Q&A With FCC Chairman Kevin Martin

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin does not see much chance of tightening program-access complaint rules or getting his free broadband proposal out the door before he exits as chairman in mid-January.

He is more sanguine about the prospects for the digital-television transition, though he concedes there will be challenges, including possibly running out of available money for DTV-to-analog converter boxes.

President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team has reportedly pushed for a more concentrated and coordinated call center program to field viewers’ calls around the time of the Feb. 17, 2009, switch. Martin says broadcasters will need to step up—NAB already has announced a call center plan—but that funds they have requested from the FCC would be subject to government contracting rules.

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Holiday Shopping Becomes Breeding Grounds for Identity Thieves

LifeLock’s Identity Theft Protection Available Through Best Buy, Office Depot, CVS and HP

The busy holiday season has proven to be an ideal time for identity thieves to target unsuspecting victims. The Federal Trade Commission reports that in 2007, consumers reported losses from identity theft and fraud of more than $1.2 billion, and with consumers facing an already tough economy, they need to be particularly vigilant this holiday season.

There are many steps consumers can take to protect their credit and to ensure that when the holidays are over and they are done spending, their credit won’t need mending. This holiday season, LifeLock – the industry leader in identity theft protection – is offering everything from a discount on its service to a one-year membership at various retail outlets. Shoppers who purchase a new computer from HP can receive a discount on LifeLock’s services. Online shoppers can purchase a one-year membership to LifeLock at BestBuy.com. Traditional retail shoppers can purchase LifeLock’s Identity Theft Protection Starter Kit at Office Depot locations nationwide for just $9.99 or can purchase the same one-year membership to LifeLock offered at BestBuy.com in Best Buy stores nationwide. CVS Pharmacy also offers discounts to shoppers, as well as a CVS gift card upon enrollment with LifeLock.

“While the holiday season is surely a time for cheer and celebration, it is also a time when identity thieves are waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce on unsuspecting consumers,” said LifeLock® CEO Todd Davis. “Whether it takes place at shopping malls or online, identity theft can increase over the holidays. However, we are confident that if consumers are armed with the necessary tools to protect their personal information, thieves will not continue to profit nearly as much off innocent victims.”

First-of-Its-Kind Curriculum Sponsored by the Qwest Foundation Helps Teachers Fight Cyberbullying

Top Educators from Five States Come to Seattle Seeking Solutions to Growing Problem

Recent research conducted for the National Crime Prevention Council found that 43 percent of teens ages 13 to 18 were victims of cyberbullying in the last year. Cyberbullying, the act of using the Internet via computers, cell phones or PDAs to be cruel and harmful to others, has become more frequent among young people due to the increasing popularity of social networking sites, blogging and microblogging.

To address the growing issue of cyberbullying, the Qwest Foundation® will host top educators from several states to present a first-of-its-kind cyberbullying prevention curriculum funded by the Qwest Foundation and created by Mike Donlin, project manager for prevention-intervention and technology services at Seattle Public Schools. Donlin and educators from Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Oregon and Washington, as well as key Qwest executives, will gather at Hamilton International Middle School in Seattle on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. to review and discuss the program, which was implemented in Seattle middle schools this fall.

At the event, Donlin will also offer tips for implementing the curriculum and will share his experience in working with teachers who have incorporated the course into their curriculum. A guide complete with key learnings from the curriculum and suggestions for building a standards-based curriculum at their schools will be distributed at the event. This guide is also available for free download at www.IncredibleInternet.com.