The US government regulates many industries, but social media companies don’t neatly fit existing regulatory templates. Systems that deliver energy may be the closest analog.
Is your broadband internet service always up to speed when you need it?
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Ensuring that billions of dollars of federal funding for broadband service are well spent – and that consumers get what they pay for – comes down to knowing the actual speeds internet users experience.
Closing the digital divide requires deploying a lot of fiber-optic cables in rural and low-income areas.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
Hernán Galperin, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act designates broadband internet access as an essential service and targets billions of dollars to close the digital divide.
If its services help deliver misinformation to your home, what responsibility does Comcast have for that?
AP Photo/Mike Stewart
A recent federal court ruling lets big telecom companies censor the internet in ways that boost their own profits – but also allows local and state governments to outlaw censorship if they wish.
Should schools be charged large sums to teach students about space science?
NASA
Many people in rural America don’t have access to fast, affordable internet access. How might those communities connect to the global exchange of goods, services and ideas?
The end of net neutrality in the US does not mean the rest of the world will follow – and there’s plenty of evidence that demonstrates continued commitment to open access.
Beaming in news from far away.
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Margot Susca, American University School of Communication
The FCC has made it even easier for broadcast media conglomerates to focus on making money. The public – who own the airwaves those companies depend on – will suffer as a result.
As the issue of an open and free internet again comes up for public debate, Congress could participate – and help regulators devise a workable set of policies.
How fast is that video really coming in?
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How do internet companies decide which network traffic to slow down and which to charge against users’ data plans? And what can we learn about net neutrality from the answers?
FirstNet could relieve emergency workers of having to carry multiple radios and other communications devices.
AP Photo/Ric Francis
A multibillion-dollar effort is just beginning to build an all-new nationwide wireless broadband network for emergency responders. How will it work, why do we need it and how will it last 25 years?
What will be left of rural television stations?
Dual Freq
Federal rules governing television stations were meant to keep them connected to the communities they serve. The Trump administration wants to weaken those rules, and those civic links.
Some Americans have fast internet, but many still lag behind – especially in rural areas.
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The Trump administration’s proposed budget suggests it will continue to spend federal dollars on expanding broadband internet access. But the rules governing internet traffic matter too.
There’s still a lot of the U.S. waiting to be wired up.
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President Trump has touted infrastructure investment as a way to boost the U.S. economy. At the moment, he’s missing a key opportunity – expanding broadband internet service.
As the Trump administration settles into office, regulators and lawmakers have big plans for shifting the country’s media landscape, with potentially profound effects on the public.
Trump’s FCC chairman Ajit Pai has proposed a major change in internet regulation, doing away with the Open Internet Order. Experts describe what’s at stake, and why it matters.
When calling these people, you want to be able to get through.
Fairfax County, Virginia
‘Denial of service’ cyberattacks are increasingly used to shut down websites. New research reveals that 911 call centers are vulnerable to the threat as well.
The FCC has the power to save us from slow, expensive internet service.
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The Federal Communications Commission has broad power to support fast, affordable internet service reaching every home in the U.S. What are its limits – and its possibilities?
Not all online traffic is the same; should we treat it the same anyway?
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