Gigi Sohn

About

Gigi Sohn is a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and a Benton Senior Fellow & Public Advocate. She is the host of the "Tech on the Rocks Podcast." Gigi sits on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Gigi is one of the nation’s leading public advocates for open, affordable and democratic communications networks. For thirty years, Gigi has worked across the country to defend and preserve the fundamental competition and innovation policies that have made broadband Internet access more ubiquitous, competitive, affordable, open and protective of user privacy. Most recently,…

News

Washington Post: The Technology 202: Microsoft’s possible acquisition of TikTok could also bring increased Washington scrutiny

A major rival to Facebook and Google is about to be taken out by … Microsoft? At least, it’s a distinct possibility that the enterprise tech giant will soon be a social media superstar after Microsoft announced it was pursuing talks to buy TikTok’s U.S. operations from Chinese parent company ByteDance. The whole…

Posted on August 5, 2020August 23, 2020 by Gigi Sohn

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New York Times: Is Microsoft Sure It Wants to Buy TikTok?

Microsoft has emerged in recent days as the leading suitor for the fast-growing but embattled social media app TikTok. What the company may be buying is a big headache. The tech giant said it would continue negotiating toward a purchase of the short-video-sharing service amid President Trump’s attempts to ban…

Posted on August 4, 2020August 5, 2020 by Kip Roderick

Media

CBS News: The great broadband divide: Living without high-speed internet access.

As modern Americans, we count among our blessings that most of us have been able to keep going during this pandemic — working, educating our kids, consulting with our doctors – thanks to broadband Internet. That is, high-speed Internet. There's only one problem: "Tens of millions of Americans are not connected to…

Posted on August 2, 2020August 2, 2020 by Kip Roderick

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Washington Post: The Technology 202: Here’s your guide to today’s blockbuster tech antitrust hearing

Tech executives are going to tell Congress today that being big isn’t necessarily bad. As lawmakers drill down on the size and scope of tech companies at today's blockbuster antitrust hearing, the leaders of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook plan to focus on the positive contributions of their businesses during the…

Posted on July 29, 2020August 1, 2020 by Gigi Sohn

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New York Times: Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google prepare for their ‘Big Tobacco Moment’

After lawmakers collected hundreds of hours of interviews and obtained more than 1.3 million documents about Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, their chief executives will testify before Congress on July 29 to defend their powerful businesses from the hammer of government. The captains of the New Gilded Age — Jeff Bezos of…

Posted on July 28, 2020August 1, 2020 by Kip Roderick

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Washington Post: The Technology 202: Republicans poised to reignite claims of political bias at big tech hearing

There are signs Republicans intend to raise unproven accusations that tech companies are biased against conservatives at tomorrow’s major hearing on the size and scope of Silicon Valley's power. The hearing with the chiefs of Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google is the culmination of a more than year-long investigation into…

Posted on July 28, 2020August 1, 2020 by Kip Roderick

Media

Sohn Statement on the DIGITAL Reservations Act

The DIGITAL Reservations Act is a bold and comprehensive bill that tackles an issue that often gets lost in broadband policy – connecting the 36% of homes on tribal lands that don’t have access to broadband at standard speeds. It is fair and just that Native Indian Tribes’ and Native…

Posted on July 27, 2020July 27, 2020 by Gigi Sohn

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USA Today: Broadbanned: Still no affordable internet connection just out of reach

A few thousand feet can feel much farther when that distance separates a house from the closest wired broadband – and the cost to extend connectivity reaches tens of thousands of dollars. This isn’t a new problem: ”In both my [Federal Communications Commission] and post-FCC life, I’ve heard these stories both…

Posted on July 26, 2020July 27, 2020 by Kip Roderick

Media

Intelligence Squared: Agree to Disagree: Broadband for All?

Introducing "Agree to Disagree," a new podcast series from Intelligence Squared U.S. In this episode, two guests join John Donvan to debate Broadband for All, the internet as a public utility, and just who should make sure you have the connection you need. Featuring guests Gigi Sohn and Christopher Wu.…

Posted on July 25, 2020July 27, 2020 by Kip Roderick

News

Yahoo Finance: Inside Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google versus the Feds

Sometime very soon, four of the most powerful men on the planet will face off against a small congressional subcommittee. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Yes tech execs are called into D.C. regularly these days, but this time is different. These are the CEOs of the four mega-tech companies, starting…