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UC Santa Barbara Computer Science Professor Dr. Ben Zhao joined us on the radio this morning to talk about the privacy implications in the exploding social media scene in the wide world of Web 2.0. Listen to the podcast.
This one from the This-Guy-Could-Be-Him file:
The FBI recently used a photograph of Spanish politician Gaspar Llamazares as an example of what Osama Bin Laden might look like today.
According to Reuters, FBI special agent Jason Pack said a forensic artist had been unable to find suitable features from the FBI’s database of photographs and used a picture from the Internet instead. That photo turned out to be one of Llamazares who apparently looks strikingly similar to what the FBI thinks Bin Laden would look like with a few extra years on him.
“I am stupefied the FBI has used my photo — but it could have been anyone’s — to compose a picture of a terrorist. It affects my honor, my own image and also the security of all us,” LLamazares said in a statement.
This fall my colleague Timothy Grigsby and I started a new public affairs and eclectic music public radio show called Intents & Purposes on KCSB/KJUC Santa Barbara. Our latest episode features studio guests from City at Peace Santa Barbara, a non-profit organization helping teenagers to create safe, peaceful and productive lives through performing arts. Their group is hosting a climate awareness gathering tomorrow along with others around the world called Project 350. Also we featured music tracks from Systems Officer, David Bazan among others and a special international block.
UC Santa Barbara’s Center for Learning and Inquiry in Networking Communities (LINC) and the California Virtual Campus were the recipients of the 2009 WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award, a competition that recognizes innovative uses of educational technologies in higher education for their project: Stepping Into Your Future. LINC Director Beth Yeager and I produced this video to highlight the project which has improved student retention and pass rates for K-12 students preparing for California’s English and Math high school exit exams.
I spoke with Providence Business News reporter Ted Nesi last week about the FCC’s net neutrality announcement and the Commission’s lack of comment on “content neutrality.” Here is the article from today’s Weekly Technology Update in which I am quoted.
I am pleased to see that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski supports network neutrality. Allowing unencumbered access to an “open Internet” is vital to its continuing value and to Americans’ right to free speech. However, the chairman has not properly addressed a key underlying issue: content neutrality. If Internet service providers (ISPs) are to discontinue discrimination based on the source of data traffic, then so too should content providers end such practices. Under content neutrality media giants such as Disney, Google, Yahoo, etc. would no longer be allowed to demand payment from ISPs for access to their content.
For example, Disney’s ESPN 360 is using an online video content delivery model of demanding payment from ISPs based on total number of subscribers in order to provide all of the ISPs subscribers access to video content. The sports-media giant’s fear is that they would not be as profitable if they offered ESPN 360 only to individuals who chose to pay for it. So instead the fee is levied on all users, regardless of their individual interest level. Without content neutrality as part of the deal we will see the a-la-carte merit-based model of the Internet disappear in favor of a model where content is forced as a package on consumers by media giants. This will result in skyrocketing costs for Internet access and a crippled and “closed Internet.”
For more on content neutrality please see the American Cable Association’s statement from earlier this week.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is quoted at TheHill.com (link not available) saying that the commission will support “net neutrality” and go after anyone who violates its tenets.
“One thing I would say so that there is no confusion out there is that this FCC will support net neutrality and will enforce any violation of net neutrality principles,” Genachowski said.
Providence Business News published an interview with me today in their weekly technology update. We discuss issues ranging from network neutrality to sustainable energy. [read article]
Full Channel is the recipient of the 2009 CableFAX Top Ops Community Service Award. I am happy to announce that our GreenLink renewable energy program was a key factor in the company’s selection for the national honor, along with the many other community outrreach efforts including community programming and support. The award will be recognized at the 2009 National Cable Television Co-op Independent show in Dallas as well as at the formal award presentation in September in New York City. [view CableFAX article]
May 1, 2009
Matt Polka, President
American Cable Association
One Parkway Center, Suite 212
Pittsburg PA 15220
Dear Matt:
Network neutrality is an issue that I am passionate about both as a broadband operator and a ‘net’ user. The Internet gained immense popularity as a platform for free speech that was accessible to any person. The relatively inexpensive cost to post one’s message forced a major shift in media control, allowing upstarts to be on equal footing with media giants in the then new electronic landscape. The Internet caused innovation, allowed small businesses to compete with very large ones and ultimately kept many small cable operators from falling into bankruptcy in a time when large MSO’s and programmers were eating into video profits.
Today there is a serious threat to the very structure of the Internet that made it so successful. ISP’s around the nation are clamoring for more control over their pipes, claiming the need for more control over the traffic that passes over their networks. However this control, if not defined properly could lead to the downfall of the independent operator.
ESPN 360 is a perfect example of how large media stands to take control of the Internet from end-to-end If network neutrality is not embraced. ESPN’s model is to charge ISPs a fee for each and all subscribers, for access to its content. ESPN is the first of what will be many, to demand payment from ISP’s for access to their content. Imagine if Google began demanding payment from ISPs for subscribers’ searches. Or the reverse: Cox started charging small Web sites like americancable.org in order to be accessible to its subscribers.
It behooves small [cable] operators to support network neutrality for their own survival. I imagine that few ACA members are large enough to be in the position to demand payment from a large media outlet for access to its subscribers and will therefore be likely to be asked to pay for access to corporate media’s content. Small operators are at a tremendous disadvantage in a non-neutral environment. I urge the ACA to openly support network neutrality on its Washington agenda. Please see my attached article from MultiChannel News.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Levi C. Maaia
Vice President, Full Channel
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