FCC Launches Open Internet Apps Challenge

The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday launched a competition for researchers and software developers to create applications to help consumers "foster, measure and protect Internet openness."

Challenge.gov encourages the development of apps that provide users with information on the consistency of their fixed or mobile broadband Internet services with the open Internet. That would be to detect whether a broadband provider is interfering with DNS responses, application packet headers, or content, according to an FCC news release. The contest challenges researchers to write academic papers that analyze relevant Internet openness measurements, techniques, and data.

"This challenge is about using the open Internet to protect the open Internet," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. "Our goal is to foster user-developed applications that shine light on any practice that might be inconsistent with the free and open Internet. Empowering consumers with information about their own connections will promote a vibrant, innovative, world-leading broadband ecosystem."

The deadline for the contest is June 1; click here to enter. A panel of judges will award category winners and then the public will pick a people's choice. All winners will be invited to FCC headquarters to present their work to the commission and attend a reception, and will be featured on the FCC's website and social media outlets.