Lots going on up at Capitol Hill which is kind of not the ideal environment for a bunch of right-wing blogs to start dredging up nonsense over a sinister plan to give away free cellphones, mirroring the ancient election year grievance over "Obamaphones," but that's what's happened.
Marco Rubio Forced To Clarify That He Is Not Giving Away Free Cellphones
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
ACLU files complaint with FTC over older Android software
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal complaint accusing the nation’s largest wireless carriers of “deceptive” business practices for failing to keep the software on tens of millions of Android smartphones updated — a shortcoming that can make the devices vulnerable to hackers.
Boston rumors aside, cell service can be halted
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The government’s process for shutting down a wireless network is shrouded in both secrecy and controversy.
Sen Rockefeller Files Media Violence Bill As Amendment To Gun Control
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has offered his media violence research bill as an amendment to gun-control legislation currently before the Senate, according to a committee spokesperson.
White House threatens veto against CISPA, citing privacy concerns
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The White House threatened to veto a cybersecurity bill the House will vote on this week, citing concerns it lacks vital privacy protections.
Wireless woes in Boston
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The aftermath of the deadly explosions that ripped through the Boston Marathon overwhelmed wireless networks, which struggled to complete calls and process messages.
House Commerce Committee to Mark Up Internet Governance Bill
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The House Commerce Committee has scheduled an April 17 markup of a bill that would codify the earlier sense of the Congress resolution endorsing the multistakeholder model of Internet governance.
UCC OC Inc. and allies move to block expansion of Securus predatory phone rates
Filed Under: UCC Media Justice
The United Church of Christ, OC Inc. was pleased to join with Public Knowledge, Free Press and Rainbow/PUSH to block the purchase of the telephone company Securus Technologies, Inc. by the Hedge Fund ABRY Partners. Securus provides phone services to prisons, and its business model relies on charging predatory rates to the families of prisoners, who have no choice but to pay high prices or forgo speaking to their loved ones. The groups jointly filed a petition at the Federal Communications Commission last night in response to a filing by Securus requesting FCC permission to complete the proposed transaction. Public Knowledge, Free Press, UCC OC Inc. and Rainbow/PUSH released a joint statement. Cheryl Leanza, policy advisor for UCC OC Inc., said, “Predatory prison phone rates are a moral issue for the faith community—these types of businesses should be stopped, not allowed to expand. Companies that invest in these predatory businesses risk endangering their public reputation.”
To learn more about predatory prison phone rates and UCC OC Inc.’s efforts to eliminate them, go to www.uccmediajustice.org/prisonphones
The FCC faces questions and challenges as it awaits a new chairman
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
A Q&A with Phil Weiser -- a former senior adviser for Obama on technology and innovation, and current dean of the University of Colorado’s law school.