Because every American
should have access
to broadband Internet.

The Internet Innovation Alliance is a broad-based coalition of business and non-profit organizations that aim to ensure every American, regardless of race, income or geography, has access to the critical tool that is broadband Internet. The IIA seeks to promote public policies that support equal opportunity for universal broadband availability and adoption so that everyone, everywhere can seize the benefits of the Internet - from education to health care, employment to community building, civic engagement and beyond.

The Podium

Wednesday, June 03

Learning, 140 Characters at a Time

By Brad

Cellphones and other distractions have long been the scourge of educators. But one professor at the University of Texas at Dallas is embracing, of all things, Twitter.  Read Write Web has the scoop:

Teachers are always trying to combat student apathy and University of Texas at Dallas History Professor, Monica Rankin, has found an interesting way to do it using Twitter in the classroom.

Rankin uses a weekly hashtag to organize comments, questions and feedback posted by students to Twitter during class. Some of the students have downloaded Tweetdeck to their computers, others post by SMS or by writing questions on a piece of paper. Rankin then projects a giant image of live Tweets in the front of the class for discussion and suggests that students refer back to the messages later when studying.

Inching Closer to a FCC Commish

By Brad

While the Democrats have already named their choices of Julius Genachowski and Mignon Clyburn for FCC Commissioner, the Republicans have, up until now, been quiet. But as Broadcasting & Cable reports, two names will soon be announced: Meredith Atwell Baker, a former head of the NTIA, and previous FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell.

The Challenge of Cybersecurity

By Brad

Via Ars Technica:

As a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the US regularly prepares a report on its civilian nuclear program for the Agency, which provides a detailed listing of the sites and assets of the nuclear power industry throughout the US. Although most of the information is available from other sources, the report is, quite reasonably, considered very sensitive. Over the weekend, however, the Federation of American Scientists’ Secrecy News blog noticed that the document had appeared on the website of the Government Printing Office. Although it has since been pulled from that site, these sorts of errors have become irreversible in the Internet era—the document now resides on Wikileaks.

Stopping sensitive information from leaking out is, of course, a top priority when it comes to cybersecurity. Being able to halt—or even slow—the spread of leaked information could prove to be the most challenging task.

King of Mobile Traffic

By Brad

A new report from AdMod (via Think Broadband) finds that Apple’s iPhone accounts for a staggering 43% of all worldwide mobile web traffic. The kicker? The phone has only captured 8% of the smart phone market.

Tuesday, June 02

IIA Video: Stimulus & Broadband Expansion

By IIA

Kathy Johnson, Director of the Alabama Broadband Initiative, discusses stimulus money and how it applies to broadband expansion.

 

Monday, June 01

Wired Without a Home

By Brad

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting story on how inexpensive laptops and free Internet access are helping the homeless keep connected to the world via the Internet:

Aspiring computer programmer Paul Weston, 29, says his Macintosh PowerBook has been a “lifeboat” since he was laid off from his job as a hotel clerk in December and moved to a shelter. Sitting in a Whole Foods store with free wireless access, Mr. Weston searches for work and writes a computer program he hopes to sell eventually. He has emailed city officials to press for better shelter conditions.

IIA in the News

By IIA

The Dominion Post (via TMC.net) has a great read on how broadband access can change lives. Quoted in the article is IIA Co-Chairman Larry Irving, along with Brian Mefford, CEO of Connected Nation and IIA Broadband Ambassador.

The Future of Gaming is Online

By Brad

Sony has announced a new version of its handheld gaming device the PSP. Called PSP Go, one of the things that makes the upgrade in hardware notable is the fact that it’s the first gaming device to ditch the traditional game discs and instead focus entirely on downloadable games.

Broadband has already made playing games online a popular idea. Now it’s poised to shake up the entire video game industry.

Broadband Fact of the Week

By IIA

Fact of the Week

From the vantage point of 2008, the 94 percent of U.S. schools with Internet access use almost exclusively broadband connections, but residentially-based broadband in rural areas continues to lag the availability in metropolitan regions.

Robert LaRose et. al., “Closing the Rural Broadband Gap,” Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, Michigan State University. November 30, 2008.

More facts about rural broadband access.

Friday, May 29

Statement on Cybsercurity

By IIA

STATEMENT FROM INTERNET INNOVATION ALLIANCE ON OBAMA’S 60-DAY CYBERSECURITY REPORT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 29, 2009 – The Internet Innovation Alliance, a broad-based coalition supporting progress with a National Broadband Strategy, today released the following statement in support of President Obama’s 60-day cybersecurity report:

“We commend President Obama for recognizing cybersecurity as an essential foundation for broadband Internet to realize its full economic, cultural and social potential. A safe, secure Internet with the public’s trust is critical to enabling the innovations that can improve our lives and to spurring broadband adoption among citizens.

“More than 75 percent of Americans feel that the Internet is too dangerous and believe naïve users can easily be taken advantage of, according to a survey of more than 1,000 Americans conducted by TRUSTe. Making consumers comfortable with capabilities that require safe and secure connections such as online banking and medical record storage-and-retrieval, as well as popular services like photo sharing and online gaming, is key to achieving universal availability and adoption of high speed Internet.

“Serious cyber-crime threats against consumers like phishing, hacking and identity theft persist, while national security challenges to government systems and critical infrastructure threaten our country every day. Overcoming these challenges to encourage widespread broadband Internet adoption requires a concerted effort with the government and private sector working closely together. The cybersecurity report and proposed action plan represent an essential first step toward a most critical goal.”

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