Open MIC has joined a coalition of fourteen civil rights, media justice, and tech policy and privacy organizations in signing a letter urging the Department of Justice to protect consumers by rejecting the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger. Specifically, the letter cites the major threats to innovation and pro-consumer competition posed by the merger.
Shareholders Call on AT&T and Verizon to Report on Efforts to Protect Customer Privacy
The AT&T proposal follows recent news reports that AT&T provided U.S. law enforcement agencies routine access to customer data through a sweeping program called Hemisphere. The proposal at Verizon comes on the heels of the company’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo. Subsequent to the company’s July announcement, Verizon learned of a data breach involving an estimated 500 million Yahoo accounts while Reuters reported that Yahoo had secretly built a custom software program to search all of its customers' incoming emails for specific information flagged by U.S. intelligence officials.
Collapse of Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger Highlights Need for Competition, Investors Say
Comcast Corp. has called off its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable following careful scrutiny – and likely rejection - of the deal by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission.