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Category Archives: Federal Communications Commission
In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission adopted historic Internet rules , when the Democratic-led commission approved 3-to-2, split along party lines, to assert extra government authority over the Internet and permitted enforcement of net neutrality rules that would prevent Internet providers-including cellular carriers-from blocking or throttling traffic or giving priority to Web services in exchange for payment . That came to an end on Monday, June 11, 2018 , following another FCC vote, split on party lines again , but breaking for the GOP.
After months of votes and procedural and bureaucratic moves, the Federal Communication Commission's decision to end the Obama-era laws governing net neutrality went into effect on Monday. , defended the move as necessary to remove what he has described as onerous regulations that restrict investment in new networks.
The controversial repeal of Obama-era net neutrality protections is officially set to take effect on Monday, despite ongoing efforts from members of Congress, state officials, tech companies and advocacy groups to save the rules. The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines in December to repeal the rules, which were intended to prevent internet providers from blocking, speeding up, or slowing down access to specific online services.
Hackers and security researchers have routinely highlighted vulnerabilities in Signaling System 7 , a series of protocols first built in 1975 to help connect phone carriers around the world. It's not a small problem; we've been shown how the flaw can allow a hacker to track user location, dodge encryption, and even record private conversations while the intrusion looks like like ordinary carrier to carrier chatter among a sea of other, "privileged peering relationships."
But the likes of Google and Facebook are still invested in the fight behind the scenes. Last year's "Day of Action" prompted Amazon, Google, Facebook, and many others to pen blog posts or host banners urging users to file comments in support of the Federal Communications Commission's Obama-era net neutrality rules against blocking, throttling, or otherwise discriminating against lawful content.
A federal grand jury has indicted Tyler Barriss on two counts of making hoax bomb threats, including one that famously delayed the Federal Communications Commission's vote to repeal net neutrality in December, Engadget reports . He called a similar bomb threat into the FBI headquarters later that same month.
As Mignon Clyburn left the Federal Communications Commission, the longtime telecom regulator worried that the FCC is abandoning its "prime directive" of protecting consumers. "I'm an old Trekkie," Clyburn told Ars in a phone interview, while comparing the FCC's responsibility to the Star Trek fictional universe's Prime Directive .
Senate Democrats, joined by three Republicans, pushed through a measure intended to revive Obama-era internet rules that ensured equal treatment for all web traffic, though opposition in the House and the White House seems insurmountable. Republicans on the short end of the 52-47 vote described the effort to reinstate "net neutrality" rules as "political theater" because the GOP-controlled House is not expected to take up the issue and the Senate's margin could not overcome a presidential veto.
Senate Democrats, joined by three Republicans, pushed through a measure intended to revive Obama-era internet rules that ensured equal treatment for all web traffic, though opposition in the House and the White House seems insurmountable. Republicans on the short end of the 52-47 vote described the effort to reinstate "net neutrality" rules as "political theater" because the GOP-controlled House is not expected to take up the issue and the Senate's margin could not overcome a presidential veto.
Don't expect the House to go along with the Senate's expected passage of legislation that would revive an Obama-era rule requiring equal treatment for all web traffic by internet providers. Opponents such as Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate's vote later Wednesday on a measure reversing the Federal Communications Commission's decision that scrapped the "net neutrality" rule amounted to "political theater" with no prospects of approval by the GOP-controlled House.
Senate Democrats, joined by three Republicans, pushed through a measure Wednesday intended to revive Obama-era internet rules that ensured equal treatment for all web traffic, though opposition in the House and the White House seems insurmountable. Republicans on the short end of the 52-47 vote described the effort to reinstate "net neutrality" rules as "political theater" because the GOP-controlled House is not expected to take up the issue and the Senate's margin could not overcome a presidential veto.
From left, Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., leave a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 16, 2018, after the Senate passed a resolution to reverse the FCC decision to end net neutrality.
The U.S. Senate voted 52 to 47 to advance a bill that would reverse the Federal Communications Commission decision in December to repeal landmark 2015 net neutrality rules. The margin was larger than expected with three Republicans voting with 47 Democrats and two independents.
Senate Democrats say they have the votes to formally disapprove of FCC's Internet policy that will take effect next month. Here, supporters of net neutrality protest the decision to repeal the Obama-era rule.
More than a dozen Democratic senators called publicly Wednesday for reinstating net neutrality protections, and moved to force a vote on the proposal. The issue galvanizes Democrats and is poised to pass the Senate, but it faces an uphill battle in the House and would likely be vetoed by President Donald Trump if it somehow gets to his desk.
For the first time, the U.S. government has publicly acknowledged the existence in Washington of what appear to be rogue devices that foreign spies and criminals could be using to track individual cellphones and intercept calls and messages. The use of what are known as cellphone-site simulators by foreign powers has long been a concern, but American intelligence and law enforcement agencies - which use such eavesdropping equipment themselves - have been silent on the issue until now.
For the first time, the U.S. government has publicly acknowledged the existence in Washington of what appear to be rogue devices that foreign spies and criminals could be using to track individual cellphones and intercept calls and messages.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, in a letter sent to lawmakers earlier this week , said he shares the concerns of U.S. lawmakers about espionage threats from Chinese smartphone maker Huawei and plans to take "proactive steps" to ensure the integrity of the U.S. communications supply chain . From a report: Pai said he shares concerns over the "security threat that Huawei and other Chinese technology companies pose to our communications networks."
Washington became the first in the country to sign a bill specifically opposing the Federal Communications Commission's rollback of net neutrality regulations. Net neutrality requires providers to treat all content in a similar fashion, without slowing down or speeding up users' service.