Kroes consultation won't call it "net neutrality"

EUROPA - Press Releases - Digital Agenda: Commission opens public consultation on preservation of the open internet (net neutrality): "Input is sought from all interested public and private parties, including fixed and mobile internet service providers, Internet content and application providers (including comparison websites), equipment manufacturers, transit providers, investors, public authorities, consumers and their associations. The responses to this consultation will be crucial input for the Commission's planned recommendations - in 2013...
Neelie Kroes said: "Today there is a lack of effective consumer choice when it comes to internet offers. I will use this consultation to help prepare recommendations that will generate more real choices and end the net neutrality waiting game in Europe. Input from this consultation will help turn BEREC's findings into practical recommendations."" 'via Blog this'

Trails: Cyber-censorship in Norway

Trails: Cyber-censorship in Norway: Excellent summary of co-regulatory trends including "Minister of Justice, Knut Storberget, in 2008 took an active role in getting all ISPs to adopt the “voluntary” filtering by sending the ISPs a letter telling them – in effect – that unless they adopted the CSAADF filtering scheme voluntary, he would seek legislation change to make filtering mandatory."'via Blog this'

Digital Economy Act ss.17-18 Repeal

Digital Economy Act Repeal from SCL: "The Government has announced that it will seek to repeal the Digital Economy Act 2010, ss 17 and 18 'at an early opportunity'. These sections contain reserve powers to allow courts to order that access to websites dedicated to copyright infringement be blocked.
In August last year the Government announced it would not bring forward the site-blocking provisions in the DEA after Ofcom concluded the specific measures in the Act would not work in practice. The Government also cites the fact that rights holders have successfully used the CDPA, s 97A to secure court orders instructing ISPs to block access to web sites dedicated to copyright infringement. So far rights holders have secured orders for Newzbin2 and Pirate Bay."
'via Blog this'

Taking politics out of political regulation?

Leveson asked: "If you're giving so much weight to independent regulators at every stage and you're removing your discretion to a very large degree, if not entirely, why not just give the whole decision to independent regulators? That's what we do in competition law. It used to be in competition law that those decisions were made also by secretaries of state and we removed that and gave that to independent regulators."
Hunt replied: "I do have some sympathy with that view, because even though the decision I took was totally impartial, I always felt there were going to be elements of the public that would never believe it was. I still believe it's perfectly possible for politicians to set aside their views and take decisions in a quasi-judicial impartial way, but I do think that you have to try very hard, because you know that some of the decisions you make could have an impact on future relationships and you have to set all that consideration aside."
In contrast, Cable said: "I think there's everything to be said for having elected officials, councillors or MPs, as ministers, making decisions in public interest cases."
He went on: "There is a very clearly prescribed process which the politicians have to follow, they are subject to legal advice at every stage. I wouldn't be comfortable with simply abandoning this quite complex arrangement for something that seeks artificial comfort in a purely – well, bureaucratic or purely judicial mechanism."
Cable did argue that media ownership rules should be clearer so that politicians are working in clearer tramlines.

World Summit on the Information Society 2012: Geneva 15-17 May

World Summit on the Information Society: still grinding on from year to year, Millennium Development Goals the ostensible target....in case you thought IGF was the only game in town. 'via Blog this'

George Michael: I declined to give Leveson inquiry evidence

George Michael: I declined to give Leveson inquiry evidence | Media | guardian.co.uk: "George Michael has claimed he rejected a request to testify at the Leveson inquiry, branding the investigation into phone hacking and media standards "bullshit". The singer made his remarks in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning, ranting about Rupert Murdoch, David Cameron, phone hacking, the Daily Mail and the allegedly "sham" system that he claims has failed to jail any journalist for criminal activities apart from the royal editor of the News of the World, five years ago." Out of the mouths of babes? 'via Blog this'

BSkyB boss: 'I don't work for Rupert Murdoch, remember' • The Register

BSkyB boss: 'I don't work for Rupert Murdoch, remember' • The Register: "Jeremy Darroch - the actual boss of BSkyB - reportedly reminded hacks yesterday about the distinction between his firm and Murdoch's corporation. "I would emphasise that it's important to remember that Sky and News Corporation are separate companies," he said. "We believe that Sky's track record as a broadcaster is the most important factor in determining our fitness to hold a licence." His comments come as UK watchdog Ofcom continues to scrutinise whether BSkyB, which trades as Sky, is "fit and proper" to hold a broadcasting licence."
Difficult to credit this man's chutzpah, when the animal Sam Chisholm ran Sky throughout its breakthrough years in as ruthless an attack-dog style as his boss, The Digger, would have done himself.
Note The Sun continues charming.
'via Blog this'