Blog
Another Massive Hurricane, Another Reason Why Congress Must Pass the RESILIENT Networks Act
September 10, 2020 FCC, network resiliency, RESILIENT Networks Act, wildfires
This material crossposted from the author’s personal blog on Wetmachine. When I was growing up, I used to hear the nursery rhyme about the itsy-bitsy spider climbing the waterspout, getting washed out, and then doing the exact same thing again. Whereas most people I have encountered regard this little jingle as an ode to perseverance, […]
Read MoreVideo: Free Expression Forum – How Section 230 Uplifts Marginalized Voices
September 4, 2020 Content Moderation, Free Expression, Free Expression Forum, Free Speech, Freedom of Expression, marginalized communities, Section 230, Webinar SeriesThe Free Expression Forum at Public Knowledge is an ongoing series of dialogues about the importance of free expression online to artists, entrepreneurs, and content creators. It highlights how policy decisions impact this important value and how the community of diverse online voices must stand up to preserve it as technology develops. This first forum […]
Read MoreMoving Beyond Consent Models in Privacy Legislation: A Panel Recap
August 24, 2020 Consumer Privacy, Video, Webinar Series
This post authored by Stephanie Nguyen, Researcher at Consumer Reports. Many thanks to Consumer Reports’ Justin Brookman and Maureen Mahoney for contributing to this piece. A few weeks ago, Public Knowledge convened a panel discussion: How Do We Move Beyond Consent Models in Privacy Legislation? This event featured keynote speaker Senator Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) on […]
Read MoreLet the Chips Fall Where They May: The 9th Circuit Gives Free Rein to Qualcomm’s Monopoly
August 13, 2020 anticompetitive practices, Competition Policy, court decision, Monopoly, Qualcomm
Some of my favorite movie moments are “reinforcement” scenes. Just when it appears the heroes are doomed, the music swells and unexpected allies arrive to save the day. You can probably picture the scenes: the resurrected Avengers arriving via portals in Avengers: Endgame or Gandalf and the Rohirrim’s grand entrance at Helm’s Deep. Many internet […]
Read MoreWhere the Rubber Meets the Road: Section 230 and Civil Rights
August 12, 2020 civil rights, digital platforms, online advertising, Platform Competition, Section 230, Section 230 Series
Over the past couple of months, millions of people across the U.S. have protested the inequitable treatment that Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), particularly Black people, have faced throughout our nation’s history. Now, unlike previous racial justice movements, so much of how we connect, work, live, or engage is online. Digital platforms and technology […]
Read MoreNo One Should Have to Wait Eight Months for a Library Book
August 7, 2020 CDL, controlled digital lending, Copyright, Copyright Reform, Digital First Sale, Ereaders, Fair Use, First Sale Doctrine, Libraries
After recent Black Lives Matter protests, Americans rushed to libraries to request books on history, politics, and anti-racism. There were immediate shortages of certain books, with up to six month waits for commonly recommended titles. This happened throughout the entire system — even electronic books had long queues to check out. This is, in part, […]
Read MoreYour Office Doesn’t Need To Be a Permanent Surveillance State to Stop Coronavirus
July 30, 2020 Communications & Pandemic Series, contact tracing, Data Protection, Privacy, Surveillance
As workplaces begin to reopen, one question seems top of mind: How do I ensure that my employees aren’t sick? In a rush to answer this question, tech companies claiming to have the answer have begun marketing surveillance measures to track an employee’s risk for coronavirus infection. Unfortunately, it’s uncertain how effective these unproven technologies […]
Read MoreVideo: How Do We Move Beyond Consent Models in Privacy Legislation?
July 30, 2020 Consent Models, Online Privacy, Privacy, Privacy Legislation, Webinar SeriesA discussion about why consent doesn’t protect consumers & other frameworks that could be used in federal privacy legislation.
Read MoreVideo: Digital Redlining & Connectivity Barriers in Marginalized Communities
July 24, 2020 Connectivity Barriers, Digital Redlining, Webinar SeriesA discussion on policy solutions to connectivity barriers.
Read MoreFCC: Don’t Abandon Tribes During a Pandemic, Extend the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window
July 22, 2020 Communications & Pandemic Series, FCC, Rural Broadband, Tribal Broadband
American Indian Tribes, Alaskan Native Villages, and the Hawaiian Homelands have some of the worst access to broadband in the United States. According to the Federal Communications Commission, 36% of housing units on Tribal lands do not have access to broadband; on non-Tribal lands, this number is only 8%. Tribes face hurdles to accessing the […]
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