online privacy rules debated in congress
Today
The heads of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) told members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Tuesday that they recognize that even as consumers learn about the benefits of broadband, they are also concerned about their privacy on the internet. FCC Chairman Genachowski also suggested that consumers should be allowed to “opt-in” to tracking data when shopping online.
Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) stated that it's the duty of congress to make information tracking transparent to Americans and empower internet users to stop certain information-collecting practices. Under current information tracking systems, consumers must “opt-out” of privacy policies or disable internet tracking devices so that internet service providers do not record their internet activity.
Representatives from Google, Apple and Facebook participated in a second panel and called for industry coordination over federal regulation in regards to information sharing preferences.
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Pres. Obama Promotes Progress For His Race To The Top Program
Today
Pres. Obama delivered a speech Thursday emphasizing the need for education reform at the National Urban League convention. He discussed the need to improve teaching standards and provide a better environment for both teachers and students. In his speech, the President said that the U.S. has fallen in the rankings from first to 12th in college completion. He also questioned why celebrities and sports stars are idolized by the public instead of teachers, asking rhetorically, "Who are we saying is important?"
The address follows Tuesday’s announcement by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the second round finalists for the White House’s Race to the Top program, which awards more than $3 billion in stimulus funds for school programs aimed at improving student learning. Duncan gave the news in a speech on education at the National Press Club.
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