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INTERNET
Researcher creates Net Neutrality Test
Entangling the Web

NEWS FROM CAPITOL HILL
Senators Locked In Tight Races Worried About 'Network Neutrality'
Some House Members Push Ownership Transparency
Kneuer Nomination: Not Now
Groups Oppose Cheney-Specter Wiretapping Bill

JOURNALISM
TV still Tops for those seeking News
Publishers vs. the Censorbot

TELEVISION
NTIA Eyes Outsourcing DTV Subsidy Program
Split Decision On Kids Rule Mishaps
Siege Continues at Mexican TV Station

SPECTRUM
Public Needs to Know How Government Runs Its Airwaves

TELECOM
FCC Loses Cellular Truth-In-Billing Case

KIDS & MEDIA
Congress errs in bid to ensure safe surfing
Monitoring Teens' Media Intake Poses Challenges
Dialing Into the Youth Market

QUICKLY -- Closing the digital divide with solar=20
Wi-Fi; Are violent video games a problem?;=20
Chinese intellectuals decry closure of Web site; Walker Leaving Wash Post

INTERNET

RESEARCHER CREATES NET NEUTRALITY TEST
[SOURCE: ComputerWorld, AUTHOR: Robert McMillan]
A Seattle-based security researcher has devised a=20
way to test for Net neutrality. The software can=20
tell whether computers are treating some types of=20
TCP/IP traffic better than others -- dropping=20
data that is being used in voice-over-IP (VoIP)=20
calls or treating encrypted data as second-class,=20
for example. Dan Kaminsky calls his technique=20
"TCP-based active probing for faults." He says=20
that the software he's developing will be similar=20
to the Traceroute Internet utility that is used=20
to track what path Internet traffic takes as it=20
hops between two machines on different ends of=20
the network. But unlike Traceroute, Kaminsky's=20
software will be able to make traffic appear as=20
if it is coming from a particular carrier or is=20
being used for a certain type of application,=20
like VoIP. It will also be able to identify where=20
the traffic is being dropped and could ultimately=20
be used to finger service providers that are=20
treating some network traffic as second-class.=20
Kaminsky said he believes that Net neutrality=20
will eventually become law and that the type of=20
software he is developing will help keep the=20
carriers honest. "If you're going to enforce by=20
law that networks be neutral, the question=20
becomes, 'How do you test for this?'" he said.=20
"I'm going to make sure that the tools are going to be in place."
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=3DviewArticleBasi...
axonomyName=3Dgovernment&articleId=3D9002154&taxonomyId=3D13

ENTANGLING THE WEB
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Timothy Lee, Show-Me Institute]
[Commentary] Lee compares the current Network=20
neutrality debate to the creation of the=20
Interstate Commerce Commission in 1887 to=20
regulate railroads, the high-tech industry of the=20
day. The ICC quickly fell under the control of=20
the railroads, gradually transforming the=20
American transportation industry into a cartel.=20
By 1935, when it was given oversight of the=20
trucking industry, the commission was restricting=20
competition and enabling price increases=20
throughout virtually the entire surface=20
transportation industry. Decades later, in 1970,=20
a report released by a Ralph Nader group=20
described the commission as =93a forum at which=20
transportation interests divide up the national=20
transportation market.=94 With several promising=20
new technologies on the drawing board, the market=20
for broadband will grow only more competitive.=20
Congress should let the marketplace develop=20
rather than constrain it with regulation.=20
Lawmakers should certainly be mindful of=20
unintended consequences. The Interstate Commerce=20
Commission=92s regulations on transportation=20
lingered for decades after their usefulness=20
expired. Any neutrality regulations passed by=20
Congress this year are likely to have a similarly=20
dismal future. Choice and competition will do a=20
better job of protecting Internet consumers than=20
government bureaucrats ever have.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/opinion/03lee.html
(requires registration)

NEWS FROM CAPITOL HILL

SENATORS LOCKED IN TIGHT RACES WORRIED ABOUT 'NETWORK NEUTRALITY'
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
The effort by Senate Commerce Chairman Ted=20
Stevens (R-Alaska) to move telecommunications=20
legislation to the floor in September is opposed=20
by senators facing close races in November=20
including Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Lincoln=20
Chafee (R-RI), Mike DeWine, (R-OH), Ben Nelson=20
(D-NE), and Jim Talent (R-MO). The lawmakers are=20
said to be concerned about casting sensitive=20
votes on telecom matters -- particularly an=20
amendment to preserve the Internet's openness --=20
before Election Day that might galvanize=20
grassroots opposition. Another worry is that=20
their votes might disrupt the flow of telecom and=20
technology donations to their campaign coffers.=20
Delaying action until after Election Day may be=20
risky for Sen Stevens because if Republicans lose=20
seats, Democrats would have an incentive to postpone action until 2007.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-SOXO1154546927002.html

SOME HOUSE MEMBERS PUSH OWNERSHIP TRANSPARENCY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Eighty-four Members of the House have joined two=20
FCC commissioner in calling on the Commission's=20
majority to put specific media-ownership rule=20
changes out for public comment before voting on=20
them. Rep Maurice Hinchey (R-NY) led the charge=20
in writing a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin=20
calling for "transparency and public comment," on=20
new media ownership rules. In the letter, the=20
legislators said that the FCC should "fully=20
disclose all proposed rule changes and give the=20
American people a fair chance to review and weigh=20
in on any such proposal. Such activity should=20
include, at the very least, another extended=20
comment period." They also want the commission to=20
repeat its round of public hearings on the specific changes.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6358589?display=3DBreaking+News
* FCC chairman urged to open up to America
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=...
002916246
** Text of letter:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny22_hinchey/morenews/080106fcclett...
html

KNEUER NOMINATION: NOT NOW
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
A Senate Commerce Committee source says not to=20
look for a nomination hearing on acting National=20
Telecommunications & Information Administration=20
head John Kneuer until after the August break.=20
Republicans tried to add Kneuer to a nomination=20
hearing for some other appointments last week,=20
but the Democrats said they hadn't been given=20
enough time to come up with questions. In early=20
May, the White House signaled its intention to=20
nominate Kneuer to head the NTIA as assistant=20
secretary of commerce for communications and information.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6358552?display=3DBreaking+News

GROUPS OPPOSE CHENEY-SPECTER WIRETAPPING BILL
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
More than 30 groups from across the political=20
spectrum today sent a letter urging Senate=20
Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter=20
(R-Pa.) to abandon a proposal that would=20
authorize unchecked, warrantless surveillance of=20
Americans in the United States. Ostensibly=20
intended to bring the White House's warrantless=20
surveillance programs under some sort of judicial=20
review, the proposed legislative "compromise"=20
does not bind the administration to make any=20
changes to its programs if they are deemed by a=20
court to be overreaching. The bill also provides=20
broad new surveillance powers to this and future=20
administrations. The groups made it clear that=20
even doing nothing to rein in the=20
administration's unauthorized, unchecked=20
surveillance programs would be preferable to=20
passing the Specter-Cheney compromise.
Joint Letter: http://www.cdt.org/security/20060802specterletter.pdf

JOURNALISM

TV STILL TOPS FOR THOSE SEEKING NEWS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Paul J. Gough]
A new study of Americans' media consumption found=20
that nearly half spend at least 30 minutes a day=20
getting their news from TV. The Pew Research=20
Center for People and the Press finds that only=20
9% of the 3,204 adults surveyed in April spent at=20
least 30 minutes getting their news on the Web.=20
The study said that one-third of U.S. residents=20
get their news online, while only 1 in 50 did a=20
decade ago. But the audience has grown more=20
slowly since 2000 and is skewing older. The study=20
said that youths are less likely than=20
fortysomethings to turn to online news sources.=20
"Online news has evolved as a supplemental source=20
that is used along with traditional news media=20
outlets," the Pew study said. "It is valued more=20
for headlines and convenience, not detailed,=20
in-depth reporting." Both local and network news=20
have continued their steep declines, with only=20
54% of people saying they are regular viewers of=20
local TV news (compared with 77% in 1993) and=20
only 28% regularly watching network evening news=20
(compared with 60% in 1993). Cable TV news=20
consumption has remained relatively steady at=20
34%, as has network morning news at 23%.
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=3DtelevisionNews&sto...
D=3D2006-08-02T124449Z_01_N02476812_RTRIDST_0_TELEVISION-NEWS-DC.XML

PUBLISHERS VS THE CENSORBOT
[SOURCE: East Bay Express, AUTHOR: Chris Thompson]
Google has entered that rarefied tier of=20
corporations whose services or products are=20
indispensable to American life. Its search engine=20
is an essential tool for Internet users, and the=20
ingenious way it matches advertisements to the=20
contents of any given search has transformed the=20
world of marketing. The company's second main=20
product is AdSense, a service whereby it posts=20
ads on thousands of Web sites and blogs in a=20
revenue-sharing arrangement that finances much of=20
the online media industry. But as more and more=20
media outlets come to depend on Google, one of=20
its key policies is quietly, systematically=20
punishing ambitious journalism all over the Web.=20
If this trend continues, Google's power and=20
ubiquity could inadvertently cripple an=20
independent press in the Internet era. in 2003,=20
Google developed "sensitivity filters" to=20
periodically scan the Web sites of its partners=20
in search of violence, mature content, or other=20
unacceptable material. "They detect sensitive=20
content that we probably don't want to be showing=20
advertising beside, and show public service=20
announcements instead," says Shuman=20
Ghosemajumder, Google's business product manager=20
for trust and safety. Unfortunately, when Google=20
withholds advertising it also withholds the=20
accompanying revenue, cutting off money whenever=20
Web sites publish stories it deems too violent or=20
tragic. Regardless of how important a story may=20
be, the company's algorithm pulls its advertising=20
whenever it detects too much carnage. Asked if=20
Google would display ads next to stories about=20
the recent Israeli massacre of Lebanese children,=20
for example, Ghosemajumder says, "That's an=20
example of something that is very difficult to=20
find sensitive advertising [for]."
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/Issues/2006-08-02/news/cityofwarts_full.html

TELEVISION

NTIA EYES OUTSOURCING DTV SUBSIDY PROGRAM
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The National Telecommunications & Information=20
Administration is looking for some input on=20
outsourcing the administration of the=20
digital-to-analog DTV converter box subsidy. The=20
Congress has allocated up to $1.5 billion to=20
provide up to two, $40 coupons per household to=20
help pay for the converters, which will allow=20
analog TV sets to keep working when TV goes all=20
digital in February 2009. NTIA this week put out=20
a request for information--which is not yet a=20
request for proposal--from organizations "with=20
the experience, qualifications, solution=20
approaches, and best practices necessary to=20
implement and administer the Digital to Analog=20
Converter Box Coupon Program (the Coupon Program)=20
required by Title III of the Deficit Reduction=20
Act of 2005." On Aug. 11, NTIA will hold an open=20
house in an auditorium in the Washington suburb=20
of Silver Spring, MD, to brief interested=20
potential bidders on the program. NTIA wants the company's input by Sept. 1=
5.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6358522?display=3DBreaking+News
* For more info see http://www.ntia.doc.gov/new.html

SPLIT DECISION ON KIDS RULE MISHAPS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC admonished one TV station and took no=20
action against another Wednesday for violations=20
of kids TV rules. The first station, KLJB-TV=20
Davenport, Iowa, was admonished--an official=20
reprimand--for airing a program-length=20
commercial. In this case it was airing -- eight=20
years ago -- a show that included an ad featuring=20
one of the show's characters. The FCC says that=20
any such host-selling, even brief and=20
inadvertent, turns the entire show into a=20
program-length commercial in violation of ad=20
limits. The other, KWEX-TV San Antonio, Texas,=20
inadvertently exceeded those ad limits by 15=20
seconds. Both stations volunteered the violations=20
as part of their license renewal applications.=20
The admonition almost certainly won't impede the KLJB license renewal.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6358971.html?display=3DBreaki...
News

SIEGE CONTINUES AT MEXICAN TV STATION
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
About 500 women banging spoons against pots and=20
pans seized a state-run television station and=20
broadcast a homemade video Wednesday that showed=20
police kicking protesters out of Oaxaca's main=20
square last month. The women took control of=20
Oaxaca's Channel 9 station Tuesday and held=20
employees for about six hours before releasing=20
them. It was unclear how long the siege would=20
last, and no police officers were seen near the=20
station Wednesday. Station director Mercedes=20
Rojas said the state had filed a criminal=20
complaint with the federal attorney general's=20
office, noting that the station has about $54.5=20
million worth of equipment and that the=20
protesters had threatened the 60 employees with=20
violence while holding them captive.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-oaxaca3aug03,1,1...
996.story?coll=3Dla-news-a_section
(requires registration)

SPECTRUM

PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW HOW GOVERNMENT RUNS ITS AIRWAVES
[SOURCE: San Francisco Daily Journal 5/10,=20
AUTHOR: J.H. Snider, new America Foundation]
[Commentary] Popularly known as the "public=20
airwaves," spectrum is becoming to the=20
information era what land was to the agricultural=20
era and energy to the industrial era: its=20
defining and most valuable natural resource.=20
Spectrum allows people and machines to=20
communicate without being connected to wires.=20
Most households have dozens of spectrum using=20
devices, including cordless phones, cellular=20
telephones, garage door remotes, FM radios,=20
satellite TVs, wireless car keys, Bluetooth=20
headphones, invisible fences, and WiFi broadband=20
connections. Most spectrum is reserved for the=20
federal government, and not for private use. The=20
federal government allocates spectrum, and not=20
unsurprisingly, allocated most for its own use.=20
Since all agencies communicate, they all have a=20
need for spectrum. More than 30 federal agencies=20
have allocations of spectrum, with the=20
Departments of Defense and Homeland Security=20
widely believed to have the largest allocations.=20
As spectrum becomes the lifeblood of our=20
information economy and the animating medium of=20
our democratic speech, the cost of potentially=20
misused government spectrum is becoming larger=20
than ever. Achieving the right balance between=20
secrecy and openness will not be easy. But the=20
current balance has clearly erred too far in the direction of secrecy.
http://www.newamerica.net/index.cfm?pg=3Darticle&DocID=3D3233

TELECOM

FCC LOSES CELLULAR TRUTH-IN-BILLING CASE
[SOURCE: RCRNews, AUTHOR: Heather Forsgren Weaver]
A federal appeals court ruled Monday the Federal=20
Communications Commission overreached when it=20
said states could not prohibit wireless carriers=20
from putting certain line items on their bills.=20
Only Congress can overturn the court=92s decision.=20
Wireless trade association CTIA bemoaned the=20
ruling. The National Association of State Utility=20
Consumer Advocates sought to have the FCC ban=20
regulatory-recovery fees=97charges levied by=20
wireless carriers to defray the cost of state=20
and/or federal mandates such as local number=20
portability, enhanced 911 and universal service.=20
NASUCA said the charges are deceptive because=20
they come across to consumers as looking like=20
mandated state and federal charges. Mobile-phone=20
operators have argued regulatory-recovery fees=20
help consumers see precisely what they are paying=20
for. In its 2005 decision, the FCC said rules=20
either requiring or prohibiting line items on=20
wireless bills amount to illegal rate regulation.=20
However, in its Monday ruling, the U.S. Court of=20
Appeals for the 11th Circuit said the agency did=20
not have the authority to do this. =93The FCC=20
exceeded its authority when it pre-empted the=20
states from requiring or prohibiting the use of=20
line items. The scope of federal authority to=20
regulate =91rate=92 or =91entry=92 does not include the=20
presentation of line items on cellular wireless=20
bills. This billing practice is a matter of=20
=91other terms and conditions=92 that Congress=20
intended to be regulable by the states,=94 wrote Judge William Pryor, Jr.
http://www.rcrnews.com/news.cms?newsId=3D26984
http://www.telecomweb.com/tnd/18477.html

KIDS & MEDIA

CONGRESS ERRS IN BID TO ENSURE SAFE SURFING
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] The Delete Online Predators Act=20
(DOPA), which the U.S. House of Representatives=20
passed by an overwhelming margin last week, is a=20
great political stunt but will do little to=20
protect children. Worse, it is written so broadly=20
that it could force schools and libraries to=20
censor mainstream Web sites and chat rooms run by=20
the likes of Microsoft, Yahoo and even newspapers=20
such as the Mercury News. The Senate should kill=20
the bill and think more carefully about how to=20
address the serious problem of online child=20
predators. The bill is part of the so-called=20
Suburban Agenda, a package of legislation pushed=20
by Republican leaders ahead of the November=20
election to shore up lawmakers in vulnerable=20
districts. Not surprisingly, hardly anyone had=20
the courage to vote against it, lest they be=20
accused of being soft on sexual predators. It=20
passed by a 410-15 majority. As an act of=20
political theater, that may be effective. As an=20
exercise in public policy, trading broad=20
censorship for a false sense of security is deplorable.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/15187423.htm

MONITORING TEENS' MEDIA INTAKE POSES CHALLENGES
[SOURCE: National Public Radio, AUTHOR: Neda Ulaby]
If you go to online spaces popular with=20
teenagers, you'll find plenty of smart, funny,=20
charming material. But you'll probably also find=20
things that would make the most liberal parents=20
cringe. It's easy for teens and pre-teens to=20
access hardcore images of sex and violence that=20
would have been hard for adults to find 20 years=20
ago and the ability to disguise one's identity=20
online can make it harder for parents to=20
determine exactly what their children are doing.=20
If experts agree on one thing, it's that most=20
parents are clueless about the media lives of=20
their children. It can be tricky for parents to=20
define what is appropriate, especially when=20
mainstream culture has become so casually risque.=20
Susannah Stern, who teaches communications at the=20
University of San Diego, notes that kids have=20
"learned very well from adults what we value and=20
what gets people to pay attention."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3D5599056

DIALING INTO YOUTH MARKET
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Camille=20
Ricketts camille.ricketts( at )wsj.com]
Teenagers share details of their interests, their=20
email addresses and even their phone numbers with=20
others online. This behavior may concern their=20
parents -- but it is great news for European=20
cellphone companies. Mobile-service providers and=20
phone makers are looking to capitalize on the=20
trend with a host of new services and products=20
for the 14-to-20 crowd, designed to encourage=20
them to swap and move information and photos from=20
their phones to the Web. Phone companies realize=20
that teens, if asked, will provide information=20
about themselves, and, armed with this data, the=20
companies can tailor products for the teen=20
market. Teens already are lucrative cellphone=20
customers and potentially will become more so,=20
especially in Europe, where they have been early=20
to latch onto trends like mobile text messaging.=20
In the United Kingdom alone, 99% of 15- to=20
19-year-olds had cellphones last year, according=20
to MobileYouth, a London market-research firm.=20
They spent $202.9 million on downloadable content=20
and $570 million on text messages.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115456296027925167.html?mod=3Dtodays_us_...
ketplace
(requires subscription)

QUICKLY

CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH SOLAR WI-FI
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Amanda Termen]
Green Wi-Fi is trying to bring Internet access to=20
schools in developing countries via cheap,=20
solar-powered Wi-Fi networks. The technical=20
concept behind the Green Wi-Fi network is fairly=20
simple. Each node in the network consists of a=20
battery-powered router and a solar panel to=20
charge the battery. The nodes are mounted on=20
rooftops, and the network's Wi-Fi signals are=20
transferred over a grid using a wireless network=20
standard known as 802.11b/g. The first seed money=20
has arrived, enough to produce and test prototype=20
nodes. It came from the One Laptop Per Child=20
initiative (OLPC), which aims to construct a $100=20
laptop to be distributed to children in developing countries.
http://news.com.com/Closing+the+digital+divide+with+solar+Wi-Fi/2100-113...
3-6101071.html?tag=3Dfd_carsl

ARE VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES REALLY A PROBLEM?
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Candace Lombardi]
Mature video games are not a problem for today's=20
youth, but that doesn't stop them from being an=20
attractive topic for politicians, according to=20
industry panelists and audience members at Siggraph 2006 on Wednesday.
http://news.com.com/Are+violent+video+games+really+a+problem/2100-1043_3...
01471.html?tag=3Dhtml.alert

CHINESE INTELLECTUALS DECRY CLOSURE OF WEB SITE
[SOURCE: Reuters]
In recent days, the Century China Web site has=20
disappeared from computer screens. Over the past=20
six years, the site was a popular forum for=20
liberal critics of the ruling Communist Party,=20
often relaying discussions of social and=20
political ills and calls for political=20
relaxation. On Wednesday, more than a hundred=20
intellectuals and critics of the Chinese=20
government issued a petition that blamed the=20
closure on the state's tightening control of the media and opinion.
http://news.com.com/Chinese+intellectuals+decry+closure+of+Web+site/2100...
28_3-6101267.html?tag=3Dnefd.top

HOW THE WEB WAS WON
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Leslie Walker]
[Commentary] Walker's last Web business column=20
for the Washington Post takes a look back at what=20
she was writing about when she began eight years=20
ago. The Web is still empowering individuals to=20
be more creative , spawning new electronic=20
middlemen and struggling to make advertising more=20
personal, she writes. In 1998, before "blog" was=20
even a word or MySpace existed, the 10=20
fastest-growing Web sites "were ones where users=20
create the content. Traditional media companies,=20
meanwhile, agonized over whether to charge for=20
content online. She concludes: "Thanks to all who=20
read my weekly musings , participated in my=20
online chats, visited with me in the District and=20
sent helpful feedback. I hope you'll continue the=20
dialogue by sending mail to leslie( at )lesliewalker.com"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/02/AR200608...
1899.html
(requires registration)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Communications-related Headlines is a free online=20
news summary service provided by the Benton=20
Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday=20
through Friday, this service provides updates on=20
important industry developments, policy issues,=20
and other related news events. While the=20
summaries are factually accurate, their often=20
informal tone does not always represent the tone=20
of the original articles. Headlines are compiled=20
by Kevin Taglang headlines( at )benton.org -- we welcome your comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------