The Internet Governance Forum USA conference will be held virtually July 22-23, IGF-USA said Wednesday. Originally planned to be in Washington, the now two-day conference will cover topics including 5G security, IoT, COVID-19 response, education technology, network security, encryption, privacy, content moderation and artificial intelligence.
The FCC is taking comments in docket 20-93 through June 19, replies July 6 on a rulemaking to thwart one-ring phone scams (see 2004280030), says Wednesday's Federal Register.
Smaller carriers that haven’t converted landline systems to VoIP seek extensions to comply with the secure telephone identity revisited (Stir) and secure handling of asserted information using tokens (Shaken) caller ID authentication framework requirements from the Traced Act, in comments posted through Monday in docket 20-67. They face implementation challenges (see 2002260058). NTCA wants the deadline extended to June 2023 for rural LECs. The FCC should “adopt compliance timeframes tied to RLECs’ ability to obtain and integrate into operating budgets vendor solutions," NTCA said. Extensions "without regard to the actual circumstances impacting implementation would only risk holding back the pace of the IP transition," AT&T said. USTelecom urged "proceed[ing] with caution" because in its experience "virtually all illegal robocalls are either originated by small IP-based providers" or gain network access through them. USTelecom said it supports a one-year implementation extension "due to undue hardship for small voice providers, on a case-by-case basis." Establish "policies that address the robocall and spoofing challenges differently for TDM than for IP," Verizon said. ACA Connects members need time and flexibility to overcome implementation barriers, it said. Consider transition costs and the amount of TDM that remains in the network, WTA suggested: Encourage research and deployment on alternative call authentication methodologies. WISPA asked for waivers. "Unlike larger nationwide providers, small providers often are dependent on third-party vendors" in such situations, the Competitive Carriers Association said: "Any delay by a vendor would be out of a provider’s control." T-Mobile wants the FCC to extend the mandate to intermediate carriers because otherwise terminating carriers can't verify a call's identification. Include wireline, wireless, VoIP providers and over-the-top voice services, NCTA said. Facilitating the VoIP transition could maximize effectiveness, Comcast said.
Sixty-one percent of consumers rank smartphones and smart TV remotes (45 percent) as top devices for voice control, said a Thursday Syntiant report based on a Caravan survey. Over a quarter of consumers, led by Generation X and baby boomers, cited smart thermostats, doorbells and microwave ovens as devices they control by voice vs. touch screens or other tactile interfaces. Millennials (28%) and Generation Z (18%) consumers control gaming devices and smartwatches by voice. Privacy (27%) is the top concern consumers have about voice control, followed by security (23%), functionality (19%) and ease of use (15%). The survey was done April 22-24.
Weakening encryption would jeopardize the health and security of billions around the world, some 30 advocacy groups said Wednesday, launching the Global Encryption Coalition. The Center for Democracy & Technology, Internet Society and Global Partners Digital will lead the steering committee. Members include the American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation and New America’s Open Technology Institute. The coalition will “alert technologists to encryption threats around the world, and create mechanisms through which they can deliver expert analysis to mitigate those threats,” said CDT Chief Technology Officer Mallory Knodel.
Congress should support three amendments to the USA Freedom Act, which would strengthen civil liberties against improper intelligence agency spying, said the American Civil Liberties Union Tuesday. ACLU supported amendments (see 2003180042): one from Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; another from Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; and a third from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. The amendments would stop browsing history spying without probable cause, strengthen independent “friend-of-the-court” provisions before the secret intelligence court, and prevent the “use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act against people in the United States,” the group said.
Cisco clarified its privacy policy for Webex videoconferencing after a Consumer Reports study on data protection (see 2005010059), CR said Tuesday. The clarification makes it easy to determine what data is collected and how it’s used, CR said. Cisco didn’t comment.
Zoom agreed to implement enhanced data security and user controls, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) announced Thursday (see 2004070053). The company will maintain a “comprehensive data security program,” increase video access controls for users, update its acceptable use policies and provide additional abuse reporting tools. “Our lives have inexorably changed over the past two months, and while Zoom has provided an invaluable service, it unacceptably did so without critical security protections,” James said. The agreement reflects work Zoom completed during a 90-day security and privacy plan, “including making a number of our pre-existing security features on by default and also introducing new security enhancements,” a company spokesperson emailed.
The Trump administration should set clear guidelines for how technology will be used to combat COVID-19, more than a dozen advocacy groups wrote Tuesday to Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Center for Democracy & Technology, Center for Digital Democracy, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Media Alliance, Public Citizen and Public Knowledge signed. The groups outlined 11 principles, including science-based, public health objectives; protections against tech bias; guidelines for voluntary use; limitations on data collection and sharing; and data security and transparency recommendations. The White House didn't comment.
State attorneys general will ramp up enforcement against illegal robocallers, issuing more subpoenas or civil investigative demands to the Industry Traceback Group, so it should expand traceback capabilities, said the National Association of Attorneys General in a letter Monday to USTelecom. NAAG urged using a wider variety of call data sources; analyzing data to identify illegal robocall campaigns and trends; and allowing law enforcement agencies to upload and receive responses to subpoenas and CIDs electronically. USTelecom tweeted that the letter aims "to build on our existing strong public/private partnership and together expand the work of the Industry Traceback Group, our anti-#robocalls SWAT team." "You can count on us," it said.