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FCC repeals restrictions on consolidation of media companies
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed a handful of rules that it said were keeping the media industry out of the digital age, the Washington Post reports. The decades-old regulations were implemented in order to keep a diversity of perspectives within print, radio, and televised media outlets, but FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says they're out of date and don't reflect the current media landscape. "Few of the FCC's rules are staler than our broadcast ownership regulations," he said. "This agency finally drags its broadcast ownership rules to the digital age."
FCC will vote on viewer-tracking broadcast standard this week
On Thursday, the FCC will vote on a new broadcast standard that stands to have a big impact on both consumers and broadcasters. Next Gen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, will bring with it sharper images and video as well as the ability for TV broadcasters to get more detailed data about consumers' viewing habits. Rather than just broad demographics, those broadcasters will be able to collect viewing data similar to how cable providers do with set-top boxes and how websites track browsing history. That information could then be used to more specifically target ads to viewers. The FCC is expected to approve the new standard but many are voicing concern over privacy issues and lack of regulation.
FCC creates hurricane task force to aid recovery in Puerto Rico
Days after the agency pledged $77 million to fix communications on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, newly-reconfirmed FCC Chair Ajit Pai announced the creation of the Hurricane Recovery Task Force. It's dedicated to repairing damage caused by the entire season's slew of storms, but will focus on fixing the communications networks on the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the latter of which was so damaged that almost 90 percent of its cell towers were downed by Hurricane Maria.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will serve a second term despite protests
If you were hoping that the Senate would have second thoughts about FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's tenure given widespread objections to his policies, you're about to be disappointed. Senators voted to confirm Pai for a second term, giving him another 5 years in office (technically 4, since it's retroactive to July 2016). In short, he'll likely remain Chairman throughout President Trump's term.
FCC Chairman Pai appoints a new chief technology officer
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that Eric Burger would be joining the commission as its new chief technology officer. He's set to take over the position this month. Burger will be replacing Henning Schulzrinne who is returning to a Columbia University professorship after serving a second round as CTO since the end of 2016. He was also the FCC CTO from 2011 to 2014.
FCC Chairman wants Apple to enable FM in iPhones for emergencies (update)
You might think of radio as an archaic form of listening to music, but it's still one of the more effective ways to get information to people, especially when cell networks go down. Most smartphones already have an FM chip baked right into the chipset, but they tend to be inaccessible, especially in the US. Now FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is asking Apple to activate these FM chips already in iPhones. "Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted (activating the chips)," said Pai in a statement. "But I hope the company will reconsider its position, given the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria."
You have 30 more days to tell Ajit Pai not to neuter broadband
While it's attacking net neutrality, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is pushing a second proposal that could also limit internet freedom. Under Tom Wheeler, broadband was redefined to mean 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload speeds, but Pai's FCC wants to change that to include mobile networks with meager 10Mbps/1Mbps speeds. That hasn't been as well-publicized as the Title II issue, so many folks aren't aware that the comment period expires tomorrow. After a letter from 12 Democrat Senators urging an extension, however, the FCC agreed to prolong it by 30 days.
House cancels net neutrality hearing after companies don't commit
The September 7th meeting to discuss the future of net neutrality in Washington, D.C. has been cancelled. Why? Alphabet, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, Facebook, Netflix and Verizon executives wouldn't commit to attending, according to Reuters. At the end of last month, lawmakers agreed to extend the deadline in hopes that company heads would attend. The reality is that in private, the companies have been apparently reticent to sign any sort of permanent rules under the current administration.
Apple calls for 'strong' open internet protection in FCC comments
Apple has historically kept quiet on the subject of net neutrality, but not anymore. The company recently filed a comment with the FCC calling for "strong, enforceable open internet protections" centered around the principles of consumer choice, transparency and competition. Apple got its comments in just under the wire, too: the FCC's electronic commenting system says the filing, signed by Apple Public Policy VP Cynthia Hogan, was received on the last day public comments were allowed.
Congressmen call for investigation of FCC cyberattack claims
The FCC has claimed that the site it uses to collect public comment on its plans to roll back net neutrality rules was taken down by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack instead of crippled by a massive number of commenters brought about by a John Oliver segment on HBO. When pressed for details, the agency denied that it hadn't documented the "attack," that sharing any details would undermine security and have stonewalled any demands for evidence of a cyberattack. On Thursday, however, Senator Brian Schatz and Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) encouraging a full review of the FCC's practices and claims.
FCC says sharing DDoS attack details undermines security
Back in May, HBO's John Oliver exhorted viewers to add their public comment on the FCC's website for net neutrality. While at first it seemed as if the server couldn't handle the extra load of commenters, the FCC said that the site had been a victim of multiple distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. When asked for evidence of the cyberattack by regulators, senators and journalists, the FCC refused to share any data. Last month, a group of ranking House committee members sent a letter to the FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, which expressed concerns about the agency's "cybersecurity preparedness, and the multiple reported problems with the FCC's website in taking public comments in the net neutrality proceeding." Pai's response — dated July 21st and posted on July 28th — was predictably vague in responding to the specific queries from the Representatives. He said "it would undermine our system's security to provide a specific roadmap of the additional solutions to which we have referred."
The internet needs us to save net neutrality
Today, thousands of websites and organizations are showing their support for net neutrality in hopes of preserving the open internet. Consider Engadget among them. The Federal Communication Commission, as chaired by former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai, is exploring ways to repeal the open internet rules put into effect by former chairman Tom Wheeler, and that's just not OK.
AT&T supports net neutrality but denounces 'outdated' rules
It's definitely odd to have a company like AT&T, who came out against the previous administration's FCC rules for net neutrality, decide to join the day of action in support of net neutrality, set for July 12th. AT&T's Senior Executive Vice President Bob Quinn argues that even while his company may see the earlier rules as burdensome, it is all for an open internet, something he calls "critical for ensuring freedom of expression and a free flow of ideas and commerce in the United States and around the world."
Senators warn the FCC to be ready for net neutrality comments
Two pro-net neutrality Democrat Senators have told the FCC that it had damn well better be ready for public comments on tomorrow's net neutrality Day of Action. "It is critical to the rulemaking and regulatory process that the public be able to take part without unnecessary technical or administrative burden," they stated in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
YouTube creators pen open letter to support net neutrality
The FCC is moving forward with its plans to undo the Obama-era rules put in place to protect net neutrality, and the parties that will be negatively affected have been scrambling to be heard. Take for instance, the 134 YouTube stars who've just penned an open letter to the FCC and the Congress to defend net neutrality. The creators argue that the current rules are "crucial to maintaining a level playing field for all creators" since they ensure "equal opportunity for success to anyone wishing to enter the market."
Netflix will join net neutrality 'Day of Action' after all
After being on the front lines of net neutrality action for years, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings recently declared that it is no longer its "primary battle ... because we're big enough to get the deals we want." That caused a lot of consternation among foes of the FCC's plan to roll back consumer internet protections, but apparently the streaming giant has changed its mind. Organizers say Netflix will participate in the July 12 "Internet-Wide Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality," and the company tweeted that it "will never outgrow the fight for #NetNeutrality."
The FCC chairman thinks it's still 1996
FCC chairman Ajit Pai sounds like a broken record. "Light-touch framework." "Light-touch approach." "Light-touch regulation." As an ideological concept, it seems reasonable. Especially to a conservative such as Pai, who believes that the government shouldn't "pick winners and losers," to use a favorite phrase of Republicans. Except, when you actually look closely at the chairman's argument about how to regulate internet service providers, it collapses under its own misguided logic.
The FCC votes to move forward with gutting net neutrality
Today, during an open commission meeting, the FCC voted to move forward with its plans to undo many rules enacted under the Obama administration meant to protect the principle of net neutrality. The most important part of this proposed rollback is changing broadband internet from being classified as a Title II service back to a Title I service. Title I has fewer rules regarding how traffic over the network is treated. Under Title II internet is regulated like a utility and requires that all data across the network be treated equally so long as it doesn't violate any laws. Under Title I however, ISPs are free to prioritize data as they see fit and even charge more to guarantee better service. This is of growing concern as the line between service providers and content providers continues to blur.
Net-neutrality supporters cripple the FCC website again (update)
Sunday night, John Oliver merely pointed out a problem (again), and the results were pretty predictable if you're familiar with the last time he did similar. The most recent episode of HBO's Last Week Tonight's main segment concerns net neutrality and all the ways Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai has tried explaining that it's a frivolous concept -- sentiments echoed by senator Ted Cruz and others in a recent Washington Post op-ed. Well, as a result of Oliver setting up a URL that makes it incredibly easy to express your interest in maintaining an open internet to the FCC, parts of the regulatory body's website have been crippled under the server load.
The federal courts have already given up on net neutrality
The head of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, has not been quiet about his plans to gut net neutrality, and the US legal system is taking him seriously. A federal court on Monday denied a group of internet service providers the chance to re-argue their case against net neutrality rules implemented by former President Barack Obama's administration. The judges' reasoning? The FCC is about to get rid of those regulations anyway.
