WASHINGTON, July 1, 2014 - The best way to prevent the internet from "fundamentally changing" is to not "fundamentally change internet regulation," according to Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai. In a speech that attempted to rally the faithful to his “light touch regulation” approach, the commissioner was also joined by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., at… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2014 - At an informal Phoenix Center roundtable on Tuesday, June 24, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly criticized net neutrality and urged fellow critics to take advantage of the FCC’s open comment period on the topic. Comedians like John Oliver of the Daily Show might have a flare for butchering the facts,… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2014 - The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that a search warrant is necessary for police to search the digital content of an arrested individual’s cell phone. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, held that the contents of mobile phones are protected under the Fourth Amendment: "modern cell phones are… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2014 - Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., on Tuesday introduced a bill, the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act, that would grant the Federal Communications Commission the authority to bar so-called “paid prioritization” agreements between internet service providers and content providers over the last-mile of a broadband connection.… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2014 - The House Energy and Commerce Committee put forward an opportunity for individuals and interest groups to offer comment on telecommunications policy, and many individuals and trade groups took advantage of the opportunity, The Hill reported The Telecommunications Industry Association said that in 1996, lawmakers didn't grasp the manner in which… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2014 - In the midst of Netflix's quarrels with Verizon Communications, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement Friday that the commission will investigate slowdowns in traffic to ascertain whether there's harm to consumers. “To be clear, what we are doing right now is collecting information, not regulating. We… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2014 - In a blog post on Friday, AT&T gave its assurance that paid prioritization was not part of the telecommnications gianits plans. "Not a single [internet service provider] has asserted a desire or right to engage in any of these practices to create 'fast lanes and slow lanes.' AT&T certainly has… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2014 - Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has defended his company and its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable against critics, reports Re/code. Saying that he could accept "some kind of net neutrality law," he scorned the idea of reclassifying broadband as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act, which… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2014 - The Federal Communications Commission is likely to experience increasing pressure to intervene in and resolve disputes involving internet interconnection, experts said on Tuesday at a panel hosted by the Progressive Policy Institute. Central to the discussion was the question of whether the FCC should go as far as to mandate… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2014 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler came under heavy criticism during a Tuesday hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, with many members expressing disapproval of the agency’s recent performance, particularly over the issue of network neutrality. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., criticized the agency’s "selective… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2014 - On Monday, tensions with China over cybersecurity increased as the U.S. Justice Department indicted five Chinese military officers for stealing trade secrets from six United States companies. The Guardian quoted Attorney General Eric Holder as saying, “The range of trade secrets and other sensitive business information stolen in this case… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 - AT&T announced that it would acquire DirecTV in a $48.5 billion deal, according to multiple sources. The agreement may allow AT&T to position itself in a way to rival cable firms. AT& would acquire about 20 million of DirecTV's customers. The Washington Post recounts that the stated goal of the… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 – The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Federal Communications Commission’s last two efforts to enshrine network neutrality. So what makes current chairman Tom Wheeler feel as though he can succeed where two of his predecessors failed? The answers lie in the details of the 85-page order – called a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” in the legalese of Washington telecommunications bureaucrats – released late on Thursday. At its core, Wheeler aims to regulate broadband providers without having to treat them as regulated entities. [...] Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 - The Federal Communication Commission's effort to thread the needle on net neutrality with regulations that will withstand legal scrutiny while also satisfying open internet activists led to starkly divided responses to the Thursday measure. In the camp expressing disappointment that agency Chairman Tom Wheeler didn't go further, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a member of the Commerce Science and Transportation Committee, said that innovation over the internet in America could unless broadband were to be reclassified as a common-carrier telecommunications service. "Internet access today is like traditional phone service decades ago - we can't live or work without it," Markey said. "We must stop broadband behemoths from setting up fast and slow lanes and picking winners and losers. Start-ups and small business would suffer, slowing our economy and job growth throughout Massachusetts and around the country." [...] Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2014 – In a Federal Commissions Commission meeting tinged with protest, the agency voted Thursday to begin a process to re-established certain network neutrality rules after they had been struck down by a federal appeals court in January. On a 3-2 vote, the agency’s three Democrats kicked off a proceeding seeking public input on how to find a solution protecting and promote the open flow of information on the internet that will pass legal scrutiny. Chairman Tom Wheeler retained the support of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn – even though Rosenworcel said she only “concurred” with the proposal. [...] Keep Reading
PARK CITY, Utah, January 23, 2014 - On the internet, no one knows you're a child.
That, at least, was the message I took from watching the film about the life of Aaron Swartz. The film, "The Internet's Own Boy," premiered this week here at the Sundance Film Festival, during which it received a sustained standing ovation.
The documentary is a biography of, and tribute to, the all-too-short life of Swartz, who died a year ago this month, at age 26.
Swartz had been under intense pressure from the federal prosecutors in Massachusetts. Criminal charges filed against him, if proven, could have imprisoned him for 35 years. Those charges stemmed from Swartz's having downloaded millions of articles from JSTOR, a digital library of academic journals, onto a computer at the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While it is unclear what Swartz intended to do with the articles, it seems implausible that he would have republished them in an act of copyright infringement.
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WASHINGTON, January 14, 2014 - The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a setback for the Federal Communications Commission, on Tuesday stuck down the agency's Open Internet Order, issued in 2010. The open internet rules built upon a prior policy statement issued by the FCC in 2005. In 2010, former agency chairman Julius Genachowski attempted… Keep Reading
With growing concern by some advocates of network neutrality that the D.C. Circuit is about to side with Verizon Communications, and against the Federal Communications Commission, on the agency's open internet rules, the search is on to find another way to legislatively mandate openness. Over at GigaOm, Paul Sweating is touting the new measure by… Keep Reading
September 9, 2013 - Monday marks the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals' long-awaited oral arguments in Verizon Communication's challenge to Federal Communications Commission's 2008 rules governing network neutrality, or rules requiring that internet companies not offer discounted services for web businesses that prioritize traffic over their particular internet networks. On Friday, the New America Foundation's… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2013 - Creating an innovation-friendly environment and facilitating the internet protocol transition were featured as two Federal Communications Commission legal advisers spoke Tuesday at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association’s Cable Show. The panel consisted of Matthew Berry, chief of staff for FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai and Alex Hoehn-Saric, policy director for… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2013 - Spectrum policy, net neutrality, and Universal Service Fund reforms were among the topics discussed by congressional staffers at The Cable Show panel entitled “Capitol Perspectives: Commerce Committee Staffers on Communications Policy.” The panel, held at the annual convention of the National Cable and Telecommunications Associations on Monday, consisted of eight… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 23, 2013 -- Wireless provider MetroPCS moved last Friday to dismiss its claims in the lawsuit challenging the Federal Communication Commission’s net neutrality laws. In the motion, MetroPCS, which recently merged with T-Mobile, noted that the FCC and the Department of Justice had already consented to the dismissal. Additionally, Verizon Communications, which is… Keep Reading
By Drew Clark and Doug Barclay WASHINGTON, March 22, 2013 - President Barack Obama’s law school classmate and friend Julius Genachowski plans to announce his departure from the Federal Communications Commission in a briefing at the agency on Friday morning. Among the key accomplishments during Genachowski’s tenure at the agency include: The issuance of a… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, January 30th, 2013 – The broadband policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its February 2013 Broadband Breakfast Club event: “Data Caps for Wireless Broadband, the Spectrum Crunch and the Wireless Home” on Tuesday, February 19th, 2013 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, December 21, 2012 - The Nation Cable and Telecommunications Association, the trade group representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's households, on Friday released a statement criticizing the Data Cap Integrity Act introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “Regrettably, this ill-conceived legislation ignores the substantial pro-consumer benefits of usage-based pricing," according to the NCTA… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, December 20, 2012 - On Thursday Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. proposed a data caps bill that encourages transparency for customers so they can further understand their data usage and to ensure that innovation is not hampered by a cap on data. The non-profit organization Public Knowledge has championed public attention on, and further investigation of, data caps. They support… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Thursday, November 15th, 2012 -- The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its November 2012 Broadband Breakfast Club event “The International Telecommunications Union and the Global Open Internet” on Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am – 10 am. American… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON December 14, 2011 – The FCC, the Hill and the Telecom industry has been busy over the last couple of weeks. Here is a wrap-up of the most important events. House Passes Spectrum Auction Incentive Bill After a 234-193 vote, the House Payroll Tax Extension Bill incorporated the full version of the Republican Incentive… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, November 25 2011 – As we all sit and digest post Thanksgiving, Broadband Breakfast can finally wrap up some stories that we have been interested in over the past couple of weeks but have not had time to get around to. We wanted to draw attention to a couple of the stories below and… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON Friday November 10, 2011. Thursday afternoon, the Senate voted 52 – 46 to defeat S.J Res 6 which would have overturned the Federal Communication Commissions Open Internet Rules. The rules are now set to go into effect on Nov 20, but they still face challenges in the courts from companies like Metro PCS, Verizon that… Keep Reading
WASHINGTONDC, Friday Nov 4th 2011. Seven months after the House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 37 which prohibits the FCC from regulating how internet service providers manage their broadband networks, the Senate will take their shot at the Congressional Review Act measure to overturn the Commission’s Open Internet Rules. Today Senator John Kerry (D-MA),… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON July 6, 2011- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released the Communiqué on Principles for Internet Policy Making last week, presenting a new framework of policies that will promote open internet regulations while still protecting the rights of content makers. The OECD is an international organization composed of 34 governments with a goal of promoting democracy and expanding market economies. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON May 18, 2011 - Broadband Breakfast gathered former Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice officials along with leading industry experts to explore how the government will scrutinize the AT&T T-Mobile merger.
Will the FCC or the Justice Department Be Tougher on the AT&T/T-Mobile Merger? from Broadband Breakfast on Vimeo.
Keep ReadingWASHINGTON May 10, 2011 -To commemorate the 50th anniversary of former Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Newton Minow's famous speech in which he called television a “vast wasteland,” the National Press Club and the George Washington University Global Media Institute gathered current FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and Minow to discuss the current state of the commission and media. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON May 5, 2011- At the Washington Caucus meeting of the Computer and Communications Industry Association Wednesday, Congressional leaders presented their views on preserving the Open Internet, expanding patent reform, ensuring consumer privacy online and the need for spectrum reform. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON April 25, 2011 - European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda, Nellie Kroes, announced last week that her office, in conjunction with European Union member states, will investigate claims of throttling and service degradation by internet service providers. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON April 14, 2011 - Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, voiced his opposition Wednesday to network neutrality, supported increased oversight of the Federal Communications Commission and addressed how spectrum issues need to be explored with great caution at the American Cable Association summit. Keep Reading
BOSTON, April 13, 2011 - Panelists at the Free Press National Conference for Media Reform railed on the Federal Communications Commission over the weekend, debating to what extent the Commission has been "captured" by industry and how to fix it. Joel Kelsey, Political Advisor at Free Press, moderated the panel, entitled "How to Fix the Broken FCC." The event included participants from the public interest, industry and government sectors. Keep Reading
BOSTON, April 11, 2011 - Speaking to a standing-room only crowd on Friday afternoon, Federal Communications Commissioners Michael Copps and Mignon Clyburn addressed media consolidation and broadband deployment before fielding questions at a town hall meeting during Free Press's National Conference for Media Reform. Media scholar, Robert McChesney, offered the introduction for the event, addressing both the packed auditorium, an overflow room and those watching live via the web. Both commissioners received standing ovations from the crowd as they took the stage. Keep Reading
BOSTON, April 11, 2011 - During the Free Press National Conference on Media Reform in Boston over the weekend, Managing Editor, Jonathan Charnitski sat down with Cheezburger Network owner and CEO, Ben Huh, to find out how the debate over net neutrality shapes one of the largest - and funniest - user-generated content networks on the Internet. Keep Reading