The town of Bristol is at the head of the line in broadband access, with the first phase of a new fiber optic network in place. Dubbed Broadband Now, a 24-mile route was completed in December, connecting downtown Bristol with Plymouth State University’s NetworkNH system.
Town Administrator Nik Coates told the Union Leader that the town has yet to settle on an internet service provider to operate the system, but the first phase of the “backbone” is in place for connecting to local homes and businesses, as well as municipal and educational buildings.
The town has been working on the logistics of installing a broadband system for several years, so it was ready to apply for a $1.52 million Connecting New Hampshire Emergency Broadband Expansion grant when it became available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Phase II of the buildout will be funded by a $260,000 Northern Border Regional Commission matching grant.
Plans for the fiber optic system would create a loop along the Interstate-93 corridor and Route 3-A.
Police ‘Transparency’
Today in Concord, there are two competing bills under consideration, one giving the public more insight into police discipline and the other protecting officers’ disciplinary files from public scrutiny.
Republican senators Harold French of Franklin and John Reagan of Deerfield are sponsoring Senate Bill 41, which would allow public access to certain police disciplinary hearings before the Police Standards and Training Council.
Senate Bill 39, in contrast, sponsored by Republican Senator Sharon Carson of Londonderry, would exempt any information in an officer’s personnel files from the state’s right-to-know law. Currently, a judge may allow the disclosure of police personnel files if there is a compelling public interest.
Both bills come in response to pressure to open up the Exculpatory Evidence Schedule, a listing of officers who have faced discipline over improper behavior ranging from lying under oath to unprofessional behavior. Originally known as the Laurie List, it was developed following the conviction of Carl Laurie Jr. in the murder of Lucian Fogg in Franklin. Prosecutors had failed to let the defense know that one of the officers testifying against Laurie had psychological problems — knowledge that could have altered the defense strategy in the trial.
Both bills are set for a senate committee hearing this afternoon.
Web Privacy
There is a lot of talk about MeWe these days, as people become disenchanted with the way most social media platforms exploit personal information. It is well-known that Facebook collects thousands of “data points” from users which it then sells to companies interested in targeting those users with advertisements and content that will sell their products. Facebook and its knockoffs also use algorithms to feed people news that matches their personalities and interests and blocks other information, giving people a skewed view of the world.
With Facebook and Twitter now blocking some incendiary content, MeWe has found another audience: political extremists who are looking for a new way to maintain contact with one another.
An article in the South China Morning Post takes a look at what makes MeWe such a popular alternative to traditional social media, beginning with its premise: Your Privacy Is #Not4Sale. The company’s chief executive officer, Mark Weinstein, says MeWe has more than 15 million members worldwide after being in business only four years. MeWe is among other emerging social media platforms that are highlighting the need for “democracy” and “privacy” rather than simply connecting with friends and family.
How the government will react to that privacy as more fringe political groups use the platform to advance violent means is something to watch.
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