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Comments pour into FCC on NBCU-Comcast deal

Advocacy groups and media companies used the federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Thursday deadline for final public comment on the proposed NBC Universal-Comcast merger to once more blast the deal as bad for consumers because it concentrates too much control over media content and distribution in the hands of one company. Comcast responded by dismissing the critics as motivated by their competitive interests or attempting to use the issue to hash out long-held grievances with the media industry. A Comcast spokesperson also dismissed the concerns of minority interest groups regarding media ownership and diversity of content, pointing to the numerous elected officials of Hispanic and African-American descent who have expressed support for the deal.

Net-neutrality advocates rally in Minneapolis

Hundreds of supporters of net neutrality were joined by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps on Thursday night in Minneapolis, where the advocacy group held a rally to oppose the proposed regulatory broadband framework agreed to by Google and Verizon. Franken and Copps urged the FCC to ignore the companies' agreement and pass its own strict net-neutrality rules. Clyburn spoke of the Web's ability to reduce inequality, especially among under-represented groups such as minorities and women. The rally came the night before talks among industry stakeholders were set to resume in Washington on Friday. Neither Google nor the Open Internet Coalition, which includes Free Press, are taking part in the latest round of negotiations, which are not organized by the FCC.

Industry Notes

Facebook provides relief for identity theft victims. Facebook launched a help page on Thursday aimed at assisting people who have had an imposter open an account in their name. The page helps users find out information on the account created in their name and is based on the manner in which financial institutions protect identity theft victims. http://bit.ly/9ZwNbC

Intel to buy McAfee for $7.68 billion. Chip giant Intel announced Thursday that it plans to purchase the security firm McAfee for $7.68 billion in cash, a 60 percent premium over the stock's current price. Intel said the deal will give it entry into the lucrative market for computer security. Observers speculated the pairing would lead to enhanced on-chip security and enable Intel to extend its dominance of the microprocessor market. http://bit.ly/9cGgSI

Music industry questions Google-Verizon deal's effect on piracy. Groups representing the music industry, including the Recording Industry Association of American, wrote to Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Thursday seeking assurances that the deal between the search giant and Verizon would allow carriers to distinguish between lawful and unlawful content such as pirated music and child pornography. The groups claim piracy has severely damaged their business model and encourage Google to include a provision allowing Internet service providers to crack down on pirated content. http://bit.ly/dtIqF3

Hill notes

Study shows Senate Republicans ahead on social media. A new study by researchers at two prominent universities shows Senate Republicans are increasing their followings on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube at a faster pace than their Democratic counterparts. The study, which measures senators' engagement and following on the popular social-media platforms, shows Republican senators up for reelection tend to make more use of the online tools to connect with and engage their supporters. Surprisingly, conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is one of the most Web-savvy pols, with Republicans boasting the top three "Digital IQs" in the upper chamber. http://bit.ly/9p22TV

House lawmakers weighing IT oversight bill. House lawmakers are considering whether to approve a bill that would increase oversight of large federal information technology projects that easily passed the Senate in May. Industry groups representing contractors have argued the bill's provisions for stopping over-budget and delayed projects could lead to increased prices and cost the government more in the long run. The House Oversight Committee is currently considering the bill. http://bit.ly/c6Ix40

NSFW ... or home. Google "Cameron Diaz" at your peril — according to McAfee, the Hollywood stunner is the most dangerous search on the Web, as ten percent of sites devoted to her are actually attempts to steal users' data or infect their hard drives. Julia Roberts and Jessica Biel followed close behind on the list of riskiest names to search for.