Team Telecom recommended the FCC deny OK for the portion of a Pacific Light Cable Network undersea cable system that would directly link the U.S. and Hong Kong, DOJ announced. The commission declined to comment.
The California justice department submitted final rules for implementing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) by Monday night’s Office of Administrative Law deadline, Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) said Tuesday. The AG office just released the rules submitted for OAL review.
The White House will “hopefully” make an announcement before 5 p.m. EDT Thursday on an executive order from President Donald Trump, said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. A draft executive order seeks to clarify the scope of the tech industry’s content liability shield, potentially exposing platforms to DOJ and FTC scrutiny. Various shields allow platforms to censor conservative voices, McEnany said. The intention is to remove those shields and shed light on platform decisionmaking, she added.
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday “pertaining to social media,” a White House spokesperson told reporters Wednesday evening. Another spokesperson previously indicated Trump would sign the order Wednesday night. The White House didn’t provide details on what the EO would do.
A long-awaited Copyright Office report on a key statute governing internet platforms said Digital Millennium Copyright Act Section 512 may need a revamp. The section's safe harbor operation "is unbalanced," CO said in a news release Thursday afternoon. "While the Office is not recommending any wholesale changes to section 512, the Report points out these and other areas where Congress may wish to consider legislation to rebuild the original balance between rightsholders and online service providers."
NTIA has filled at least two policy roles, the agency confirmed Friday afternoon. Michigan State University law professor Adam Candeub was named deputy assistant secretary of commerce for the agency and former Charter Communications Group Vice President-Advanced Engineering Jim Medica became senior adviser.
May 1, 2020 by Dugie Standeford and Jonathan Make|Bulletin
ICANN rejected the Internet Society's proposed sale of Public Interest Registry to Ethos Capital after "completing extensive due diligence," Chairman Maarten Botterman blogged Thursday night. Directors found withholding consent to the transfer "is reasonable, and the right thing to do." The deal had attracted scrutiny from legislators and from at least one attorney general, while nonprofit advocates opposed it. The decision "sets a dangerous precedent with broad industry implications," said Ethos.
The Technology Policy Institute is the latest organization in media, technology and telecom to reschedule an event due to COVID-19. TPI moved its annual conference from Aug. 16-18 in Aspen, Colorado, across the country to Boar's Head Resort in Charlottesville on Oct. 16-18, we were told this week. It's one of the farthest out on the calendar events to be rescheduled due to COVID-19.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is circulating plans for some $300 million of telehealth spending. One plan is for $200 million and would support healthcare providers' telehealth services to fight the coronavirus, under the Cares Act. The rest of the money is for the agency's connected care pilot. It would use USF money over three years.
FCC staff delayed deadlines on the agency "seeking to refresh the record" on net neutrality and Lifeline, it announced Wednesday afternoon. "With this 21-day extension, comments are due" April 20, replies May 20. A Feb. 19 public notice sought feedback on aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC ruling.