Public Knowledge

Net Neutrality is the shorthand term for the concept that companies which operate a telecommunications network, like the telephone and cable companies, shouldn’t be able to play favorites with the content that goes over the network.

ALERT! Tell the FCC to Say "No" to the Cable Kill Switch →
Selectable Output Control is a technology mandate promoted by movie studios to protect the “early” distribution of movies over cable television. It’s a battle over the video outputs on the back of your cable box or DVR. Who gets to control which outputs you can use—the movie studios or you?

ACTA is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement being negotiated by the US, the EU, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. The stated goal of the agreement is the international enforcement of strong intellectual property rights through increased cooperation and coordination among international governmental agencies. ACTA does not yet exist, though its ongoing discussions are confirmed by all of the participating governments.

As part of the Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has one year to submit a national broadband plan to relevant committees in both the House and Senate. This report must include an analysis of the most effective and efficient mechanism for ensuring broadband access, a detailed strategy to expand broadband, an evaluation of the development of broadband nationally, and a plan for the use of broadband to advance a host of goals such as consumer welfare, civic participation, public safety, and economic growth.

Copyright, put simply, is a personal monopoly on an original writing, song, piece of art, or a group of any of those, for 70 years after the death of the creator. If a corporation is the creator, the copyright monopoly lasts for 95 years.