Streaming is a “self-exploration process” for Gen Z, who use content to “help define who they are and what they stand for,” reported Hulu Friday. Gen Z's “see themselves in the complexities of characters’ identities, push for cultural connectedness and seek content that deepens their niche interests,” said the streaming service. Content that grapples with “big issues facing society” resonates most, it said. They seek entertainment “that spans all corners of culture,” it said. Hulu canvassed 2,500 Gen Z's online in April, finding 74% want “lots of choice” in their content offering, it said: “They prefer to be their own ‘content curator.’” Six in 10 identify as straddling “multiple races, cultures or languages,” said Hulu.
Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ top issue is "internet inequality," he told the “Black Is Tech” virtual conference in a speech posted Friday. According to Pew data, “34% of Black people in America do not have a home broadband connection, a disproportionately higher percentage than their white counterparts,” Starks said: “That is why we need to solve the issue of affordability and expand the Commission's Lifeline and E-Rate programs that are designed to meet the connectivity needs of low-income households and students across the nation.”
The “big brands” that formed the Coalition for App Fairness purportedly to promote fair competition in digital app stores “do not speak for the thousands of small business app developers we represent,” said ACT|The App Association President Morgan Reed. The coalition represents “a few large app companies with global brand reach,” said Reed in Friday's statement. “Years ago, as start-ups, these companies enjoyed all the advantages of the services provided by the app stores. Now that they are well-known brands or in some cases providers of stores themselves, they openly question [that] environment.” Policy-mandated changes to app stores’ business models “will force our members to change their business models -- something not all can afford to weather.” said Reed. “All app developers must be able to continue to compete.” The coalition didn’t respond to questions.
About three-quarters of Americans think online search, social media and e-commerce platforms wield too much power, fearing it’s a “major or moderate” threat to competition, a Consumer Reports survey found. CR canvassed 3,200 adults online July 7-22, finding 52% think paid placement of search results is “fair only if it is disclosed.” Nearly a quarter think it's unfair regardless. Nearly half of Americans have trouble differentiating a paid ad from an “objective search result,” said CR. Fifty-eight percent aren't “confident that they are getting objective and unbiased search results when using an online platform to shop or search for information,” it said. Nearly eight in 10 worry that big tech mergers and acquisitions can “undermine competition and limit consumer choice,” it said. Six of 10 “support more government regulation” to curb the growing power of large online platforms that may be harming consumers, said CR. The Internet Association didn't comment.
Governments should lead frameworks for “responsible” artificial intelligence, Microsoft said Thursday. Recommendations were in a report by Government Affairs Director Owen Larter, Aspen Institute International Partners Director Jonathan Price and Aspen’s International Partners Program Manager Calli Obern. Countries should “drive greater international co-operation on AI and create an international framework for responsible AI use.” Organizations must “put a set of values at the center of how AI is deployed to ensure its use is human-centered, accountable and transparent.”
Advocates sued President Donald Trump’s administration Tuesday, seeking records about his social media executive order and federal spending on digital advertising (see 2007230072). The Center for Democracy and Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking documents the EO ordered to be gathered to examine how federal agencies spend such money. The EO directs agencies report to OMB and directs DOJ determine whether there’s viewpoint discrimination on platforms. This opens doors for the administration “to block government spending on online platforms it dislikes,” CDT said. The public has a right to know “if there’s evidence that the president is retaliating against platforms by reducing ad spending,” said EFF Staff Attorney Aaron Mackey. Justice didn’t comment.
The FTC is watching data portability issues closely, as they tie into consumer and antitrust, Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith told the agency’s virtual workshop Tuesday. The FTC is following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent announcement of a potential rulemaking under the Dodd-Frank Act Section 1033, which “authorizes the CFPB to create rules enhancing consumers’ access to their financial data,” Smith said. Data portability can increase consumer choice and control and foster competition by lowering barriers to entry, he said. increased data flows raise questions about how to properly ensure data is secured, he added. Data portability could eventually help balance network effects of platforms, said Karolina Mojzesowicz, European Commission deputy head-Unit for Data Protection, Directorate General for Justice and Consumers. Consumers are more sensitive about their data and more proactive about looking for services offering data portability, she said.
Forty-nine percent of iPhone owners who are heads of U.S. broadband households own at least one connected health product, versus 34% of Android owners, Parks Associates reported Monday. The most commonly adopted connected health wearables are smartwatches, fitness trackers and GPS sports watches. Consumers also report high demand for connected blood pressure cuffs, Wi-Fi weight scales and connected thermometers. COVID-19 has had a “dramatic impact” on consumer health and fitness markets, said analyst Kristen Hanich.
NCTA disputed Alliance for Automotive Innovation comments on risk to 5.9 GHz safety applications from unlicensed use (see 2009170033). “The substantial technical record -- based on testing, risk-informed interference analysis, and a city-scale simulation -- decisively concludes that unlicensed use in 5.9 GHz will not cause [such] harmful interference,” a cable spokesperson emailed. “In-home wireless connectivity is more important to more Americans than ever before. The FCC should move forward and unleash the 5.9 GHz band, which will deliver gigabit Wi-Fi and much-needed unlicensed capacity to consumers by the end of this year.”
Sumo Logic priced its initial public offering at $22 a share and closed 22.2% higher at $26.88 on its first trading day Thursday. The IPO pricing was a dollar above the high end of Sumo’s estimated $17-$21 range in a Sept. 8 registration statement. Sumo’s "continuous intelligence" software platform “scans an average of 873 petabytes of data per day and an average of 18.6 billion events per second,” said the statement. Its data analytics “provide actionable intelligence around what happened, why it happened, and how to resolve business, technology, or cybersecurity issues,” it said. Its 2,100 customers include Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Major League Baseball and Netflix, it said.