SPN Tech/ Telecom Policy Exchange: Volume 1, Issue 10
Published on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
TECH/ TELECOM POLICY
February 2012
The monthly Tech/Telecom Policy Exchange is brought to you by State Policy Network and prepared by Washington Policy Center. Please send any studies or news articles you would like included in the March Tech Policy Exchange (must include web link, with ‘Tech/Telecom Exchange' in subject line) by March 15th to tech@washingtonpolicy.org. Also, feel free to send suggestions to make this Exchange better or more useful to you and your organization.
Top News
Spectrum Auctions: The FCC has recently requested unbounded authority to auction wireless spectrum. Spectrum auctions have the ability to make billions of dollars for the federal government, but Congress and the bureaucracy are at odds as to how to best set up these auction. The FCC wants unrestricted freedom to limit participation and impose restrictions. Many feel that this type of power is unnecessary for the FCC, while the FCC claims that leaving that authority in Congressional hands amounts to political micromanagement of the auction process.
Spectrum: To Auction or Not to Auction? (Scott Cleland)
Spectrum Policy - Who's Micro-Managing Who? (Free State Foundation)
Spectrum Dinosaurs at the FCC (Wall Street Journal)
The SOPA Fallout: As the hype over the controversial "Stop Online Piracy Act" and "PROTECT IP" legislation dies down, the larger debate over internet regulation will continue. While the legislation, which would have expanded the authority for U.S. law enforcement to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods as well as provide additional tools for copyright holders to fight such infringement, failed to move forward in Congress, the problem of internet piracy has yet to be addressed. The challenge will continue to be stopping piracy in a way which does not infringe on the freedom of legal internet users.
Throwing out the Baby with the SOPA Bathwater (Institute for Policy Innovation)
The Piracy Problem: How Broad? (New York Times)
If you Thought SOPA Was Bad Just Wait Until You Meet ACTA (Forbes)
Technology Policy
Consumer Technology: Consumer Electronic Bright - If Government Doesn't Interfere (Heartland Institute)
Verizon-Cable Agreement: Why the Verizon-Cable Agreement Increases Competition (Scott Cleland)
Cybersecurity: Wanted: Smart Cybersecurity Solutions (Heritage Foundation)
More on Cybersecurity: Soviet-Style Soviet Security Regulation (Cato)
Taxes: Saying NO to Maryland's New Tech Tax (Free State Foundation)
Internet Regulation: Do We Need a Ministry of Truth for the Internet? (Forbes)
Broadband: FCC Votes to Reform Telephone Subsidy Program (National Journal)
Cable Providers: Blame Government Rules for TV Blackouts (Digital Liberty)
Internet Regulation: Internet Governance at a Crossroads (Huffington Post)
Net Neutrality: AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Must Allow Shareholder Votes on Net Neutrality (International Business Times)
GSM Tracking: Location Tracking of GSM Cellphones Now Cheaper (and Easier) than Ever (ArsTechnica)
Right to Be Forgotten: Why Europe's New ‘Right to Be Forgotten' Rule Needs to Be Forgotten (Digital Liberty)
Google v. Safari: Google Hit with FTC Complaint, Says Circumventing Safari Privacy Features Accidental (ArsTechnica)
Tech Events
February 28-29, 2012, 9am, Washington, DC: IPI 4th Annual Communications Summit and Evening Reception
March 20, 2012, 8:45am, Washington, DC: Free State Foundation 4th Annual Telecommunications Policy Conference
Consumer Technology News
Operating Systems: The End of Mac (Gizmodo)
Smartphone War: What Does 2012 Have in Store for Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and iOS? (FierceWireless)
Amazon Phone?: Forget the Facebook Phone, Consumers Want an Amazon Phone (BGR.com)
BlackBerry Playbook: Blackberry OS 2.0 Release Confirmed for February 21st (Engadget)
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