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.
Optical fibres carry data from the web, these cables were previously neutral containers – but not anymore.
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Until last December, Internet service providers were required to respect the principle of web neutrality. This is no longer the case in the United States. What are the consequences?
AT&T and Time Warner are among the latest companies to merge.
Reuters/Brendan McDermid
A scholar of the media business tries to make sense of the flurry of merger news lately, and why the contested tie-up between AT&T and Time Warner will profoundly reshape the American media landscape.
Toronto could learn a lot from Brazil following the flawed and opaque consultation process to develop parts of the city’s waterfront.
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Toronto’s Quayside smart city project needs a new, truly consultative process. An innovative method used by Brazil to develop its landmark Internet Bill of Rights may be the answer.
Conversations on Facebook ethics are part of a bigger conversation about information architecture.
AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Gordon Hull, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
An expert explains how Facebook’s privacy issues are linked to a bigger problem – a ‘hostile information architecture,’ largely controlled by corporate interests.
Two views of the internet collide in the net neutrality debate.
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Efforts to curb railroads’ monopoly power in the 19th century hold lessons for 21st-century policymakers and internet giants alike.
Ajit Pai, former Verizon lawyer turned head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), rolled back President Barack Obama’s net neutrality policy in December.
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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.
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?
Are we really headed for a two-speed internet?
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The digital economy in the US is already on the verge of stalling; failing to protect an open internet would further erode the United States’ digital competitiveness.
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.