TeleFrieden: Preliminary Summary of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Network Neutrality Decision

TeleFrieden: Preliminary Summary of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Network Neutrality Decision: "By a 2-1 vote, reflecting vastly different legal philosophies and regulator expectations, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected all challenges to the FCC’s Open Internet Order. [1] The majority deemed limited its review function and opted to apply ample case precedent that defers to regulatory agencies on both procedural and substantive areas. [2] In a nutshell, the majority opted not to second guess the FCC and expressed support for the Commission’s interpretation of law and its assessment of how consumers access the Internet and what they expect from service providers. [3] This decision supports a rare instance where the FCC substantially expands its regulatory wingspan, despite the general trend toward less government oversight. [4]" 'via Blog this'

EU watchdogs permit Privacy Shield to run for one year - BBC News

EU watchdogs permit Privacy Shield to run for one year - BBC News: "The new EU-US data-sharing agreement will be able to run for at least a year, European regulators have announced.
The Privacy Shield allows companies to transfer personal data from the EU to the United States.

EU governments approved the pact earlier this month, but 28 data protection authorities had yet to comment. They have now said they will not challenge the deal for at least a year.
This means that no legal objection to the framework will be launched until it has had time to go through its first annual review next summer.

The Privacy Shield replaces an arrangement known as Safe Harbour, which was struck down in October 2015 after leaks showed data was subject to US surveillance." 'via Blog this'

Government must build on digital economy success, say MPs

Government must build on digital economy success, say MPs - News from Parliament - UK Parliament: "The report describes the UK as a "digital leader" with "significant growth in the digital economy". However, the Committee calls on the Government to set out in its forthcoming Digital Strategy the implications of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Issues that need addressing include the impact on UK tech firms employing digitally-skilled EU migrants and access to the European single digital market for British-based companies, the Committee says.

 Regulation

The report also urges the Government to clarify regulation for disruptive technologies, such as Uber and Airbnb, so as to promote productivity, innovation and customer choice and protection, while safeguarding workers and ensuring fairness.

The report highlights how so-called digital disruptor businesses can get a competitive advantage because they often do not have to comply with the same regulations as the businesses they are disrupting. Airbnb providers are not bound by the health and safety regulations of hotels, for example." 'via Blog this'

Crime rate set to double after extent of online offences is laid bare: ONS via The Guardian

Crime rate set to double after extent of online offences is laid bare | UK news | The Guardian: "The ONS says one in 10 adults have been victims of cybercrime in the past year. The chance of being a victim is the same regardless of social class or whether someone lives in a deprived or affluent, urban or rural area.

The 5.8m offences were made up of 3.8m fraud offences, including 2.5m incidents of bank and credit card fraud, and 2m computer misuse offences, including 1.4m virus attacks.

The remaining 600,000 estimated offences related to unauthorised access to personal information, such as hacking of email, social media or other online accounts.

The latest overall figures, excluding online crime, in the 12 months to March 2015 show there were an estimated 6.3m offences – 6% fewer than in the previous year." 'via Blog this'

UK Court Forces Big Broadband ISPs to Block 8 Internet Video Piracy Sites - ISPreview UK

UK Court Forces Big Broadband ISPs to Block 8 Internet Video Piracy Sites - ISPreview UK: "So far well over 100 websites have been blocked from the view of broadband subscribers via this approach, which isn’t even counting the many proxy clones and mirrors that are also covered by the rulings.

However such blocking does not come cheap and Wiggin LLP last year revealed that an unopposed application tends to cost around £14,000 per site.

On top of that the additional admin required to maintain the block and keep ISPs up-to-date with related IP changes and new URLs (Proxy Servers) comes to around £3,600 per site per year.

Meanwhile ISPs also incur on-going costs as part of their work to introduce the blocks. EE previously suggested that a “near four figure sum” was involved with each update, while Sky Broadband hinted at a “mid three figure sum” and then roughly half that for future updates. Similarly Virgin Media pegged their own annual costs at a “low five figure sum“.

 On the flip side such blocks don’t always stop the targeted websites and indeed they may even help to advertise their existence. But those who engage in Internet Piracy will easily be able to circumvent the restrictions by using all sorts of different approaches, such as DNS changes, HTTPS, Proxy Servers or Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections." 'via Blog this'

Lord Lucas Scalds UK ISP Internet Piracy Threat Letters in Key Debate - ISPreview UK

Lord Lucas Scalds UK ISP Internet Piracy Threat Letters in Key Debate - ISPreview UK: "If anybody comes across the names of Hatton and Berkeley, Ranger Bay, Golden Eye International, Mircom International, TCYK—all of them well known in the correspondence about what is going on—I urge them to put this thing in the bin.

The current scammers are not pursuing anyone: they are just after threats and extortion and shaking people down. If you really feel you need to talk to a solicitor, there is a firm called Lawdit which has hundreds of these cases on its books and is consolidating them.

 I applaud the Government for helping our businesses avoid unjustified threats but I would like to know what they intend to do to help the granny in the Clapham nursing home who is being threatened by their smaller, nastier cousins with allegations that she has been downloading pornography illegally. Surely it is not acceptable.”" 'via Blog this'

UNITED STATES TELECOM ASSOCIATION, ET AL. v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

United States Court of Appeals FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
Argued December 4, 2015 Decided June 14, 2016 No. 15-1063
UNITED STATES TELECOM ASSOCIATION, ET AL.,PETITIONERS v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, RESPONDENTS
"Called “one of the most significant technological advancements of the 20th century,” [Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Report on Online Personal Privacy Act, Sen. Rep. No. 107-240, at 7 (2002)], the internet has four major participants: end users, broadband
providers, backbone networks, and edge providers.
Most end users connect to the internet through a broadband provider, which delivers high-speed internet access using technologies such as cable modem service, digital subscriber line (DSL) service, and fiber optics. See In re Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet (“2015 Open Internet Order” or “the Order”), 30 FCC Rcd. 5601, 5682–83 ¶ 188, 5751 ¶ 346.
Broadband providers interconnect with backbone networks— “long-haul fiber-optic links and high-speed routers capable of transmitting vast amounts of data.” Verizon, 740 F.3d at 628 (citing In re Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI, Inc. Applications for Approval of Transfer of Control, 20 FCC Rcd. 18,433, 18,493 ¶ 110 (2005)).
Edge providers, like Netflix, Google, and Amazon, “provide content, services, and applications over the Internet.” Id. at 629 (citing In re Preserving the Open Internet (“2010 Open Internet Order”), 25 FCC Rcd. 17,905, 17,910 ¶ 13 (2010))."