Tag Archives: internet access

Internet out: India deploys shutdowns in name of security (AFP)

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AFP: Internet out: India deploys shutdowns in name of security. “With the world’s largest biometric ID database, a pioneering digital payment system for daily transactions and a flagship space and satellite programme, India knows the power of connected technology. But when trouble brews with political unrest or sectarian violence, authorities are quick to sever internet service to stem disinformation — cutting off millions of people who depend on the web for communication, information and business.”

Pew: 81% of U.S. adults – versus 46% of teens – favor parental consent for minors to use social media

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Pew (PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW!): 81% of U.S. adults – versus 46% of teens – favor parental consent for minors to use social media. “Many social media companies do not allow those under 13 to use their sites. Still, there’s a growing movement to develop stricter age verification measures, such as requiring users to provide government-issued identification. Legislators have pushed for mandatory parental consent and time restrictions for those under 18, arguing this will help parents better monitor what their children do on social media.”

Reuters: Google to run internet cables to Pacific islands in Australia-US deal

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Reuters: Google to run internet cables to Pacific islands in Australia-US deal. “Alphabet’s Google will run undersea cables powering internet access to at least eight far-flung Pacific Ocean nations under a joint U.S.-Australian deal set to be announced on Wednesday, according to a U.S. official.”

Global Voices: The ongoing conflict’s impact on ICT and digital transformation efforts in Sudan

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Global Voices: The ongoing conflict’s impact on ICT and digital transformation efforts in Sudan. “The ongoing conflict has caused security concerns for public workers, leading to instability in the delivery of basic services, including food, water, health, power, and telecommunications. The ramifications of the crisis also affected information and communication technology (ICT) and digital transformation efforts in Sudan, depriving Sudanese of full internet-related services.”

North Carolina State University: State COVID-19 Websites Fail to Meet Accessibility Standards

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North Carolina State University: State COVID-19 Websites Fail to Meet Accessibility Standards. “Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. states and territories all created websites designed to share information with the public about the disease, vaccinations and related public health recommendations. However, a new study finds these sites do not meet accessibility standards – meaning that some members of the public, such as individuals who are blind or visually impaired, are not able to access all of the relevant information on the sites.”

TechCrunch: Google expands its subsea cable infrastructure with Nuvem, connecting the US, Bermuda and Portugal

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TechCrunch: Google expands its subsea cable infrastructure with Nuvem, connecting the US, Bermuda and Portugal. “Google has announced another subsea cable system, as the internet giant strives to bolster its internet infrastructure and get more people using its array of cloud-based services. Dubbed ‘Nuvem,’ the new cable represents one of more than a dozen cables that Google has invested in through the years, starting with Unity, which went into operation in 2010, stretching more than 6,000 miles across the Pacific from Japan to California.”

Meduza: Russian authorities blocked more than 885,000 websites in first half of 2023

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Meduza: Russian authorities blocked more than 885,000 websites in first half of 2023. “In the first six months of 2023, Russia’s federal censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, ordered the blocking of more than 885,000 websites that allegedly contained information banned under Russian law. That’s 85 percent higher than the number of sites blocked in the same period in 2022, a representative of the agency told the Russian newspaper Kommersant.”

Bloomberg: Tech Industry Dodges California Social Media Addiction Bill

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Bloomberg: Tech Industry Dodges California Social Media Addiction Bill. “Legislation aiming to hold social media platforms liable for addiction and other harms (S.B. 680) to child users was killed by a key committee Friday, the second year in a row this has happened.”

5 News: Social Media Safety Act blocked by Arkansas judge

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5 News: Social Media Safety Act blocked by Arkansas judge. “A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Arkansas from enforcing a new law that would have required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts, preventing the state from becoming the first to impose such a restriction.”

Africanews: Gabon imposes curfew and cuts internet access as voting wraps up

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Africanews: Gabon imposes curfew and cuts internet access as voting wraps up. “Gabon’s government announced a nationwide curfew and cut off internet access Saturday evening as voting in major national elections was wrapping up. The Central African nation’s communications minister, Rodrigue Mboumba Bissawou, said on state television that there would a nightly curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. He said internet access was being restricted indefinitely, saying there had been calls for violence and the spreading of disinformation.”

Ars Technica: ISPs complain that listing every fee is too hard, urge FCC to scrap new rule

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Ars Technica: ISPs complain that listing every fee is too hard, urge FCC to scrap new rule . “The US broadband industry is united in opposition to a requirement that Internet service providers list all of their monthly fees. Five lobby groups representing cable companies, fiber and DSL providers, and mobile operators have repeatedly urged the Federal Communications Commission to eliminate the requirement before new broadband labeling rules take effect.”

Ars Technica: FCC prepares $75 monthly broadband subsidies for “high-cost” areas

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Ars Technica: FCC prepares $75 monthly broadband subsidies for “high-cost” areas. “The Federal Communications Commission is paving the way for $75 monthly subsidies to make broadband service more affordable for low-income households in certain ‘high-cost’ areas. The $75 subsidy will be part of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that generally offers $30 monthly discounts to people with low incomes. The ACP was created by Congress in late 2021 and implemented by the FCC to replace a previous pandemic-related subsidy program.”

State of Wisconsin: State Announces Launch of New Tool to Help Wisconsinites Find Free, Discounted Internet Service

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State of Wisconsin: State Announces Launch of New Tool to Help Wisconsinites Find Free, Discounted Internet Service. “Gov. Tony Evers today, together with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), announced the launch of the Internet Discount Finder website to help Wisconsin households find and access affordable internet. The new tool can assist in finding free and discounted internet service available to eligible Wisconsin residents.”

Politico: Social media shutdowns? Don’t you dare, activists warn EU

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Politico: Social media shutdowns? Don’t you dare, activists warn EU. “Dozens of international digital and human rights NGOs want the European Commission to firmly reject the possibility of its new content-moderation law being used to compel social media shutdowns.”