Verizon Cutting Off Internet for File Sharing Offenders : MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer January 21, 2010

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Verizon has been terminating service for repeat file-sharing offenders. The ISP confirmed the report, noting that it “cut some people off,” as it has the “right to discontinue service” for customers who do not comply with repeated warnings about illegal file sharing. While the company has suspended accounts, it did say that only a fraction of subscribers were effected and that most subscribers issued a warning did not need to be warned a second time.

YouTube is debuting its rental system at Sundance. The online video network is teaming with the independent film festival to test its online rental platform, which launched with five films from the Sundance Festival. The service offers movies for $3.99 and will be available until the festival ends at the end of the month.

Apple and Microsoft are reportedly in discussions to make Bing the default search engine on the iPhone. If a deal is reached, Microsoft’s search engine would replace Google in the iPhone Safari browser, a move that could help ingrain Bing into the lives of mobile web users.

A new survey is reporting that teens are glued to screens now more than ever. While teen media use was alreay sky high, a new report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation says that teens are engaged with media approximately 7.5 hours a day. While the number is extremely high, its nothing compared to the estimated ten hours and forty-five minutes teens spend absorbing media when multi-tasking is taken into account.