FCC
Tribal Spectrum Licensing, Call for More ACP Funding, $32 Million for West Virginia Broadband
FCC seeking comments to facilitate better broadband connectivity in tribal communities.
Rosenworcel Backs Foreign ID Bill, Parler To Be Acquired, T-Mobile Best Mobile Wireless Speeds
‘Consumers deserve to trust that public airwaves aren’t being leased without their knowledge to foreign governments.’
Spectrum
Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chair Takes FCC to Task for Communication With Tribes
‘You need to get a little better about talking to and listening to native communities,” the chairman told the FCC.
Privacy
Led by Wyden, Democrats Call on NTIA to Reform Privacy Standards for .US Domains
The Democratic legislator called on NTIA end the automatic disclosure of .US web domain users’ personal information.
FCC
Senators, Citing Funding Influx, Press Need to Confirm Rosenworcel
Senators pointed to FCC’s initiatives on mapping, which will need to be good to maximize federal funds for broadband.
Lisa Hone to National Economic Council, EBB Enrolls 3.2 Million Homes, Oregon Network, Data Sharing Request
FCC’s Lisa Hone appointed to NEC, EBB signs up 3.2 million homes, Oregon finishes network, senators request data sharing.
Digital Inclusion
Major Change on the Horizon? Explaining the Affordable, Accessible Internet for All Act
December 2, 2020 – As House GOP leaders ask the Government Accountability Office to audit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect program because of concerns federal funds are being used to “overbuild,” Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have filed legislation that aims to build
Section 230
Google, Facebook and Twitter Defend Themselves as GOP Slams Big Tech and Dems Mock Hearing
October 30, 2020 – Tech platform companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter said they not in favor of redefining the phrase, “otherwise objectionable,” that has become a key source of controversy in the political firestorm surrounding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The CEOs of the three
Section 230
Brendan Carr Thinks FCC Has Section 230 Authority, But Not Others at Communications Association Event
September 29, 2020 – Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr was the odd man out in a conversation about Section 230 in that he actually believes that his agency has the authority to interpret the significant internet statute, he said. In a Thursday discussion hosted by the Federal Communic
Section 230
Senators Discuss Section 230 Shortcomings and Potential Reforms
July 28, 2020 — Senators on Tuesday remained broadly divided on the extent and direction that changes to Section 230 should take. The tenor of the discussion at a Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee hearing suggested that the law was overdue for an overhaul, as senator after senator criticiz
Broadband Roundup: FiberCity, Bipartisan Support for Modifying Section 230, Boston Dumps Facial Recognition
June 25, 2020 — The United States’ largest privately-funded citywide open access network is now connected to fiber, announced SiFi Networks on Tuesday. The company has implemented the open access network in the first area of Fullerton, California, and will continue to expand. The objective is to con
FCC
Rural Digital Opportunity Funds Should be Decreased Until FCC Gets Mapping Right, Says Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
June 24, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission should decrease the amount of money distributed through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, said Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in a Senate hearing on Wednesday. The sometimes-confrontational meeting saw members of the Committee on Commerce, Sc
Congress
Senators Introduce Healthcare Broadband Bill as House Companion, Proposes $2 Billion Telehealth Expansion
May 26, 2020 — On Friday, Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, John Boozman, R-Arkansas, Gary Peters, D-Michigan, Angus King, I-Maine, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Ed Markey, D-Mass. introduced “Health Care Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act,” the Senate
Coronavirus Roundup: Contact Tracing Gold Rush, Tech Companies’ Misinformation Criteria, Additional Telelearning Funds
May 12, 2020 — As the United States turns its focus to reopening, tech companies are looking at the opportunities for contact-tracing technology as the next tech gold rush, CNBC reported. Contact-tracing technology, as seen in South Korea, would use GPS technology to tell users if they have come wit
Coronavirus Roundup: Senators Urge Distance Learning, Zoom Privacy, NTIA Broadband and RUS Grants
Sens. Edward Markey, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, on Thursday joined 31 of their colleagues in a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting funding for all K-12 students to have adequate home internet connectivity if their schools close
Coronavirus Rondup: AI on YouTube, Comcast and Internet Essentials, Senators Press FCC over E-Rate Funds
YouTube will be relying on AI to take down content policy violations as the coronavirus spreads, according to Paresh Dave of Japan Today. Alphabet Inc’s Google, which owns YouTube and typically relies on humans to identify violating content, is now transitioning to less accurate automated tools as o
