Toy-safety bill advances, No to Internet rationing

Toy-safety bill advances

Reacting to a spate of recalls of toys containing dangerous toxins, the House and Senate this week agreed on a bill that would sharply limit the allowable levels of lead and phthalates in toys. The bill, which President Bush is expected to sign, also increases funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and establishes mandatory testing of children’s products. Both lead and phthalates, which are widely used in plastics, can cause health problems in children.

No to Internet rationing

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Internet service providers cannot ration service to heavy users of the Internet, the Federal Communications Commission ruled this week. The FCC said that Comcast, one of the largest Internet service providers, broke the law when it slowed the transfer of video files among a group of its customers to ensure that other customers had adequate bandwidth. The FCC ruled that Comcast had no right to act as Internet traffic cop.