WASHINGTON, December 9, 2009 – A cable industry leader made the case Wednesday that proposed government rules to regulate internet access in support of so-called Net neutrality or open internet principles are not only unnecessary but would threaten First Amendment rights.

“Net neutrality rules have the potential to restrict protected speech in myriad ways – and not just the speech of internet service providers,” said Kyle McSlarrow, speaking at a luncheon at the Four Seasons sponsored by the Media Institute.

WASHINGTON, December 9, 2009 – The ubiquity of online advertising is a product of its importance to the internet economy, said a group of consumer advocates Wednesday during a debate on the future of online advertising.

But the impact of new targeted advertising methods on consumer privacy and its potential to manipulate online experiences was the subject of heated argument at the event, sponsored by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

A proposal to return much of the spectrum used by commercial television broadcasters is gaining some mindshare in Washington telecommunications circles. A high ranking FCC official recently suggested it might be possible to craft a “grand bargain,” in which broadcasters return unused portions of their digital television spectrum to the government in exchange for proceeds from an auction. The spectrum to be auctioned off could fulfill a coming need for spectrum to be used by the burgeoning wireless broadband industry.

WASHINGTON, November 17, 2009 – The consulting firm Empiris LLC joined a host of cable and phone broadband network related entities on Tuesday when it slammed a recent study from Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society on broadband policy.

In July the Federal Communications Commission commissioned the Berkman Center to review the existing literature and studies on broadband deployment and usage throughout the world to inform the FCC’s development of a National Broadband Plan. The FCC is sought public comment on the study through November 16.

WASHINGTON, November 6, 2009 – The corporate communications firm Qorvis has brought Nicole Silverman on board to work on technology and telecom policy issues and reputation management for foreign governments. Silverman, whose title will be director, was most recently an account manager in Waggener Edstrom’s public affairs practice where she oversaw the development and implementation of international public affairs programs for Fortune 500 companies, foundations and trade associations. At Waggener Edstrom, Silverman developed an expertise in telecom policy.

The French Constitutional Court on Thursday approved legislation that would create a graduated-response program to copyright infringement. The goal is to enable copyright owners to halt illegal peer-to-peer file-sharing without suing individual consumers.
Thomas Sydnor, Senior Fellow at The Progress & Freedom Foundation hailed the move, calling it a step forward for common sense and the rule of law on the Internet. “In America today, if a caregiver for my children used one of my home computers for illegal file-sharing, copyright owners would have to file a federal lawsuit and spend thousands of dollars—which they would then have to recover from me—just to alert me to the problem,” Sydnor added.

As Facebook increases its Washington presence, Andrew Noyes will be putting the pen down to join the company next month as manager of public policy communications. Noyes has been a reporter for National Journal Group since 2006 where he worked first for the now-dead Technology Daily publication, and later for CongressDaily. Also on the Facebook team is Tim Sparapani, director of public policy, and Adam Conner.

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2009 – The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved controversial proposed rules governing internet access during its monthly public meeting. Commissioners on all sides of the debate stressed the importance of having an open internet, and in engaging in constructive dialogue on the issue going forward. The move marked the beginning of a formal phase of regulating internet access. Although the FCC in August 2005 adopted a policy statement pledging fidelity to four Net neutrality principles, such a policy was never binding upon all broadband providers. Additionally, the proposed rules go beyond those four generally-accepted neutrality principles.

An agreement reached by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was praised Wednesday by Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., Chairman of the Communications, Technology, and the Internet Subcommittee.

WASHINGTON, September 21, 2009 – Broadband data is important for the future of our country – and public and transparent broadband data is even more important. Today, at this moment, the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is making a speech in which he is highlighting the vital principle of public and transparent broadband data.