Newsom doesn't understand wifi

By Tim Redmond

Gavin Newsom was on Forum this morning. Although Michael Krasny was easy on him -- not one tough question -- a few choice tidbits came out. One of my faves, when Krasny asked him about the fall wifi ballot initiative:

"There are 200,000 people in the city who don't have a computer or access to the internet at home." His wifi plan, he insists, will addres the digital divide.

But Mr. Mayor: The wifi contract with Earthlink and Google isn't going to give 200,000 people computers. Not even close. And many of those residents live above the second floor of a building (say, in the Tenderloin), where wifi won't reach. This isn't a digital-divide issue; if that was Newsom's concern, he'd talk about fiber to the door, more community access to computers -- and municipal wireless, which would be run as a public service, not for private profit.

I'd like to think Newsom is just dumb and doesn't get it. I'm afraid he understands it all too well, and has simply decided to cast his lot with private partners who will offer a crappy service that will benefit only those who want to pay for a premium version.

Meanwhile, he says he doesn't care what the supes do: If the board rejects the Earthlink/Google deal, "we'll find away around it."

Since I think Newsom's measure is going to go down to defeat this fall, maybe the progressives should plan on putting a municipal broadband measure on the June, 2008 ballot. Let's do it right.

Comments (2)

Kimo Crossman:

Let's not forget the serious privacy concerns unaddressed by the ballot measure. It has no restriction on how much data EarthLink and Google can retain - it only restricts sharing it with 3rd parties. Also it only encourages - does not require any sort of Service Level Agreement.

See ACLU/EFF concerns (one of seven letters over the course of two years) about this being financed by the privacy of the poor

http://aclunc.org/issues/technology/asset_upload_file829_5559.pdf

Posted by Kimo Crossman | August 16, 2007 11:12 AM

joewmorse

Tim -

Looks like Chicago has given up on its own Earthlink-based Wifi initiative after being asked by Earthlink to become an "Anchor Tenant":

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tue_nowifi0828aug28,1,5523756.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

So Newsom's proposed wifi approach has failed in multiple cities, including CHicago, where Newsom goes to get (steal) ideas, yet he wants the public to buy into that approach here? Typical.

Posted by joewmorse | August 29, 2007 10:02 AM

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