SHIFT: Big Brother online? Don't look now, but it's about to happen

[NewsHottie]

In this time when politics are the hottest topic of all, you may be interested to know that a new lobbying group has been created: Arts+Labs. The new lobby is backed by AT&T, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, NBC Universal, Viacom and the Songwriters Guild of America (disclosure: NBC Universal is the parent company of DVICE).

According to the lobby's core strategies, it wants to work efficiently and safely deliver innovative new content. The companies involved want new business models to deliver music, movies and TV to consumers. In their words, they want to "preserve network operators' freedom to manage their networks in a way that maximizes bandwidth and assures the fast, safe and reliable delivery of legal content and other services to consumers."

Sure it's expressed in dull corporatespeak, but the thrust of that strategy sounds benevolent, doesn't it? However, their methods might raise an eyebrow or two. Keep reading to see what exactly this new lobbying group plans to implement.



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