Net neutrality bill reborn
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008Today, Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chip Pickering (R-MS) introduced HR 5353, the Internet Freedom Preservation Act (pdf). For more, see SaveTheInternet.com or CNet.
Archive for the ‘Congress’ Category
Today, Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chip Pickering (R-MS) introduced HR 5353, the Internet Freedom Preservation Act (pdf). For more, see SaveTheInternet.com or CNet.
Supercapitalism Really Is Super
Saturday, January 26th, 2008Robert Reich's latest book, Supercapitalism, is a fantastic analysis of the current relationship between corporations, citizens, and politics. I put Supercapitalism on my wish list after Prof. Lawrence Lessig's glowing recommendation. While I make no pretense of being such a gifted writer as either of these scholars, here I attempt to ...
Retraction: Net Neutrality Probably Stops Comcast
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007In my last report on this story, I put little thought into a minilink to an article by CNet's Anne Broache, which frets that proposed net neutrality bills probably would not prevent Comcast's ongoing peer-to-peer blockade. I no longer agree; I think even the weaker of the two bills on ...
Would Net Neutrality Stop Comcast’s BitTorrent Blockade?
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007According to CNet's Anne Broache, the answer is: probably not. The current legislative proposals allow network management, and Comcast could probably use this exemption to justify its decision to degrade BT traffic. It would only hit a wall if it was also offering another paid peer-to-peer service that always worked perfectly.
House Rebuffs Immunity for Spying Telecoms
Saturday, November 17th, 2007On Thursday, the US House passed a FISA reform bill without granting immunity to telecommunications companies accused of assisting illegal eavesdropping on US citizens. As we noted last month, the White House and telecoms pressed for retroactive immunity. This pressure has not worked--at least not yet--despite Bush's threat of a veto.
Bill Requiring DRM for Colleges Passes Committee
Friday, November 16th, 2007As we reported earlier, Section 494 of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (pdf) would turn colleges into copyright cops. Now, the bill is in front of the full House thanks to a unanimous committee vote in its favor. The section (on pp. 411-413 of the draft above) requires ...
Telecom Immunity Still Unsettled in Senate
Friday, November 16th, 2007As reported by CNet, telecommunication companies may still get retroactive immunity (for helping the NSA's illegal spying) as part of the FISA reform working its way through the Senate.
Dems to Colleges: Police Copyright or Lose Funding
Saturday, November 10th, 2007Two Democratic chairs of key House committees introduced a bill yesterday that would require colleges to police copyright and pay off the entertainment industry. Buried on pages 411 and 412 of the 747-page bill, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (pdf), is the following: Each eligible institution participating in any ...
Taming Tigers: Will Lessig Be Eaten?
Friday, October 19th, 2007Lawrence Lessig's switch from copyfighting to fighting political corruption has made huge waves among copyright activists, many of whom were first driven to action by Lessig's writings. I instantly agreed with his premises and thus supported his switch (ditto Ed Baker's quieter, impending switch from focusing on media policy to ...
House Reporter Shield Bill Excludes Amateurs
Friday, October 19th, 2007As mourned at the Citizen Media Law Project, the final House version of the bill (HR 2102) to protect reporters from revealing confidential sources was amended specifically to exclude unpaid journalists. Sadly, this amendment was proposed by the bill's lead authors, Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Mike Pence (R-IN). Boucher is generally ...