David Shepardson

US appeals court will not reconsider California net neutrality ruling

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals will not reconsider its decision in January to uphold California's net neutrality law. California's 2018 law barred internet service providers from blocking or throttling traffic, or offering paid fast lanes, but it only took effect in 2021.

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington said it is uncertain if he could participate in any Section 230 proceeding

The office of Federal Communications Commissioner Nathan Simington said it is uncertain if he could participate in any Section 230 proceeding. Simington’s office said FCC ethics counsel advised “as there is no currently-pending Section 230 matter before the commission to be discussed with specificity, it could not comprehensively rule out potential recusal in the future. However, no grounds were identified for recusal on this topic at this time.”

FCC Commissioner starks calls for new scrutiny of undersea data cables

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks called for new scrutiny of undersea cables that transmit nearly all the world’s internet data traffic at the FCC meeting Sept 30.  “We must take a closer look at cables with landing locations in adversary countries,” Commissioner Starks said.

President Trump plans to nominate official for FCC amid social media push

President Donald Trump, pressing for new social media regulations, plans to nominate a senior administration official to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission. The nomination of Nathan Simington, a senior adviser at the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, comes after the White House abruptly announced in early August it was withdrawing the nomination of FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly to serve another term.

President Trump withdraws renomination of FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly

The White House withdrew the nomination of Federal Communications Commissioner Mike O'Rielly to serve another term, a surprising development that came after his nomination was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in July. The announcement came less than a week after Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said he would block O'Rielly's nomination over the five-member FCC's unanimous decision to allow Ligado Networks to deploy a low-power nationwide mobile broadband network.

Acting NTIA Director Diane Rinaldo Steps Down

Diane Rinaldo, the acting head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the principal adviser to the White House on telecommunications and spectrum policy issues, is stepping down. Rinaldo has led the agency on an acting basis since May, when the prior head resigned. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the agency, said, “Diane has led NTIA to multiple successes on 5G, supply chain security, broadband and public safety communications.”

President Trump says US will cooperate with 'like-minded' nations on 5G networks

President Donald Trump said the United States plans to cooperate with “like-minded nations” to promote security in next-generation 5G networks. In a letter to delegates at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference in Egypt, President Trump said the United States intended “to deploy 5G services rapidly” and was “in opposition to those who would use 5G as a tool to expand control of their own citizens and to sow discord among nations.”

President Trump to hold event April 12 on 5G, rural broadband

President Donald Trump is set to hold a White House event April 12 with the Federal Communications Commission on next-generation 5G wireless networks and efforts to boost rural broadband internet access. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and President Trump would deliver remarks on 5G deployment. Chairman Pai is expected to announce additional funds to help rural areas that lack broadband get access to the high-speed service.

Nine state attorneys general back AT&T in Time Warner appeal

A group of nine state attorneys general backed AT&T as the Justice Department asks a federal appeals court to reverse approval of the company’s $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner. It “is rare for the federal government to pursue an antitrust case involving major, national companies without any state joining the effort,” the nine state officials said in a court filing, noting that no states have filed briefs supporting the Justice Department’s appeal.

Internet Association backs 'national' data privacy approach

The Internet Association, a group representing more than 40 major internet and technology firms including Facebook, Amazon, and Alphabet, said it backed modernizing US data privacy rules but wants a national approach that would preempt CA's new regulations that take effect in 2020.

President Trump unblocks more Twitter users after US court ruling

President Donald Trump unblocked some additional Twitter users after a federal judge in May said preventing people from following him violated individuals constitutional rights.  US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan ruled on May 23 that comments on the president’s account, and those of other government officials, were public forums and that blocking Twitter users for their views violated their right to free speech under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

Internet groups urge US court to reinstate net neutrality rules

A coalition of trade groups representing companies including Alphabet, Facebook, and Amazon, urged a US appeals court to reinstate landmark “network neutrality” rules adopted in 2015 to guarantee an open internet. In a legal filing, the Internet Association, Entertainment Software Association, Computer & Communications Industry Association, and Writers Guild of America West urged the reversal of the Federal Communications Commission's decision under Chairman Ajit Pai to overturn the rules in December.

FCC investigating reports website flaw exposed mobile phone locations

The Federal Communications Commission said it was referring reports that a website flaw could have allowed the location of mobile phone customers to be tracked to its enforcement bureau to investigate.  A security researcher said that California-based LocationSmart data could have been used to track AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile US consumers without consent within a few hundred yards of their location. Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) urged the FCC to investigate, saying on Twitter a “hacker could have used this site to know when you were in your house so they would know when to rob it.

FCC Chairman Pai cites concerns on spy threats from Huawei

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said he shares the concerns of lawmakers about espionage threats from Chinese smartphone maker Huawei Technologies and plans to take “proactive steps” to ensure the integrity of the US communications supply chain. In a March 20 letter to lawmakers, Chairman Pai offered no specifics on his future actions. He said the FCC does not purchase or use Huawei or ZTE products or equipment, “and I do not expect that would change if a major US communications company partnered with Huawei.”

U.S. judge says AT&T-Time Warner merger trial may last 8 weeks

US District Judge Richard Leon said a trial to decide if AT&T’s $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner is legal under US antitrust law may last six to eight weeks, significantly longer than previously forecast. At a pre-trial hearing, Judge Leon said he will hear up to two days of motions before hearing opening arguments on March 21. Lawyers for the government and both companies did not comment on Leon’s estimate on the length of the trial; they had previously suggested it would last three weeks.

US Ninth Circuit Court in San Francisco will hear net neutrality case

The US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation randomly selected the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to hear the consolidated challenges to the Federal Communications Commission's repeal of net neutrality rules. A dozen challenges [including one filed by the Benton Foundation] have been filed by 22 state attorneys general, public interest groups, internet companies, a California county and the state’s Public Utilities Commission seeking to block the Trump administration’s repeal of landmark rules designed to ensure a free and open internet from taking effect

FCC approves Time Warner sale of Atlanta TV station

The Federal Communications Commission approved Time Warner's sale of a broadcast station in Atlanta to Meredith, a transaction that could help speed Time Warner's planned merger with AT&T. The station that Time Warner is selling, WPCH-TV, for $70 million, is its only FCC-regulated broadcast station. It has other, more minor FCC licenses. Meredith has operated WPCH-TV for Time Warner since 2011. It was previously known as WTBS. Meredith said it was pleased the FCC approved the application and that it anticipated "moving forward expeditiously to close this deal."

Chairman Pai vows to shrink industry regulations

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, vowed to pare back outdated commission regulations, but declined to say if he will move quickly to overturn the Obama administration's landmark network neutrality rules. One top priority is "to remove unnecessary or counterproductive regulations from the books," Chairman Pai said after he chaired his first meeting.