Why the Internet Will Remain Neutral and Open
June 11, 2018 is the day that the internet returns to the light-touch regulations that marked most of its history and gave rise to its tremendous growth. It was under this system that over $1 trillion in private capital was invested, leading to more than 90 percent of Americans getting access to fast internet. With lighter and less burdensome regulation of their business, ISPs are investing in better and faster networks. Very soon a majority of consumers will have 1Gbps speeds available. What consumers will notice today, tomorrow, next month, next year or pick your date, is quite literally –
More Americans Are Concerned About Online Privacy Than Net Neutrality
Today, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a Congressional Review Act, or CRA, that attempts to roll back last December’s FCC Order that freed the internet from 1930’s era regulations – regulations that have been proven to hurt investment in broadband networks. This partisan maneuver is being touted as a way to save net neutrality but, as we’ve been saying for years, the only real path to permanent net neutrality is through a bipartisan law in Congress. If you listen to the floor speeches, be prepared. There will be no shortage of hyperbole and hyperventilation in the many fantastic claims
Protecting Consumers in the Digital Age
By Michael Powell Two days of Congressional hearings this week about the data collection and sharing practices of Facebook have ignited a critical national conversation about online privacy and the dangers that stem from the power of large tech firms to build, use, and share detailed profiles of consumer behavior and track them across the internet. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was well prepared and performed well in answering most of the questions posed to him, but the hearings did not alter the fundamental concern that “tens of thousands of apps” may have accessed the personal data of two
ISPs Are Helping Families Stay Smart in an Ever-Expanding Internet
Studies in the past several years have shown that kids who spend more time on social media networks are less happy in all areas of their lives. While adults are also vulnerable to the negative impact that social media and certain online overuse can have, children are often at higher risk. If they don't have the support of a parent or mentor, many will use these sites blindly, share or post inappropriate photos and messages, and depend too much on the "likes" and "comments" from their peers—leading to an enormous amount of time spent on these sites and making kids more prone to low self esteem
Working Towards Creating a Safer Internet
Kids are practically born with screens in their hands and will never know a world where they can’t swipe, post a selfie, or watch TV on any device with a screen. With this level of access, it’s important to equip kids with the knowledge and understanding of appropriate online behavior and how to manage their digital reputations, while also giving them the ability to combat and evade online dangers like cyberbullying, risky social media sites, and cyber scams. Making all of this all the more challenging is how some online services are being specifically designed for overconsumption by creating
Let's Calm Down. No Matter What Happens with Net Neutrality, an Open Internet isn't Going Anywhere
By NCTA President & CEO Michael Powell Originally published in recode on December 13th, 2017 Tomorrow, the Federal Communications Commission will vote to restore light-touch regulation and promote investment in internet networks. Opponents of this action have responded with hyperbole, demagoguery and even personal threats. New-age Nostradamuses predict the internet will stop working, democracy will collapse, plague will ensue and locusts will cover the land. With an ounce of reflection, one knows that none of this will come to pass, and the imagined doom will join the failed catastrophic
A Chorus of Voices Supporting the FCC
The FCC proposal to restore a "light-touch" approach and reverse the 1930’s-era public utility regulation (Title II) imposed in 2015 has led to quite an outpouring of opinion (and unfortunately some very nasty online vitriol). As representatives of America’s large and small internet providers who offer high-speed internet to 93 percent of U.S. homes in communities large and small, we want to make clear that the FCC’s actions are both sensible and rooted in decades of success. In 2015, the former FCC unjustifiably departed from decades of bipartisan support and incredible success when it
Three Questions: Combatting Cybersecurity Threats
NCTA introduces its newest series, three questions with an expert. Check back periodically for interviews on different topics with various professionals within the cable industry. Topic: Combatting Cybersecurity Threats Expert: Matt Tooley, NCTA Vice President of Broadband Technology NCTA’s Matt Tooley provides a snapshot of cybersecurity threats and what ISPs are doing to protect users. Name a few threats that internet users should be most concerned about when they connect online. Most experts would agree that the biggest concern is phishing. Phishing often occurs via email, but the criminals
Three Questions: Internet Safety for Families
NCTA introduces its newest series, three questions with an expert. Check back periodically for interviews on different topics with various professionals within the cable industry. Topic: Internet Safety for Families Expert: Kristin Buch, NCTA As Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close in a few days, this week NCTA's Kristin Buch and in-house expert on cable parental controls shares tips on internet safety for families on behalf of the cable industry. Kristin's work for the past 10 years has focused on the intersection of media, technology and education. What are some ways cable
New Comcast Feature Helps Families Bond
It's the usual scene at the family dinner table. Everyone is either glued to their phones as plates are being passed around, or sitting within arms-reach of their devices, ready to grab them the moment a new text or email comes through. Parents are guilty of it too, as a new Comcast survey released last week showed that half of respondents had been asked by their kids to put their phones away, and 42 percent could not even recall the last time their families had dinner without devices on hand. The study looked at parents and found that 98 percent agreed that device-free meals would improve