Get Ready for GDPR

The need to meet GDPR obligations is just around the corner.

In about 10 weeks (on May 25, to be exact), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect not only across European Union member countries, but anywhere that personal data that originates in any of these countries is stored, processed, or retained.  This is important.  STORED, PROCESSED or RETAINED.

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Net Neutrality: Taking the Battle to Consumers

Proponents red and blue, at state and federal levels, are gunning for the FCC on behalf of their constituents.
Sometimes what seems like a good idea philosophically doesn't work well practically. Think of 1985's "New Coke." Or 2017's decision by the Federal Communications Commission to abandon the 2015 Net neutrality rules.

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FCC Attempts to Weaken Broadband Standard

Rather than hold providers accountable, the Commission wants to lower speed requirements and loosen definition of competition.You may have missed this item with the uproar around the FCC's recent decision to repeal Net neutrality rules, but the agency is prepared to harm consumers further by changing the definition of what constitutes “broadband service” for compliance purposes.

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The Battle Over Net Neutrality: What’s Next

After what seems like a month long diet of butter and sugar, it’s time to return to reality… the reality before the final two weeks of the year. In our last episode, the FCC had just voted, along strict party lines, to abandon the Net neutrality rules put into play by the Obama Administration in 2015 and approved by the courts in 2016.  This action, which moves the Internet from utility-like regulation to a much less rigid regulatory structure, would allow ISPs to block access to content, slow down service delivery, and offer paid prioritization of traffic, among other things. 

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A Comment on Today’s Net Neutrality Decision

I do not now, nor have I ever, belonged to a political party.  I have never missed voting in a November election, and have happily and easily voted for both Republicans and Democrats.  I share this only to put what follows in context. The FCC’s horribly partisan decision on the Net Neutrality rules put in place in 2015 is exactly why, although I have opinions on political issues, I’ve never committed to one party or the other.  I can’t remember ever being as disappointed as I was today in the position taken by the majority commissioners (Chairman Pai and Commissioners O’Rielly and Carr) that hurts consumers in ways that are far removed from the insular bubble that is Washington, DC.

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