Tag Archives: internet

House Votes 232-190 To Restore Net Neutrality Rules, McConnell Declares Bill “Dead On Arrival” In Senate

Roll Call reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already declared the Democratic net neutrality bill, which passed the House on Wednesday, “dead on arrival” in the upper chamber. Democrats likely never gave their legislation, sponsored by Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Doyle, much of a chance of advancing beyond the House. But while Republicans have spent weeks shaping their message …

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Pelosi Announces Dem Bill To Reinstate Net Neutrality

The Hill reports: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Monday that Democrats will introduce a net neutrality bill to replace the open internet rules that were repealed in 2017. In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said a bill called the Save the Internet Act will be unveiled Wednesday and will be introduced in the Senate as well. Democrats have …

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Gap Inc To Split Into Two Separate Companies

CNBC reports: Gap Inc. said Thursday it will split into two independent publicly traded companies — one comprised of its Old Navy brand, and the second a yet-to-be-named company that includes its other brands like Banana Republic and Athleta. Its shares surged more than 20 percent in after-hours trading on the news. Following a review by Gap’s board of directors, …

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Payless To Shutter All 2100 Stores, End Online Sales

USA Today reports: Payless ShoeSource confirmed Saturday that it will close its 2,100 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and start liquidation sales Sunday. The company is also shuttering its e-commerce operations. The closings mark the biggest by a single chain this year and nearly doubles the number of retail stores set to close in 2019. “We expect all …

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Russia To Test “Unplugging” From Global Internet

The BBC reports: Russia is considering whether to disconnect from the global internet briefly, as part of a test of its cyber-defences. The test will mean data passing between Russian citizens and organisations stays inside the nation rather than being routed internationally. A draft law mandating technical changes needed to operate independently was introduced to its parliament last year. The …

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Nielsen: 16 Million US Homes Have Cut The Cord

TechCrunch reports: The number of U.S. households without a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription that instead receive broadcast stations using a digital antenna has jumped by nearly 50 percent over the past 8 years to reach 16 million homes, according to a new report from Nielsen. Today, 14 percent of all U.S. TV households are watching television over the …

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Study: “Ultra Conservatives” Share The Most Fake News

Unshocking. The Associated Press reports: Sharing false information on Facebook is old. People over 65 and ultra conservatives shared about seven times more fake information masquerading as news on the social media site than younger adults, moderates and super liberals during the 2016 election season, a new study finds. The first major study to look at who is sharing links …

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Google Battles “Right To Be Forgotten” In EU Court

Bloomberg reports: Google’s battle against French proponents of a worldwide “right to be forgotten” enters a decisive phase at the European Union’s top court on Thursday, in a case that highlights the growing tensions between privacy, freedom of speech and state censorship. Ahead of a ruling later this year, an adviser at the EU Court of Justice will on Jan. …

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Really Most Sincerely Dead: Sears Rejects Bailout Bid

CNBC reports: Sears has rejected Chairman Eddie Lampert’s bid to save the company, setting the storied retailer on a path to liquidation, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC. Sears plans to announce its liquidation plans this morning, the people said. Lampert had put forward a $4.4 billion bid to save Sears and 50,000 jobs by buying it out of …

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New USB-C Tech Could Protect Against Malware

Engadget reports: USB chargers and devices are universally accessible and easy to use, but they come with a host of potential security risks, namely the spread of malware from infected devices, and data leakage should a device fall into the wrong hands. Now, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) — the big dog in the advancement of USB tech — has …

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SCOTUS Rejects Trump’s Appeal On Net Neutrality

Reuters reports: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused a request by the Trump administration and the telecommunications industry to wipe away a lower court decision that had upheld Obama-era net neutrality rules aimed at ensuring a free and open internet, though the justices’ action does not undo the 2017 repeal of the policy. The high court decision not to …

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Sears Finally Declares Bankruptcy, 142 Stores To Close

The New York Times reports: Sears, which more than a century ago pioneered the strategy of selling everything to everyone, filed for bankruptcy protection early on Monday. The company had long ago given up its mantle as a retail innovator. It was overtaken first by big box retailers like Walmart and Home Depot and then, by Amazon as the go-to …

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Toys R Us Creditors Plan To Revive Brand [VIDEO]

The New York Post reports: It’s official: Toys R Us will live on. The iconic retailer’s debtholders are forming a new company, Geoffrey LLC that will control the Toys R Us and Babies R Us brands, including e-commerce assets and data associated with the brands, the debtors said late Tuesday night. They also plan to open stores in the US …

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DOJ Sues California To Quash New Net Neutrality Law

The Washington Post reports: The Trump administration said Sunday it will sue California in an effort to block what some experts have described as the toughest net neutrality law ever enacted in the United States, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown over the future of the Internet. California on Sunday became the largest state to adopt its own rules requiring …

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SiriusXM To Acquire Pandora For $3.5 Billion

CNET reports: SiriusXM will acquire Pandora in a $3.5 billion all-stock deal, the companies announced Monday. The deal between SiriusXM — a satellite radio company — and Pandora — a music streaming company — will create the world’s largest audio entertainment company, they said in a joint release. The companies hope to cross-promote between SiriusXM’s more than 36 million US …

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Luxury Chain Henri Bendel To Close All Stores [VIDEO]

Fortune Magazine reports: After 123 years in business, department store Henri Bendel is closing up shop for good after the holiday season. Known for its brown-and-white-striped bags, Henri Bendel was founded in 1895 by its namesake, a designer from Louisiana. When L Brands acquired Henri Bendel in 1985, it was by far the most luxury holding in its portfolio of …

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Sears To Shutter Dozens More Stores In November

Bloomberg reports: Sears Holdings Corp. continues to clean house, announcing plans to shutter an additional 46 unprofitable stores in November. The struggling chain informed workers at the impacted stores this week, and liquidation sales will begin as early as Aug. 30. The move is “part of our ongoing efforts to streamline Sears Holdings’ operations, strengthen our capital position and focus …

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SCOTUS Rules States Can Collect Sales Tax On Internet Businesses That Have No Local Physical Presence

The New York Times reports: Internet retailers can be required to collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. Brick-and-mortar businesses have long complained that they are disadvantaged by having to charge sales taxes while many of their online competitors do not. States have said that they are missing out on …

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Breitbart’s Traffic Continues Months-Long Plummet

Politico reports: Breitbart’s traffic declined in May for the seventh straight month, according to comScore metrics, bringing the site to its lowest level of readership since January 2015, and half of what it was a year ago. Since the ouster of former executive chairman Steve Bannon in January, the site has been forced to search for a new identity, and, …

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FCC’s Repeal Of Net Neutrality Starts Today

The New York Times reports: It’s official. The Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules, which had required internet service providers to offer equal access to all web content, took effect on Monday. Under those regulations, broadband service was considered a utility under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the F.C.C. broad power over internet providers. The rules …

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