The economy is controlled by a global banking entity called CenBank, short for Central Bank and was based in Geneva, Switzerland, and all transfers were electronic and highly monitored by the bank's AI and President Barton Poole. The "FTL Newsfeed" came from this future world's "Commlink" system which acted as an interactive global information network that merges the Internet, television programming of all sorts and virtual reality entertainment into one entertainment center. There was even a special voting message shown during the 1992 Presidential Elections that has all "Commlink" functions suspended until the following day as if to coincide with the elections of 2142.