Data Foundry Blog: Policy

An Overview of 2019 Technology Policy in the Texas Legislature

An Overview of 2019 Technology Policy in the Texas Legislature

The Texas Legislature meets every odd-numbered year in the city of our headquarters – Austin. We are excited to track technology policy development in the 2019 session. We hope to see several bills pass that move our state forward in terms of keeping policy up to speed with innovation. This year we are particularly focused on bills submitted in the areas of stingray...

SXSW “Take Back Your Internet” Party Recap + Privacy Panel Video

SXSW “Take Back Your Internet” Party Recap + Privacy Panel Video

We had a spirited discussion that covered the cultural, political and technological issues that affect online privacy. We co-sponsored a Take Back Your Internet Privacy Panel and Party with Giganews and Golden Frog on March 9th in Austin, Texas during SXSW. The event honored the global fight for online privacy and an uncensored Internet for all. A big thank you to...

Data Foundry Joins Battle for the Net

Data Foundry Joins Battle for the Net

As a long-time supporter of an open Internet, Data Foundry will join forces with many other technology companies on the local and national levels to stop the FCC from doing away with the current Open Internet Order. The official Battle for the Net day of protest is July 12. However, Data Foundry is taking many additional courses of action to see to it that major cable...

Open Internet Is the Solution to Net Neutrality Woes

Open Internet Is the Solution to Net Neutrality Woes

The terms “net neutrality” and “open Internet” have been used loosely and interchangeably over the years, leaving many people confused and using the wrong terminology to express what they want from Internet providers and the agencies that govern them. Network neutrality, or net neutrality, is essentially an Internet that does not give preference to one application or type of...

Texas Cybersecurity Bill Protects Sensitive Information

Texas Cybersecurity Bill Protects Sensitive Information

We are thrilled to see a bill like H.B. 8 this legislative session, and with such a low bill number indicating a high commitment from leadership on this issue. H.B. 8 mandates a number of important cybersecurity measures to protect state agencies and personally identifiable information (PII). This kind of digital housekeeping is long overdue, and we hope to see it easily...

Data Foundry Launches Technology Policy Microsite

Data Foundry Launches Technology Policy Microsite

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new microsite, Data Foundry’s Advocacy Hub. As a company, we’ve been involved in technology-related policy and legislation since our establishment. Because we started as one of the first 50 ISPs back in 1994, protecting the open Internet and online privacy is near and dear to us. Over the years, we’ve participated in conferences,...

Data Foundry Signs Coalition Letter in Support of the Email Privacy Act

Data Foundry Signs Coalition Letter in Support of the Email Privacy Act

Yesterday, Data Foundry signed a coalition letter addressed to the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the Email Privacy Act along with tech giants such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, IBM, Cisco Systems and other tech firms. Non-profit organizations also signed on, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU. The Email Privacy Act is a revision to ECPA,...

5 Things Your Business Can Do to Promote Data Privacy

5 Things Your Business Can Do to Promote Data Privacy

Data Privacy Day is an international effort focused on promoting data privacy awareness that takes place on January 28 every year. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) leads promotional efforts for the U.S. This non-profit organization is dedicated to promoting a safer, more secure and more trusted Internet. In addition to educating consumers on how to protect their...

Zero Rating Threatens the Open Internet

Zero Rating Threatens the Open Internet

At Data Foundry, we’re long-time advocates for open markets and the open Internet. Over the years we have worked on several efforts to protect the open Internet with rules such as those put forth in the FCC’s Open Internet Order. Free or open market systems usually flourish with minimal regulation. However, this isn’t always the case, and it hasn’t been the case with...

Data Foundry Speaks Up: Declares Need for Tech Committee in State Legislature

Data Foundry Speaks Up: Declares Need for Tech Committee in State Legislature

As a technology company whose founders, Ron and Carolyn Yokubaitis, were advocates before they were entrepreneurs, Data Foundry has always been involved in policy issues concerning technology and our fundamental rights. We’ve advocated and continue to advocate for reform on several pieces of legislation to address technology and privacy issues, including the reform of: ECPA...

What Is ICANN and Why Does It Matter?

What Is ICANN and Why Does It Matter?

ICANN is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Southern California that was formed in 1998 to help the U.S. government manage certain functions that maintain the Internet’s core infrastructure. ICANN maintains the central repository for IP addresses and helps coordinate the supply of IP addresses. It also...

Data Foundry Signs Coalition Letter in Favor of Limiting Government Hacking

Data Foundry Signs Coalition Letter in Favor of Limiting Government Hacking

Data Foundry has taken action against proposed changes to part of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure known as rule 41, that would promote government hacking on a massive scale. We signed a coalition letter to the U.S. Congress along with 50 other Internet companies and public interest groups, including Google, PayPal and the American Civil Liberties Union. What is Rule...

Data Foundry Co-CEO Awarded for Internet Community Leadership

Data Foundry Co-CEO Awarded for Internet Community Leadership

Ron Yokubaitis received the Internet Infrastructure Coalition’s (i2Coalition) first award for Internet Community Leadership at the Smarter Internet Forum in Philadelphia, PA today. Ron has been a leader in the Internet sphere since 1994 when he co-founded Texas.net in San Antonio, TX. Since then, he and his wife Carolyn have gone on to establish Data...