Staff may not use FCC computing resources for any "illegal, unethical, or inappropriate activities, "including accessing "inappropriate material," online gambling, lobbying, campaigning or downloading or distributing illegal copies of copyrighted materials. That's per the information technology and privacy rules of behavior, which we obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. Staff can't send or post "threatening, harassing, intimidating, abusive, or inappropriate material or message," do official agency business via personal email, or forward non-public data to personal accounts. When teleworking, staffers must protect sensitive data by means including the disposal of sensitive information by shredding or other means, and not download FCC information on personal devices, including downloading FCC attachments outside of OneDrive or SharePoint, per the policy. Under the FCC's essential IT equipment policy, employees "as a standard equipment baseline" get a virtual desktop infrastructure unit and required peripheral equipment such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Workers can be issued a smartphone or tablet, with a maximum of one per employee "with few exceptions," though field agents and travelers might be issued both. The commission told us it implemented a "bring your own device" smartphone policy during FY 2017-18, under which employees are permitted to use their personally owned device. Under the BYOD policy, staff, interns and contractors must use the MobileIron Apps@work catalog to download work-related applications.
Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist and 22 other officials from right-leaning groups Wednesday opposed the Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act, which is believed to form part of the basis for the $65 billion broadband component of a bipartisan infrastructure package President Joe Biden backed last week (see 2106290066). The Bridge Act, refiled in June, would allocate $40 billion for broadband deployments and affordability programs (see 2106150089). The bill “would increase the size and scope of the federal government for broadband deployment, while limiting the constitutionally delegated power of states,” the conservative groups said in a letter to the Senate. “Any lawmaker who values limited government and the free market should stand up against this proposal.”
U.S. consumers think big tech companies “wield too much power” and want Congress and regulatory authorities to rein them in, reported Escalent Tuesday. The market analytics firm canvassed nearly 1,100 U.S. adults online April 14-20, finding nearly two-thirds across party lines believing tech companies have too much power, while more than half, 55%, think the government should regulate them more. “While consumers don’t want big tech to be too powerful, they also want big tech to be powerful enough to continue to make positive impacts on their lives through the products and services these brands provide,” said Escalent.
An Ohio legislative conference committee scrapped a municipal broadband ban from the proposed state budget Monday, Ice Miller attorney Jessica Voltolini told us. The House and Senate planned to vote on the conference report later that evening, said the local government attorney. Localities were gearing up to sue Ohio unless lawmakers discarded the proposed ban (see 2106180013). Fairlawn, Ohio, Public Service Director Ernie Staten praised local rallying around the issue. “Municipalities only enter the broadband space when forced to by the inaction of the private sector,” he said.
The U.S. and EU will tackle AI issues together in the newly launched Trade and Technology Council because it's vital they "write the rules of the road" together, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told a Thursday virtual BSA|The Software Alliance event. The two regions don't have widely different views on technology, and they share commitments to privacy, democracy and equity, she said: One challenge is to determine how to regulate and set standards for emerging tech in a way that lets it flourish while safeguarding fundamental values. The European Commission unveiled an AI regulatory framework last month based on risk management (see 2104210003). The U.S. wants to develop similar, said Raimondo. She said the key is "robust industry engagement. Industry needs to lean in" and partner with the U.S. government: The goal is to "harness the power but keep a lid on the danger." Ensure tech doesn't undermine trust, said Margrethe Vestager, EC executive vice president-Europe Fit for the Digital Age: That includes ensuring there's no bias in AI. Creating trust and safety for AI is "market-creating," she said: The marketplace for the many applications for AI use within public sector activities won't function without trust. BSA launched its framework for confronting bias in AI Thursday. It calls for a process for carrying out impact assessments to identify and mitigate potential bias risks; identifies existing best practices and technical tools for lessening specific bias risks; and lays out corporate governance processes and safeguards needed for effective risk management. Separately, Raimondo met with EU officials at the June 14-16 U.S.-EU summit, Commerce newly blogged. She and EC officials agreed on the importance of data transfers and the need to continue talks on a successor to data-sharing mechanism Privacy Shield. They "recognized that, while key issues remained to be addressed in those negotiations, the liberal values and commitment to individual privacy shared by the U.S. and EU would help drive those negotiations to a mutually-agreeable resolution at the appropriate time."
USTelecom asked the FCC to reject Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition’s request for clarification of Emergency Connectivity Fund rules, said a letter posted Wednesday in docket 21-93. SHLB asked for clarification whether applicants can receive funding to deploy their own networks if existing services aren’t available at a reasonable price. SHLB’s request is “clearly contrary” to the ECF allowing limited exception for new infrastructure deployment if no commercially available services are in an area, USTelecom said: “The request circumvents both the policies underlying the creation of the ECF as well as the commission’s procedural requirements in requesting reconsideration of a commission order.” SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen said he was "a bit flabbergasted" by USTelecom's filing. "If these decisions are just going to be made on a case-by-case basis without further guidance, as USTelecom apparently prefers, then many applications run the risk of being denied because of uncertainties in the rules and policies, which would not be good government," Windhausen said: "We would hope USTelecom would join with SHLB in helping this program succeed rather than blocking this clarification request.”
A Rhode Island net neutrality bill passed the Senate 36-1 Tuesday. SB-342 would require state contracts be with only ISPs that adhere to such rules. Sen. Elaine Morgan (R) cast the lone nay at the livestreamed floor vote. SB-342 goes next to the House, where similar Senate-passed measures stalled in 2018 and 2019. Bill sponsor Sen. Louis DiPalma (D) voiced optimism about House passage this year (see 2106100063).
Walmart condensed four years of e-commerce evolution into the past year, Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner told a National Retail Federation virtual conference Monday. Retailers said they look to bring customers back to stores, while riding the surge in pandemic-driven e-commerce growth. The public COVID-19 health crisis spurred combining in-store shopping, online shopping and pickup, and delivery to home, Furner said: Walmart wants to be positioned to do “anything a customer needs... at any time.” If consumers are shopping both physically and virtually, they expect goods be “delivered in the way they want it, when they want it,” the executive said. “We have to be able to handle the complexity of the supply chain in the background.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit’s recent Telesat Canada v. FCC decision (see 2106040044) supports NAB’s arguments the agency has authority to expand the base of entities that pay regulatory fees to include “Big Tech,” NAB replied Friday in FCC docket 21-190. The D.C. Circuit “found that it is reasonable for the FCC to charge regulatory fees to entities that benefit from its activities, regardless of whether the entity is a licensee,” NAB said. “Given Telesat’s interpretation of the Commission’s regulatory fee authority, the Commission must, at a minimum, address NAB’s requests and issue” a Further NPRM seeking comment on expanding the base of regulatory fee payers, NAB said. The Internet Association declined to comment. Spire Global's reply supported Myriota's request for clarification that integrated non-geostationary orbit systems with multiple call signs are subject to a single regulatory fee.
Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wants to increase FCC broadband speed thresholds, she told reporters Thursday. "I hope in time that I can convince my colleagues that that is where we need to head." She believes "it's absolutely time" to raise the current threshold of 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps up, she said a few minutes later. She didn't say if she believes speeds should be symmetrical or detail what higher speeds she would like to have define broadband. Spokespeople didn't answer our questions.