ML #8 - Media Ownership

What did AT&T establish in the 1900's that meant their systems were not interoperable with other systems or companies?

• Walled Garden

• Stinky Moat

• Harpoon Lagoon

• Floating Meadow

Answer explanation

AT&T's practice was to not allow rival companies to work with them, they would often buy the company out instead. Western Electric was an example of this practice - AT&T bought them out in 1915. AT&T then made it so only official Western Electric equipment could connect to the AT&T network.

What decade brought the end of renting phones from AT&T?

• 1970s

• 1980s

• 1990s

• 1960s

Answer explanation

AT&T began allowing customers to purchase their own handsets in 1982, but eventually dropped the renting of phones by 1984-85.

What federal regulator had the authority to examine AT&T's business practices?

• Federal Communications Commission

• Federal Computation Committee

• Final Communications Contact

• Full Compromise Commission

Answer explanation

Recall from the video that while the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had authority to examine AT&T, they ultimately approved of AT&T's business.

When the FCC was examining AT&T, what were they checking to see if it violated the law?

• vertical integration

• horizontal hang

• wire tapping

• extortion practices

Answer explanation

Vertical integration refers to having control over every part of a system. In the case of AT&T this was in regards to the phone system.

What laws are used to determine if a company has become a monopoly?

• Antitrust

• Intellectual Property

• Tort

• Common

What term fits the following description?

The idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all data that travels over their networks fairly.

• network neutrality

• neutral IPs

• notable network

• ISP limiter

Select all that apply:

Which of the following is something that could happen without network neutrality?

• network throttling

• paid prioritization

• blocking

• restored freedom

Answer explanation

Network throttling refers to adjusting the internet speed.

Blocking refers to keeping certain things from being shown via the ISP.

Preferred prioritization refers to allowing traffic for other users, such as affiliates, to have a faster connection than others.

Select all that apply:

What do giant tech companies like Facebook, Amazon, Google (Alphabet), and Apple have in common?

• They have acquired large amounts of technologies - media included

• They are NOT media companies - because they do not only deal in media

• They are NOT regulated by the FCC

• They all play extremely well together

Answer explanation

Alphabet is Google's parent company which owns YouTube and 200 other companies.

Google is a search engine and advertising platform.

Google and Apple are responsible for a large percentage of hardware and the software used on the devices.

Google has become a major distributor of news with Google News.

Amazon is an e-commerce platform and provides internet infrastructure. Amazon owns the Washington Post and provides TV and movie programming.

Facebook (now Meta) owns Instagram, Whatsapp, Threads, and over 50 other companies like them. As of 2017 45% of US adults got their news through Facebook.

Apple is well known for its vertical integration walled garden. They are notoriously difficult to work with and control full stack development. With Apple TV they are now providing TV, movie, and news programming.

What can often happen when a company dominates the means and creations of one product?

• Consumers get a lesser product

• Consumers get the best product

• Consumers get to create their own product

• Consumers get a choice

What often stagnates without competition?

• innovation

• instigation

• implementation

• incomprehension