Google is illegally collecting personal data from children through its G Suite for Education apps, alleged New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas (D) in a lawsuit Thursday. This includes geolocation information, browsing history, search terms, contact lists and voice recordings, Balderas said: “Tracking student data without parental consent is not only illegal, it is dangerous.” Balderas’ claims are factually wrong, a company spokesperson said. The apps require parental consent when necessary and allow schools to control account access, Google said: “School districts can decide how best to use Google for Education.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) should enact a telco tax exemption for property used to provide broadband to rural areas, TDS Telecom said Thursday. The Senate voted 33-0 Wednesday to pass AB-344, after the House voted 62-36 for the measure last week. The bill would require at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. TDS Senior Vice President-Corporate Affairs Drew Petersen said the proposed exemption would give incentive to expand broadband into underserved places.
Common Sense released an online tool for consumers to exercise rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act. The website, revealed Wednesday, links to privacy pages of thousands of major companies.
Washington state’s privacy bill cleared the Senate and is to be considered by a House panel Friday. The Senate voted 46-1 Friday for SB-6281. The House Innovation, Technology and Economic Development (ITED) Committee scheduled a hearing on the bill for Friday at 10 a.m. PST. A week before Senate passage, the ITED committee cleared a similar bill, while noting more work to do before final passage (see 2002070051). The House voted 96-0 Sunday for HB-2400 requiring privacy assessments of state agencies. Monday, the House voted 70-28 for HB-2396 on internet bots and 87-11 for HB-1503 on registering data brokers. Those three bills go to the Senate.
Telecom carriers and equipment vendors are addressing confusion over who must comply with Kari's Law rules that were to take effect Monday. The law requires multi-line telephone systems give direct access to 911 without the need to dial a prefix. The MLTS must notify a representative, such as the front desk or security, once 911 is dialed. "This is a reminder to building managers and others responsible for multi-line telephone systems that they must adhere to the new requirements," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Friday. "There's some confusion for enterprise customers," said Tricia McConnell, Bandwidth 911 product marketing manager. "They're responsible for compliance, but they don't know what compliance means." Requirements also apply to government agencies and nonprofits using MLTS, and to cloud-based and VoIP and traditional circuit-based systems, Hogan Lovells blogged Feb. 10. MLTS operating before the compliance deadline don't need to meet the new rules unless they're modified after the compliance date. Some larger companies may consider coming into compliance sooner than required under the law because "no company wants to be outed on social media by restricting access to 911," McConnell said. There are other E-911 laws in roughly half the states, McConnell said: Bandwidth is pushing for a federal law.
An Arizona bill to empower electric cooperatives to provide broadband cleared the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee 6-0 Wednesday. SB-1460 is opposed by Comcast, Cox Communications and Susan Bitter Smith, who resigned as Arizona Corporation Commission chairwoman after the attorney general said she had a conflict of interest as a cable lobbyist (see 1512180034).
Universal Service Administrative Co. sees “good momentum” on the Lifeline national verifier, after a rocky start that state regulators criticized last year, USAC Vice President-Lifeline Michelle Garber told NARUC. The Telecom Committee where she spoke cleared a proposed resolution later Tuesday seeking accurate broadband maps and an unserved focus for the FCC’s forthcoming 5G fund. The committee agreed to an amendment deleting a phrase prescribing the mechanism the FCC should use to ensure maps are accurate, as expected. Both votes were unanimous. The resolution needs NARUC board OK. One year ago, state commissioners grilled USAC officials on high rates of users failing the automated check due to the NV not accessing all databases relevant to determining eligibility. “It was tough,” Garber said now. “There were a lot of things we were saying were coming, but it was hard to see them coming, like a carrier” application programming interface or connection to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services database, she said. “There wasn’t enough communication and transparency.” A "lot changed in the past year,” Garber said. “When we said we wanted to get better, people trusted us and engaged with us to help us do that.” South Dakota Commissioner Chris Nelson, who accused USAC last year of a "bait and switch," this time thanked the administrator for its cooperation. His state's databases remain unconnected, but it's the fault of South Dakota agencies, he said.
The North Carolina Department of Information Technology launched two new broadband indices to create a more accurate picture of broadband access and adoption in the state, said state Chief Information Officer Eric Boyette Monday during at Institute for Emerging Issues forum in Raleigh.
Parties have one more day to comment on revised California Consumer Privacy Act draft rules that came out Friday (see 2002070054), the state attorney general's office said Monday. "The previously mailed notice and modified text of proposed regulations omitted a revision to Section 999.317, subsection (g)," so the comment deadline is now Feb. 25, it said.
Virginia municipal broadband advocates will try to broaden support after the legislature decided to delay a bill to clear barriers to municipal broadband. Muni broadband supporters had seen an opening to lift restrictions after Democrats flipped the legislature blue in November’s election (see 2001160002). The Virginia House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee voted by voice last week to “continue” HB-1052 to 2021, meaning it won’t be considered until then. “Progress rarely happens overnight,” Our Revolution Arlington member Detta Kissel emailed Thursday. The progressive group worked with Del. Mark Levine (D) on HB-1052. “Continuing the bill will give the legislature time to study the issue and will give us time to broaden our coalition as we prepare for next year,” Kissel said. Levine didn’t comment.