Sony’s Security Catastrophe, and Other Thoughts

As Tarzan once explained to Jane, “You wouldn’t believe it honey; it’s a real jungle out there.” Now comes PlayStation-Gate: Howard Stringer, the CEO of Sony, had to admit he couldn’t guarantee users the security they expect when they supply personal and financial information to Sony over the …

[READ MORE...]





First, Do No Harm

The Federal Communications Commission has set the agenda for its next meeting, with a proposed “Open Internet Order” front and center. Of course, it’s hard to oppose openness (or mom or apple pie), but there are other issues at stake. Our primary concern is that the FCC may …

[READ MORE...]





Poker Party

With revenue-hungry Washington now considering regulating and taxing Internet gambling rather than crushing same, it would be nice to figure out whether we really want web gambling to go legit. To that end, The New York Times asked eight experts — Larry Ashley, Les Bernal, Annie Duke, Earl …

[READ MORE...]





Where Angels Fear to Tread

Frustrated by a federal appeals court ruling that the FCC had no authority to second-guess Comcast’s treatment of customers and under pressure from the Obama Administration to impose a net neutrality regime (whatever that truly means) on the broadband industry, FCC Chair Julius Genachowski is now asserting the …

[READ MORE...]





If It Ain’t Broke…

It’s jam-packed with information, and we shuttle countless bits and bytes of it around the globe on fiber-optic cables (no tubes, please). So, is the Internet a telecommunications service or an information service? You may think Washington is preoccupied with unemployment and deficits and tea party antics, but deep, deep …

[READ MORE...]





Network Nanny?

Analyses of the D.C. Federal Court of Appeals’ decision in Comcast v. FCC [Download Here] have focused on who won and who lost. And for good reason: the judgment imposes significant limits on the FCC’s ill-defined authority to have its way with the …

[READ MORE...]





Did You See…?

…the Wall Street Journal op-ed on high-speed Internet service, co-authored by the often-warring CEOs of Google and Verizon. Messrs. Schmidt and Seidenberg laud the FCC’s ambitious broadband plan – in particular, the focus on promoting innovative uses of the net in key areas like health care, the goal …

[READ MORE...]





More is Less

The FCC is in the process of devising a National Broadband Strategy – something you should care about if you believe (as we do) that high-speed Internet is essential to increasing the productivity of the American economy. The commissioners’ focus is thus commendable. But we’re not enamored with the way …

[READ MORE...]