Major ISPs colluded with FCC to lie about their internet speeds: report

SALON

If you chose an internet-service provider based on their official internet speed scores published by the Federal Communications Commission, you have have been lied to.

According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, AT&T, Cox, Comcast and other telecom giants pressed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to remove unfavorable data on their speed tests to improve their scores. The FCC has an ongoing research initiative called Measuring Broadband America which is meant to hold internet service providers accountable for their promised internet speeds by gathering "independent" data.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the FCC uses data from a month or two in the fall to produce the report. The FCC and SamKnows, a company that measures internet performance,  alert the internet providers the dates of when the tests will be done and sends them lists of testers' names so they can confirm the internet packages. The relationship and process, according to the report, allows the companies to make targeted upgrades and improve service for the households being tested, thus manipulating the results. read more »

Illinois sues e-cig maker Juul for allegedly targeting minors

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Illinois attorney general’s office filed a consumer fraud lawsuit Thursday against Juul Labs, alleging the e-cigarette maker targets its product to minors and misrepresents the ability of its devices to help people quit smoking.

Citing epidemic levels of addiction to vaping tobacco products among underage users across the state, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the Illinois lawsuit as “one part of a multifaceted” effort to hold Juul accountable for undoing years of progress in reducing youth smoking rates. read more »

Sweden opens Ericsson bribery probe after U.S. settlement – paper

NASDAQ

Sweden's prosecution authority has opened an investigation into possible bribery by employees at mobile telecoms group Ericsson.

Earlier this month, Ericsson agreed to pay more than $1 billion to resolve the investigations in the United States and admitted it had conspired with others to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act from at least 2000 to 2016 by engaging in a scheme to pay bribes and to falsify its books. read more »