This blog is the fourth in series on digital and communications privacy and security.  Earlier, I addressed 1) anti-virus protections, 2) online nuisances and 3) the risks of online financial scams.  In this blog, I will discuss how some are gaining unauthorized access to your communications accounts.  Indeed, some privacy and security issues have been [...]

A just released Study by the CWA Finds Blocking AT&T / T-Mobile Deal will Harm Consumers.  The paper was filed with the FCC and available here.

Following on our two earlier blogs, which covered 1) anti-virus protections and 2) online nuisances, this blog discusses the risks of online financial scams.  Digital crooks, thoughtless acquaintances, and creeps are the independent actors that attack your use of the internet with effects that range from mildly annoying to malicious and criminal.  They may seek [...]

With October 2011 marking the eighth annual National Security Month, this blog represents the second in a series of six blogs on digital privacy and security.  Our last blog addressed the importance of antivirus software in protecting you online information and security, and this blog focuses on five online and communications nuisances – spam, unsolicited [...]

In the real, physical world, we (our assets and our actions) are on display – to about the degree we want them to be.  We have a sense of how deeply we want to be known and by whom.  We can generally tell from another’s gaze, questions, or actions whether we are being scrutinized excessively, [...]

On August 22nd, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) directed the Universal Service Administrative Co. (USAC), the agency that administers all of the payouts through the USF, to retroactively accept all e-rate applications for subsidized technologies and services from the 2010 fiscal year. Additionally, to pay for a wealth of new projects, the FCC has carried [...]

Yesterday afternoon, Google’s, chief executive Eric Schmidt made his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee.

What causes a consumer to buy a new, untested product?  A sense of adventure? Curiosity?  Whatever it is, it’s these purchases that drive entrepreneurs to provide products to consumers, and in turn create new industries and generate more commerce that helps the economy. Apple didn’t create the iPod, iPhone, or iPad because of a government [...]

American Consumer Institute president Steve Pociask issued the following statement regarding today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing regarding Google’s competition practices: “At today’s hearing, Google’s Eric Schmidt denied the company has abused its dominant market and claimed that there is competition in the market space. The facts, however, do not support those claims and the comments [...]

Steve Pociask’s latest op-ed on online competition is featured in The Hill’s Congress Blog. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/182081-are-consumers-at-the-mercy-of-google