#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access?source=group-people-for-dylan-wegela&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dw_affordable_internet_access&link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2377808&email_subject=congress-just-cut-off-internet-access-for-millions&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2377808

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access/?source=group-hd&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hdc_expand_internet_access&link_id=3&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2373408&email_subject=tell-congress-keep-funding-internet-connectivity-for-low-income-families&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2373408

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access-2?source=group-native-organizers-alliance&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/noa_affordable_internet&link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2371701&email_subject=sign-on-to-protect-natives-internet-access&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2371701

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access-2?source=direct_link&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bowersnewsmediapac1?refcode=sw20240619internet&link_id=3&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2369161&email_subject=re-internet-access-in-statefull-default-low-income-households&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2369161

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access-2?source=direct_link&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bowersnewsmediapac1?refcode=sw20240619internet&link_id=3&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2365658&email_subject=sign-if-you-agree-congress-should-renew-legislation-that-made-it-easier-for-14-of-americans-to-afford-internet-access&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2365658

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Petition Expand Affordable Internet Access
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-affordable-internet-access-2?source=direct_link&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fcivicshout.com%2Fp%2Ftell-social-media-companies-crack-down-on-cheapfake-videos%3Fsrc%3Dja&link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2365179&email_subject=sign-the-petition-to-expand-affordable-internet-access

The end of May coinciding with the end of a four-day workweek was a pleasant bonus of Memorial Day’s spot on the calendar this year. Another bonus: I had my last client-paid copy for the month filed by 2:09 p.m. Friday.

Patreon readers got one other post, a rant about the woeful UX of a Hilton offer for double points on upcoming hotel stays. That didn’t get published until almost 9 p.m. on Friday–which is still a lot better than the filing frenzy I’ve exhibited in the final minutes of the final days of other months.

5/28/2024: T-Mobile to Buy Regional Carrier UScellular, PCMag

I didn’t notice the name on the credit of the photo of a T-Mobile flag on a golf course that I’d selected from Getty Images to illustrate this post until I copied that metadata to paste into PCMag’s CMS. That’s when I realized that my Georgetown Voice friend Darren Carroll, a seriously talented photographer, had taken that shot during an idle moment at a golf tournament sponsored by the carrier.

Screenshot

5/28/2024: A Lot of Websites Ask You About Cookies. How Should You Answer?, AARP

My editor at AARP asked if I could write an explainer about those dialogs you see on so many pages that suggest, ask, implore or assume that you’re okay with the site–and, in most cases, advertising networks–writing information about your visit to small text files saved on your device. After talking to numerous experts, I continue to think that your best response to those dialogs, should you not want to be tracked by advertisers, is to use a browser like Apple’s Safari, Microsoft’s Edge and Mozilla’s Firefox that will block ad-network trackers by default.

5/29/2024: Verizon Enlists AST SpaceMobile to Kill Off Its US Dead Zones, PCMag

Verizon’s apparent disinterest in using low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide at least emergency-level coverage in dead zones was looking increasingly weird. Then the carrier signed up the same satellite operator as AT&T to provide that backup connectivity, although it seems to be more conservative in its sales pitch than AT&T.

5/30/2024: Android Update Will Let You Fix Dumb Texting Typos (to Other Android Users), PCMag

I’ve yet to get the update to Google’s Messages app that enables this editing of sent RCS messages–assuming the recipients also have the same update installed–so I cannot yet report on how satisfying it might feel to fix a text typo.

5/30/2024: IRS Direct File App to Return for 2025, Welcome Taxpayers in More States, PCMag

This was one bit of news that I didn’t expect to see coming this week, but with the information-security conference I was attending not yielding any obvious breaking news, I jumped on the chance to write this up instead. And to point out to readers that while the IRS may call this rollout of its free tax-prep app “permanent,” you have to expect that voters returning convicted felon Donald Trump to the White House would soon be followed by Trump scrapping this program.

5/31/2024: FCC: It’s Game Over for Affordable Broadband Connectivity Program, PCMag

The official end of the ACP and the $30 monthly discounts on broadband it provided for more than 20 million American households led to my editors asking me to cover this program one more time.

https://robpegoraro.com/2024/06/02/weekly-output-t-mobile-buys-much-of-uscellular-cookie-permissions-dialogs-verizon-taps-ast-spacemobile-android-update-irs-keeps-direct-file-affordable-connectivity-program-ends/

#ACP #AffordableConnectivityProgram #AndroidFeatureDrop #ASTSpaceMobile #cookies #DirectFile #IRS #RCS #satelliteBroadband #TMobile #taxPrepSoftware #textingTypo #trackingCookies #USCellular #UScellular #verizon

This week starts with the wireless trade group CTIA’s 5G Summit on Monday but otherwise doesn’t have too much in the way of appointments or deadlines–which after the end-of-the-month crush last week feels like a real treat.

(Speaking of stories written in the last hours of April, I wrote a post for Patreon readers Tuesday about the unpredictable nature of WordAds income here.)

4/29/2024: FCC Fines Wireless Carriers Almost $200 Million for Careless Sale of Location Data, PCMag

That number in the headline requires the context of the billions of dollars in profit each of the big three carriers reported for the first quarter of 2024, so I made sure to include that. We then updated the post after publication with a statement from AT&T decrying the FCC’s action; Jon Brodkin’s post at Ars Technica includes comparable responses from T-Mobile and Verizon.

4/30/2024: Congress Votes to Strengthen Measures Against Online Child Sexual Exploitation, PCMag

Congress passing any substantive bill ranks as news these days, but a bill addressing a tech-policy problem from hell is even more newsworthy–even if this bill doesn’t include added funding to help attack this problem.

5/1/2024: Your Home Internet Bill Can Be Deceptively Confusing. Now It’s (Slightly) Easier to Understand., Wirecutter

Wirecutter asked me to write an explainer of the broadband-facts labels that the Federal Communications Commission now requires Internet providers to post, and I said I’d be delighted to help after covering this issue multiple times over the last two years. Then after I asked Comcast about criticisms of its implementation of the label, the company added a modem-rental fee that it had left out in some situations. (You’re welcome.)

5/1/2024: T-Mobile Completes Mint Mobile Deal, Promises New Perks for Mint Users, PCMag

Shout out to my editor for spotting the Wall Street Journal’s report that actor and part owner of Mint Mobile Ryan Reynolds should make about $300 million from this completed transaction, then adding a link to the WSJ story in this piece.

5/2/2024: Congress Makes Last-Ditch Effort to Save Low-Cost Broadband Program, PCMag

I wrote about two bills that seem like they might have better-than-usual odds of reviving the Affordable Connectivity Program: one that would restore the FCC spectrum-auction authority that Congress inexplicably let lapse last March and devote some of the resulting proceeds to the ACP, another that would expand the FCC’s Universal Service Fund by requiring broadband providers and large online platforms to contribute (an idea that I’ve seen both Democrats and Republicans endorse) and plow that new revenue into the ACP.

https://robpegoraro.com/2024/05/05/weekly-output-fcc-fines-wireless-carriers-report-act-broadband-labels-t-mobile-now-owns-mint-mobile-affordable-connectivity-program-rescue-options/

#ACP #AffordableConnectivityProgram #broadbandLabels #Cantwell #cellSiteLocationInformation #CSAM #FCCFines #Fetterman #KaEna #locationData #MintMobile #REPORTAct #Securus #TMobile

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #TakeAction! | Tell Congress: Fund the Affordable Connectivity Program and keep the internet accessible for low-income households
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-fund-the-affordable-connectivity-program-and-keep-the-internet-accessible-for-low-income-households/?source=group-coalition-on-human-needs&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/chn_action_affordable_connectivity_program&link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2284250___subject_2811050&email_subject=if-speaker-johnson-wont-act-this-is-how-we-pass-this-critical-bipartisan-legislation&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2284250___subject_2811050

I’m flying to Brazil tonight for Web Summit Rio, where I’ll be doing an onstage interview Thursday. Unlike last year’s trip to Rio de Janeiro, this one has much less free time–I’ll basically have only the end of Monday afternoon to myself before spending Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at this conference and then spending Friday on a series of airplanes–but the extra time with my family is worth it. And I know the yard looks better after the attention I was able to give it yesterday.

4/10/2024: Experts: Here’s Why Age-Verification Rules for Social Media Won’t Work, PCMag

I was going to write this at the end of the previous week but got sidetracked by the crazy story of Meta’s content-moderation machinery going rogue in a way that looked very much like the company suppressing hostile press coverage. And then I had my trip to Dallas to see the eclipse distract me further.

4/11/2024: Android 15 Steps Closer to Shipping With App-Focused Beta Release, PCMag

After Google PR provided me with an embargoed copy of its announcement in advance, I wrote a quick post about the beta release of the next version of Android.

4/12/2024: White House to Congress: Stop Stalling and Fund This Critical Broadband Program, PCMag

The White House’s press office noticed the piece I wrote for AARP in February about the impending demise of the Affordable Connectivity Program and asked if I’d like to interview one of their policy staffers. Originally, that person was going to be Tom Perez, director of intergovernmental affairs, but a schedule conflict led me to talking to Jon Donenberg, deputy director of the National Economic Council, Friday afternoon.

https://robpegoraro.com/2024/04/14/weekly-output-age-verification-rules-android-15-beta-affordable-connectivity-program/

#ACP #AffordableConnectivityProgram #ageVerification #Android15 #Brazil #RioDeJaneiro #socialMediaAgeVerification #WebSummit #WebSummitRio #WhiteHouse

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #TakeAction! | Tell Congress: Fund the Affordable Connectivity Program and keep the internet accessible for low-income households
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-fund-the-affordable-connectivity-program-and-keep-the-internet-accessible-for-low-income-households/?source=group-dailykos-actions&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsecure.actblue.com%2Fdonate%2Fkos2024%3Frefcode%3D20240408SWInternet&link_id=1&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2277261___subject_2804630&email_subject=sign-the-petition-to-congress-fund-the-affordable-connectivity-program-and-keep-the-internet-accessible-for-low-income-households&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2277261___subject_2804630

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #Donations #CoalitionOnHumanNeeds — Donate via AB Charities
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/chn_affordable_connectivity_program2?link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&source=email-congress-has-days-left-to-close-the-digital-divide&email_referrer=email_2277186___subject_2803706&email_subject=congress-has-days-left-to-close-the-digital-divide&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2277186___subject_2803706

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #TakeAction! | Tell Congress: Fund the Affordable Connectivity Program and keep the internet accessible for low-income households
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-fund-the-affordable-connectivity-program-and-keep-the-internet-accessible-for-low-income-households/?source=group-coalition-on-human-needs&redirect=https://secure.actblue.com/donate/chn_affordable_connectivity_program&link_id=2&can_id=ddbeab5dc1f0ec1370275b4de6d8c151&email_referrer=email_2275554&email_subject=re-1-in-6-households-are-at-risk-of-losing-internet-access-if-congress-doesnt-act-now&refcodeEmailReferrer=email_2275554

My family uses this program. Losing it is going to hurt. I almost wish it had never been suggested to us. Having that relief and then taking it away is incredibly disruptive, even for my Idaho-teacher-salary household, which is likely one of the more stable situations that qualifies for it.

This will be devastating to others who have it harder.

#AffordableConnectivityProgram

https://www.threads.net/@potus/post/C5bMHWJrMn4

We need a permanent solution for universal broadband access

The Affordable Connectivity Program, which subsidizes internet access for low-income households, is set to run out of money by the end of the month.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/5/24121022/universal-broadband-access-fcc-usf-acp

#technology #tech #web #internet #communications #internetisaright #communicationisaright #informationisapublicgood #broadband #affordableconnectivityprogram

It's very disappointing that potentially as many as 60 million US citizens may lose their affordable Internet access because the US Congress has politicized things and so far failed to act:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/23/tech/acp-affordable-connectivity-program/

#Internet #AffordableConnectivityProgram #USCongress #InternetAccess

Does #Congress really want to cut off the millions of #Seniors who rely on #AffordableConnectivityProgram to afford #Internet svc?

How do they think #seniors on fixed incomes are supposed to exist in a world where Internet access is req'd, esp for #healthcare?

Renew #ACP now!

#Economy #EconomicPolicy #CivilRights #AffordableConnectivityProgram #TakeAction Urge Congress To Fund Broadband Accessibility | New Mode
https://act.newmode.net/action/color-change/urge-congress-fund-broadband-accessibility

For those of you living in the US and rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program for internet access, speak up, or lose it. #ACP #internet #USpol #sign #CallYourReps #Congress #affordableconnectivityprogram #DontDisconnectUs #Accessibility #welfare
https://dontdisconnectusday.good.do/dontdisconnectus/

https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/notes/2024/02/29/affordable-connectivity-program-need-have-closing-digital-divide The Affordable Connectivity Program: A Need-to-Have for Closing the Digital Divide
home internet connection means school assignments from home, finding employment accessing medical assistance that was previously out of reach. 23 million households receiving ACP support, families are perilously close to facing difficult decisions. The ACP is due to run out after April if Congress doesn’t provide additional funding. #affordableconnectivityprogram