ATL applauds opportunity for greater competition in the marketplace

Washington, DC – In response to news that Microsoft and Yahoo have reached a partnership agreement in search and search advertising, Randy Skoglund, executive director of Americans for Technology Leadership, issued the following statement:

“Search and search advertising is fundamental to the continued success of the Internet as it fuels much of the content and applications that consumers use every day.  This partnership between Microsoft and Yahoo will provide an alternative solution to Google’s technology and will keep the Internet innovative, open and competitive and will have immediate positive effects.  While it will take several months for the deal to close, the competitive effects will be felt across the marketplace immediately.  As a result, consumers win.”

“Given Google’s position as the dominant online search engine and ad platform, the combination of these two companies search and search ad businesses offers consumers and advertisers more choice and innovation. Additionally, businesses, advertisers and web publishers will benefit given more competition which offers them more choice and better revenue opportunities.  A Microsoft-Yahoo collaboration is beneficial news to the tech industry, businesses and consumers alike.”

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To the editor:

A recent article published on Newsblaze.com “Small Towns Line Up for $7.2 Billion in High-Speed Internet Funds” spoke of efforts in Akron, Ohio to obtain stimulus money for the purpose of bringing wireless broadband “into every home and business within the city limits.”

The potential benefits of such a plan are enormous. Akron’s unemployment rate hovers close to 10 percent; which is higher than the national average. If Akron is successful in securing $7 million in stimulus funds it is estimated that roughly 400 new jobs in construction and network administration will come from that funding alone.

Raul Katz of Columbia Business School has estimated that that money spent by these 400 newly employed workers would generate another 320 local jobs.

That short-term gain barely scratches the surface of the impact freely available broadband will have on the Akron, Ohio area. As the Newsblaze.com article quoted the Akron deputy mayor of administration, plentiful broadband will be an indispensible tool for training workers with new skills-making them more competitive in an increasingly tough job market.

But none of this can happen with just the wave of the magic stimulus wand. Outdated telecommunications laws designed around switchboards and rotary phones need to be overhauled to fall in line with the nature of modern technology. Without this needed reform, more money can be wasted in administrative overhead and red tape instead of being plowed into construction efforts.

If we want the benefits of ever-present broadband, we need to contact our elected officials and tell them to clear the way for unhindered broadband development.

Randall Skoglund is executive director of Americans for Technology Leadership, a broad-based coalition focused, in part, on public policy issues affecting the technology industry.

Randall Skoglund
Executive Director
Americans for Technology Leadership
1401 K Street NW, Suite 502
Washington, DC 20005

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Washington, DC – A recent change in Facebook’s terms of service was uncovered by a consumer blog today that claimed the popular social networking site would have complete rights to anything that its users uploaded, even after the user terminated their account.

“This change should cause great concern to consumers,” said Americans for Technology Leadership executive director Randy Skoglund. “Facebook, and other online companies, need to be transparent in their business practices and let consumers know exactly what personal information will be retained and what it will be used for.

This clause was recently changed by Facebook. Initially, once users closed their accounts, Facebook no longer had rights to anything uploaded. Now, Facebook forever retains rights to anything uploaded by its users.

This change means that even after an account is closed, Facebook can still claim rights to any content formerly uploaded onto their website, which even includes sublicensing. Any pictures a user posted might show up ten years down the road in an advertisement, or on a website, and there’s nothing users can do about it.

“To remove an important clause once users have already signed up gives consumers no real choice in how their information is used. Such a move is a breach of trust by the company,” added Skoglund.

“Consumers need to be aware of the privacy clauses on websites that ask for personal information. And in this age of Google-ing, users should be careful about the personal details and photos they post of themselves online at all times,” Skoglund concluded.

Americans for Technology Leadership is a broad-based coalition of technology professionals, consumers and organizations dedicated to limiting government regulation of technology and fostering competitive market solutions to public policy issues affecting the technology industry.

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