congress

Net Neutrality's Quiet Crusader

Stevie Converse — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:15:35 -0700

Bearing video cameras, laptops and cellphones, a small army of young activists flooded into a recent federal meeting in protest. Members of public-interest group Free Press weren't there to support a presidential candidate or decry global warming.

In Grove Hall, Radio Rebels Dig In

Stevie Converse — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:47:49 -0700

It's five minutes after 6 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and the loyal listeners of TOUCH 106.1FM - those who are awake, at least - have to settle for the crackle and puff of static from their speakers.

No James Brown, no New Edition, no Amiri Baraka. Just static.

Can the Feds Enforce Net Neutrality? Maybe Not.

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:22:46 -0700

Federal regulators may be probing Comcast's throttling of BitTorrent filesharing traffic, but can they actually take action, if they choose, against the company or any other broadband provider on Net neutrality grounds?

Harman Bill Would Fund Public-Safety Network

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:37:46 -0700

Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) introduced a bill that would fund administrative costs of a national interoperable public-safety network for first responders.

Comcast and Cox Caught Blocking BitTorrent All Day, All Night

Stevie Converse — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:50:04 -0700

The Max Planck Institute in Germany released a study today showing that both Comcast and Cox Communications are blocking Web traffic over their networks throughout all hours of the day. This independent study of network management used Web-based tools to detect if Internet service providers in the United States are treating peer-to-peer traffic differently than other types of data.

Senate Prepares to Zap Net-Throttling ISPs

Stevie Converse — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:18:13 -0700

The U.S. Net Neutrality debate is again in the headlines with two Senators introducing legislation called the "Internet Freedom and Non-discrimination Act of 2008" and upbraiding ISPs for exerting too much control over their broadband services:

Two Telecom Bills Form a United Front Against Discrimination

Holiday Shapiro — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:55:56 -0700

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr., (D-MI) and Internet stalwart Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), have added another element to the debate about how to ensure a free and open Internet.

Consider the Carterphone Rules and Open Up Spectrum to Broaden Consumer Choice

Stevie Converse — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:37:05 -0700

When I was growing up, the closest thing we had to a wireless phone was a cheap set of walkie-talkies that had a range of about 100 feet and the sound quality of the original telephone — at best.

Bolster Internet Capacity So ISPs Have No Excuse for Discriminating Against Content

Stevie Converse — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:32:25 -0700

Tech visionary Vint Cerf described the secret of the Internet’s success simply as "Innovation without permission."

FCC Chairman Pushes Reform Agenda amid Congressional Inquiry

Holiday Shapiro — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:49:35 -0700

Last month, in a conference room atop the Federal Communications Commission building that has become a gathering spot for journalists, Chairman Kevin Martin made what appeared to be a routine announcement.

White House Seems Flexible on Immunity for Telecoms over Wiretaps, Senator Says

Holiday Shapiro — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:16:56 -0700

The White House appears willing to compromise on the issue of retroactive immunity for telephone firms that joined the Bush administration’s wiretapping program, a senior GOP senator says.

Will Antitrust Law Save Net Neutrality?

Stevie Converse — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:07:53 -0700

The ongoing struggle to protect "net neutrality," the right of consumers to access content on the Internet equally, took a new turn as members of Congress introduced legislation that would treat interference or content-blocking as violations of antitrust law.

Sen. John Kerry Calls for Federal Intervention for Regions Without High Speed Internet

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 09:39:19 -0700

During a meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senator John Kerry used Massachusetts as an example of the continuing problem of the digital divide.

Dueling Approaches to Net Neutrality Clash in the House

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:57:46 -0700

Should the FCC be the final authority deciding just what constitutes "net neutrality," and how ISPs should be punished if they fail to provide it? Or would you rather the matter be resolved in the federal court system?

House Democrats Dig Up Decades-Old Antitrust Law in New Net Neutrality Fight

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:38:18 -0700

The long-running debate over net neutrality took another turn Thursday when two lawmakers introduced a bill that would make it a violation of antitrust law for broadband providers to discriminate against different types of content in routing traffic on their networks.

Another Net Neutrality Bill, in a Comcast-Charged Atmosphere

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:31:50 -0700

The latest net neutrality bill, offered by Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), is a second try to treat neutrality as an antitrust issue, Ars Technica says. It’s essentially the same bill that failed in 2006.

Free Speech in the 21st Century

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:26:34 -0700

Freedom of the press extends only to those who own one -- or so the saying goes. It once rang true in a world ruled by newspaper chains, radio and television broadcasters, and cable networks.

Conyers Bill Would Codify Network Neutrality

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:52:19 -0700

House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced a bill that would codify network neutrality in antitrust law.

Specifically, Conyers' bill, the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, would amend the Clayton Act, which deals with anticompetitive discrimination in terms of pricing and services, to include Internet-service discrimination.

Lawmakers Renew Efforts to Enact Net Neutrality Bill

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:37:18 -0700

With scant time left in the 110th Congress and no apparent interest in network neutrality in the U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., reintroduced May 7 the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act.

Media: Citizen Murdoch

Stevie Converse — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:03:12 -0700

When you’re trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, it helps to have a bulldozer.