Broadcasters' diversity hiring practices drew polar opposite reactions on the two sides of the Capitol Monday, with senior House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., joining FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks in pressing the FCC to revive its collection of equal employment opportunity workforce diversity data using Form 395-B. On the Senate side, Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is objecting to CPB rules for member stations’ diverse workforce policies.
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit repeatedly pressed International Dark-Sky Association (ISDA) about its standing during oral argument Monday in the group's legal challenge to the FCC's approval of SpaceX's second-generation satellite constellation (see 2301030014).
An FCC draft report and order slated for commissioners' open meeting Wednesday creating a one-year window allowing certain low-power TV stations to convert to Class A status is expected to receive unanimous approval and perhaps an early vote, agency officials told us. The Class A window would open on the draft order’s effective date. The draft item has attracted little lobbying since it was announced last month, with the most recent filings in the docket (23-126) from June.
Utility pole owners, ISPs and advocacy groups widely backed the FCC's efforts to expedite the pole attachment application process in a draft order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM that commissioners will consider during an agency meeting next week (see 2311210043). Some sought additional clarification of definitions and transparency requirements. Others urged the FCC to add specificity to the application review process.
The FCC will likely rework part of its robotexting order, set for a commissioners vote Wednesday, industry lawyers said. Objections were raised on several fronts. One area that could see change is a provision clamping down on the lead generator loophole. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy elevated the issue when it asked the FCC to seek further comment (see 2312040028), lawyers said.
California should be cautious about adopting limits from other jurisdictions’ privacy laws as it decides how to apply rules to AI, California Privacy Protection Agency Chairperson Jennifer Urban said Friday. But board member Alastair Mactaggart raised concerns that the CPPA is proposing too broad a definition of automated decision-making technology (ADMT) during the board’s virtual meeting. The CPPA board discussed pre-rulemaking proposals on cybersecurity audits, risk assessments and ADMT that privacy experts say could affect many industries, including communications and the internet (see 2312060021).
A week ahead of Wednesday’s FCC commissioner vote on revised data breach reporting requirements, providers and major industry associations raised concerns about the proposed rules (see 2311220047) and whether they would withstand a court challenge. Filings on meetings with commissioner staff and other FCC officials were posted Thursday in docket 22-21. Only NCTA raised concerns in the docket prior to Thursday (see 2312060037).
Bicameral draft language released Thursday for Congress’ $900 billion defense bill includes a four-month extension of the FBI’s controversial foreign intelligence surveillance authority (see 2312060048).
The Biden administration Thursday directed the President's National Security Telecommunications Committee to explore principles for baseline security offerings from cloud-service providers, with a report expected in May. NSTAC met Thursday and Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser-cyber and emerging technology, asked for the cloud-security report.
Future automated decision-making rules in California could have national impact on communications and internet companies, among many other industries, privacy experts said in interviews last week. The California Privacy Protection Agency board plans a Friday meeting to discuss an early proposal that the CPPA released last week. The proceeding is preliminary, with the agency saying it expects to formally begin the rulemaking next year.