Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Reviews
A nationwide study released Tuesday by the Communications Workers of America labor union found that Internet connection speeds in the United States have increased little over the past year. The nation’s median data download speed gained just 0.4 megabits per second, it reported. At that rate, it will take more than 100 years before the U.S. attains speeds currently found in Japan, according to the CWA.
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission came under fire for making a ruling that many consider outside its authority. Without levying a fine, it charged that Comcast violated federal policy when it interfered with a file-sharing application used by consumers.
For all the potential of the Internet, there are times when I consider it a cesspool of misinformation, ignorant opinion and faked imagery. I also find it confusing and untrustworthy. Then someone reminds me how valuable it is to have checks and balances, not only on the government but also on the media. They remind me how glorious it is to enjoy another worldview and to examine what we think through others’ eyes.
If the Chinese government isn’t careful, its forthcoming Beijing Olympics could rival the 1936 and 1968 Summer Games for infamy and a message that ultimately backfires on the host country. That warning comes from human rights groups and Internet free speech advocacy organizations following news this week that Beijing would restrict Internet use for international journalists covering the games.
China’s booming Internet population has surpassed the United States to become the world’s biggest, with 253 million people online despite government controls on Web use, according to government data reported Friday. The latest figure on Web use at the end of June is a 56 percent increase from a year ago, the China Internet Network Information Center said.