- Problems with latest version of federal ID plan
Lee Tien at EFF has a good analysis of the problems raised by the latest proposal for a federal identity scheme. Compared to past plans, it shifts the emphasis from securing transactions to defining and ensuring authentication of users on the net. This raises concerns over surveillance, identity theft and the fate of anonymous speech online. - New FCC sponsored report paints bleak broadband picture
Matthew Lasar at Ars Technica explains how some 14 to 24 million Americans are identified as being left out in the cold by this new report. He has some details on how this large swath of under served citizens was reached and it still uses some of the wonky tallying of counties with a minimum of broadband capable residents. The fact that this is a reversal from previous reports makes it difficult to draw too compelling conclusions but I am willing to give it more credit than not as it is consistent with my sense of the lack of real competition in the last mile of service provision. - Free speech concerns raised by shutdown of blog hosting site
- Dropping blank media sales prompts collection agency to demand levy on mobile phones
- Google’s Chinese rival, Baidu, announces plan for its own Android-like mobile OS
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