worked behind the scenes to keep anger over the American-made film, which mocks the Prophet Muhammad, from turning violent. As news of the protests spread around the world last week, Afghan officials across the country gathered elders and religious leaders and told them that it was fine to speak out against the film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” but that they should urge people to stay calm and avoid violence.
benton.org/node/134532 | New York Times
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September 18, 2012 (Cybersecurity should be more active)

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