The expected wave of litigation against the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net-neutrality rules has begun. A group of attorneys general for 21 states and the District of Columbia sued Tuesday to block the rules. So did Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox browser, public-interest group Free Press and New America’s Open Technology Institute. Others…
After Net Neutrality: Brace for Internet ‘Fast Lanes’
FCC Head Ajit Pai Goes After Hollywood, Tech Companies
The head of the Federal Communications Commission defended his plan to undo the country’s net-neutrality rules by bringing the culture wars to telecommunications policy. There has been constant media coverage since Chairman Ajit Pai last week unveiled his plan to gut the Obama-era net neutrality rules, which were meant to keep broadband providers from playing…
Phone Companies Get New Tools to Block Spam Calls
Phone companies will have greater authority to block unwanted calls from reaching customers as regulators adopted new rules to combat automated messages known as robocalls. Rules adopted Thursday by the Federal Communications Commission represent the latest tools against robocalls, which pester consumers, sometimes multiple times each day, and often push scams. The agency, which regulates…
Will it Be AT&T vs the Government in $85B Time Warner Deal?
AT&T’s pending acquisition of Time Warner, an $85 billion media deal that could shake up how Americans watch TV, is being held up by the government. That’s raising red flags for some who worry that the White House is trying to put pressure on CNN, the news network owned by Time Warner. The Justice Department…
Trump Threatens NBC But Experts See No Real Risk to Licenses
President Donald Trump is threatening NBC’s broadcast licenses because he’s not happy with how its news division has covered him. But experts say his threats aren’t likely to lead to any action. The network itself doesn’t need a license to operate, but individual stations do. NBC owns several stations in major cities. Stations owned by…
Insider Q&A: Girding for Net Neutrality Fight
NEW YORK (AP) — Some tech companies are gearing up for a fight over Obama-era rules that prohibit broadband providers from treating some web services — ahem, their own — better than rival services. These rules made the Federal Communications Commission a tough overseer of telecom. But the new FCC chairman, appointed by President Donald Trump, is…
FCC Led by Trump Pick Starts to Reverse Obama Policies
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission often took stances that angered the phone and cable industries under the Obama administration. It’s already starting to lean the other way. The regulator of broadcast TV and internet services says cellphone companies that exempt some services from data caps are good for consumers after all. That effectively cuts prices for…
Online Privacy May Be Boosted By New FCC Data Rules
New privacy rules may make it easier to escape at least some online tracking. The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved rules that require internet service providers like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon to ask customers’ permission to use or share much of their data. That could potentially make it harder for them to build advertising…
Broadband Privacy Rules Approved Despite Industry Pushback
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators have approved new broadband privacy rules that make internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon ask customers’ permission before using or sharing much of their data, potentially making it more difficult for them to grow advertising businesses. Under the measure, for example, a broadband provider has to ask a…
FCC Proposal: Internet Providers Must Ask to Share Your Data
A new privacy proposal unveiled Thursday will require broadband providers like Verizon and Comcast to get your permission before sharing with advertisers what you’ve been doing on your phone or computer. The Federal Communication Commission has changed its broadband-privacy plan since it was initially proposed in March. The wireless and cable industries had complained that…
FCC Beefs Up Emergency Cellphone Alerts
The federal government is beefing up emergency cellphone alerts like the one used in New York to advertise a search for a bombing suspect earlier in September. The Federal Communications Commission approved a measure Thursday that will let messages be up to four times longer than the current 90-character limit. Cellphone companies will have to support Spanish…
So Long Cable Box. New Rules May Allow You to Bypass the Box.
You may soon have more options for a cable box than renting one from your cable company. The Federal Communications Commission has a plan to make cable companies provide apps that could be used on devices made by tech companies like maybe Roku or Apple. It says Americans spend billions each year renting boxes and…
FCC Program to Help Poor Get Online Will Start in December
NEW YORK (AP) — Low-income Americans are expected to be able to apply for help from the federal government in paying for Internet access in December. The Federal Communications Commissioners voted, 3-2 along party lines, Thursday to expand the $1.5 billion Lifeline program, a $9.25-a-month subsidy, to Internet as well as phone service. It can…