commerce
Net downloads cause ‘millions of lost jobs’
I remember when it was all Aeron chairs around here… A study for the international chamber of commerce reckons 2.7 million jobs have been lost since 2004 in Europe because of unlicensed internet downloads, and warns economic losses could treble to €32bn by 2015. The report is backed by trade unions, including the TUC.…
Continue reading »30 Percent of Americans Don’t Use the Internet, Says Report
A new survey conducted by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration reveals that a large segment of the American population still doesn’t have access to broadband at home or simply doesn’t use the Internet at all. While most Americans can’t imagine life without a fast broadband connection, over a third of the population rely on narrowband Internet devices, with another third claiming to be unable to afford neither type of connection. Although there is nothing wrong with people not using the Internet, we have to take in consideration that we live in a high-paced, modern society that places a strong emphasis on aspects like information and communication.
Continue reading »Government skeptical wireless can open up broadband market
Earlier this week we wrote up a Department of Justice brief urging the Federal Communications Commission to reallocate as much spectrum as possible for the wireless industry. Wireless, the DOJ says, is the best chance we’ve got at creating a more competitive broadband landscape. “Given the potential of wireless services to reach underserved areas and to provide an alternative to wireline broadband providers in other areas, the Commission’s primary tool for promoting broadband competition should be freeing up spectrum,” the DOJ told the FCC on Monday.
Continue reading »Educators, cable: more cash for public computer centers
As everybody waits for the government to announce the winners in the first round of broadband stimulus grant awards, nine advocacy groups and a Time Warner Cable executive are calling for the Department of Commerce to boost the amount of funding available for public computer centers in round number two.
Continue reading »Yes Men punk US Chamber of Commerce on climate change, sued
In late October, a troupe of comedic pranksters called the Yes Men took on the United States Chamber of Commerce over its stance on climate change via a parody that was hard to distinguish from the real deal: a fake press conference, press releases, and a modified version of the Chamber’s own website, hosted at a similar address. The Chamber responded by getting the Yes Men’s ISP to pull the site, which drew the Electronic Frontier Foundation into the fight. Now, it looks like all these parties may be meeting in court, as the Chamber has filed a suit alleging that the parody crossed the line into fraud.
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