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Obama breaks 2008 campaign pledge on net neutrality –This is what one might call a net-discrimination rule, and, if enacted, it will profoundly change the Internet as a platform for free speech and small-scale innovation. 24 Apr 2014 In 2007, at a public forum at Coe College, in Iowa, Presidential candidate Barack Obama was asked about net neutrality. Specifically, "Would you make it a priority in your first year of office to reinstate net neutrality as the law of the land? And would you pledge to only appoint F.C.C. commissioners that support open Internet principles like net neutrality?" "The answer is yes," Obama replied. "I am a strong supporter of net neutrality." If reports in the Wall Street Journal are correct, Obama’s chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Thomas Wheeler, has proposed a new rule that is an explicit and blatant violation of this promise.
‘Net Neutrality’ Overturned by FCC in Cave-in to Cable Lobbyists –One top cable executive said, ‘I have to say, I’m pleased.’ 23 Apr 2014 Regulators are proposing new rules on Internet traffic that would allow broadband providers to charge companies [and, in turn, consumers] a premium for access to their fastest lanes [and slow delivery of items such as the CLG Newsletter]. The Federal Communications Commission plans to put forth its new rules on Thursday. The proposal marks the FCC’s third attempt at enforcing "net neutrality"–the concept that all Internet traffic should be treated equally. Net neutrality was a key part of President Barack Obama’s campaign platform in 2008.
Obama official responsible for copyright chapters of TPP and ACTA gets job at MPAA; his replacement is another copyright lobbyist –When Obama was campaigning for office, he vowed that ‘lobbyists won’t work in my White House.’ 23 Apr 2014 Stan McCoy is the assistant US Trade Representative who oversaw the creation of the disastrous, far-reaching copyright provisions in ACTA and the Trans Pacific Partnership. He’s left the Obama administration for a high-paid job at the MPAA, which represents companies that stood to reap massive profits and permanent control over Internet governance and innovation thanks to his efforts while in government. Now, the Obama administration has headhunted a software industry lobbyist (who supported SOPA) to take over his job. McCoy is one of more than a dozen USTR officials who’ve left the government to work for copyright lobbying bodies…
F.B.I. Informant Is Tied to Cyberattacks Abroad –Attacks were coordinated by snitch Hector Xavier Monsegur, aka Sabu 24 Apr 2014 An informant working for the F.B.I. coordinated a 2012 campaign of hundreds of cyberattacks on foreign websites, including some operated by the governments of Iran, Syria, Brazil and Pakistan, according to documents and interviews with people involved in the attacks. Exploiting a vulnerability in a popular web hosting software, the informant directed at least one hacker to extract vast amounts of data from the government servers of a number of countries and upload it to a server monitored by the F.B.I., according to court statements. The details of the 2012 episode have, until now, been kept largely a secret in closed sessions of a federal court in New York and heavily redacted documents.