Keeping Human Connections Real and Authentic in the Digital Age
Most of us are guilty of it. We pull out our phones in mid-conversation with someone else, or make sure it’s at a reachable distance even as we get ready for bed at night. We’ve come to live off of our phones and personal devices because of the great information and instant connections that they bring us, but are we letting ourselves lose face-to-face time with others as a result? At an event earlier this month hosted by Common Sense on raising kids in a digitally connected world, renowned author Sherry Turkle told a crowd of educators, parents, and professionals in Washington, D.C., that
Consumers Deserve Consistent Privacy Protections on the Internet
In a vibrant, fast-changing Internet economy, companies should be transparent about their data practices, provide consumers with choices on how their data is used, and work hard to keep data secure. Consumers also deserve consistent privacy protections across the Internet for the information they deem private and sensitive, no matter how or with whom they share it. Protections should be based on the type of information collected, not the type of business holding it. And privacy norms should apply uniformly so that consumers do not have to guess about their privacy protection depending on the
Play Your Part in Creating A Better and Safer Internet
I was born in the early 1980s, right on the cusp of the transition from Generation X to the Millennials. This placed me squarely within a unique period in the history of broadband technology: I’ve both never known a time before the Internet, yet also experienced first-hand the growing pains of a burgeoning Internet culture. In the beginning the Internet was thrilling, fun, and maybe even a little dangerous. Online, anything felt possible. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t say, do, find, or learn. I could be whoever I wanted to be, go wherever I wanted to go. My parents and teachers didn’t fully
The Net Neutrality Saga Moves (Again) to the Courts
Tomorrow, the DC Circuit Court will hear oral arguments on the FCC’s Open Internet (aka Net Neutrality) Order, which reclassified broadband as Title II service subject to public utility-style regulation. We strongly believe that the reclassification of broadband under Title II was wrong as a matter of law and potentially disastrous as a matter of policy. Tomorrow’s argument will consider the former issue – whether or not the FCC had the legal authority to impose Title II common carrier regulation on ISPs as a basis for adopting Net Neutrality rules. The argument is not about preserving an open
Kids and Technology: Good or Bad?
It’s nearly impossible to find kids these days without phones, iPads or some other electronic device in their hands. Older generations grew up without this kind of connectivity, and many of us can’t help but wonder if this new way of life for children is an advantage or detriment to their growth and maturity. But according to a new study, the majority of parents actually view technology use by their children as a plus for their futures. The Family Online Safety Institute recently gathered responses from parents on how they perceive technology in their kids’ lives. Questions ranged from how
For Kids and Media Use, How Much is Too Much?
Kids today are often more digitally connected than their parents. We see teenagers taking selfies and immediately posting to their social media accounts, or middle school students using a language app on their phones for Spanish class. But how much media time are kids logging these days, and are they making smart choices with their connectivity time? Common Sense Media recently released The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Teens and Tweens, a new study quantifying children’s media use. The numbers are predictably big: teens use media about nine hours a day, tweens around six hours. But it’s
Cybersecurity Awareness Month a Nod to Everyone's Role in a Safe Internet
As National Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on some of the more significant cybersecurity accomplishments of the cable industry both during this month and in general. As the nation’s leading provider of broadband, cable companies have been at the forefront of developing and implementing best practices for identifying and addressing cybersecurity risks. The nature of networks makes cybersecurity a problem that spans the globe. From startups to the Internet’s largest corporations, ensuring products and services are secure is a shared responsibility. Towards
Celebrating "The Language of America"
Can you imagine a world without free speech? While many Americans are proud of their First Amendment, it’s a safe bet that many of us take for granted the free speech that constitutional Amendment ensures. Imagine a world in which authors, bloggers, script writers, producers, directors, poets, songwriters, and other creators of content had to censor the expression of their thoughts, or could be held liable by some governing body for thinking that might be inconsistent with that of the governing class. Imagine the potential impact of speech censorship on your own behavior, each time you
How CISA Can Help Protect Personal Data, Internet Infrastructure, and Businesses
After months of discussion and hard work, the Senate appears set to move forward this week with the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (commonly known as CISA). As a member of the Protecting America’s Cyber Networks Coalition, we were proud to sign and submit a letter yesterday supporting CISA and committing ourselves to working with lawmakers to get cybersecurity information-sharing legislation quickly enacted. You can read that letter here. For more on the specifics of CISA and where NCTA stands on this bill, we refer you to the blog we wrote a few months ago. But in short, CISA
Teaching Kids How to Navigate our Digital World
You hear a lot these days about Generation Z, the kids who were practically born with an iPhone in their hands, and those who can’t fathom why some computers or screens won’t swipe right or respond with the mere touch of their finger. It’s easy to assume that kids these days know technology better than most of us adults, but do they know about the dangers that can come with posting their pictures on Snapchat? Or what could happen if they click on a link in an email they got from a stranger? Sadly, often times they don’t. To help fill in this gap, Cable Impacts has partnered with PopSugar Mom