A district court paused proceedings on Florida’s social media law until the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the state's appeal of a preliminary injunction. Plaintiffs NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association sought the stay, but Florida disagreed (see 2108190021). The appeals court’s “decision on the pending appeal will almost surely provide substantial guidance for, if it does not dictate the outcome of, further litigation in this court,” wrote Judge Robert Hinkle in an Aug. 25 ruling in case 4:21-cv-00220-RH-MAF.
In an unusual move, China has been granted its request for a compliance panel at the World Trade Organization for the dispute between it and the U.S. over how China administers its wheat, rice and corn tariff rate quotas (see 2107160054 and 1904180020).
In an unusual move, China has been granted its request for a compliance panel at the World Trade Organization for the dispute between it and the U.S. over how China administers its wheat, rice and corn tariff rate quotas (see 2107160054 and 1904180020).
The Alarm Industry Communications Committee and alarm companies asked the FCC to direct AT&T to pause a planned 3G data termination sunset, now planned for Feb. 22, until the end of next year. AICC and members said they won’t be ready for the change next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the chip shortage and other issues. The FCC said initial comments are due Aug. 30.
Internet industry groups urged a federal judge to pause district court proceedings on Florida’s social media law until the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Florida's appeal of a preliminary injunction. U.S. District Court in Tallahassee Judge Robert Hinkle asked if the case should be stayed (see 2108050053). What the 11th Circuit decides “will go a long way towards resolving the merits of this case, thereby vastly reducing the need for further briefing or discovery and saving this Court from wading through the discovery disputes that have already emerged,” NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association answered Wednesday in case 4:21-cv-00220-RH-MAF. Florida disagreed. “This case presents very important issues concerning the scope of the government’s authority to regulate the content moderation decisions of social media platforms,” said counsel for Attorney General Ashley Moody (R). “There is an overwhelming public interest in resolving this case expeditiously -- before another election in which Plaintiffs’ members are able to manipulate public discourse by censoring their users.”
Internet industry groups urged a federal judge to pause district court proceedings on Florida’s social media law until the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Florida's appeal of a preliminary injunction. U.S. District Court in Tallahassee Judge Robert Hinkle asked if the case should be stayed (see 2108050053). What the 11th Circuit decides “will go a long way towards resolving the merits of this case, thereby vastly reducing the need for further briefing or discovery and saving this Court from wading through the discovery disputes that have already emerged,” NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association answered Wednesday in case 4:21-cv-00220-RH-MAF. Florida disagreed. “This case presents very important issues concerning the scope of the government’s authority to regulate the content moderation decisions of social media platforms,” said counsel for Attorney General Ashley Moody (R). “There is an overwhelming public interest in resolving this case expeditiously -- before another election in which Plaintiffs’ members are able to manipulate public discourse by censoring their users.”
Internet industry groups urged a federal judge to pause district court proceedings on Florida’s social media law until the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Florida's appeal of a preliminary injunction. U.S. District Court in Tallahassee Judge Robert Hinkle asked if the case should be stayed (see 2108050053). What the 11th Circuit decides “will go a long way towards resolving the merits of this case, thereby vastly reducing the need for further briefing or discovery and saving this Court from wading through the discovery disputes that have already emerged,” NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association answered Wednesday in case 4:21-cv-00220-RH-MAF. Florida disagreed. “This case presents very important issues concerning the scope of the government’s authority to regulate the content moderation decisions of social media platforms,” said counsel for Attorney General Ashley Moody (R). “There is an overwhelming public interest in resolving this case expeditiously -- before another election in which Plaintiffs’ members are able to manipulate public discourse by censoring their users.”
The FCC should reconsider its decision to phase down Lifeline voice-only support, said stakeholders in reply comments on NASUCA's petition to refresh the record posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. Replies were due Tuesday (see 2106280011). Consumers relying on Lifeline voice services "cannot be ignored," said CTIA. The FCC should pause the phasedown until it can "consider the implementation of [the emergency broadband benefit] program and more fully evaluate additional data concerning how consumers use support for broadband and other services," it said. The FCC has a "social obligation" to assist low-income consumers who rely on voice-only support, said USTelecom, which NTCA, Public Knowledge and Next Century Cities echoed in similar comments. The commission "needs to act now to stop the elimination of voice subsidies to assure a bad situation doesn’t get worse," said NARUC. Some Lifeline-eligible consumers "may be unable to find affordable voice-only services" and are "disproportionately likely" to be consumers of color or with disabilities, said MediaJustice and the Center for Accessibly Technology. The record "shows broad support for retaining voice-only support," said New America's Open Technology Institute, saying voice services "have been crucial" for accessing healthcare services during the pandemic.
Mexico recently suspended certain trade relief measures originally introduced to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, KPMG said Aug. 16. They included measures to support the manufacturing industry, export services and rules for refunds of import taxes to exporters. During the suspension period, KPMG said “any days remaining will be considered to be ‘non-business days,’ so that any unexpired limitations period will be tolled and will not be triggered or to begin to run again until the first business day following the day the suspension ends, and at that time, the deadlines of any processes that have been paused will resume.” The suspension is in effect for 30 business days after Aug. 12.
Sound United and Sonos joined the ranks Friday of exhibitors pulling out of CEDIA Expo due to concerns over the COVID-19 delta variant. James Krakowski, Sound United vice president-commercial operations, told us Thursday the company was fully expecting to exhibit at the Sept. 1-3 show in Indianapolis “until last week” when infection rates across the country escalated, causing the company to put plans on pause. Friday, he told us he informed Expo owner Emerald that Sound United would pull out of CEDIA completely “due to the safety of my employees and their families.”