Press Release

FTC Seeks Comments on Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule

In light of continued rapid changes in technology, the Federal Trade Commission is seeking comment on the effectiveness of the amendments the agency made to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule) in 2013 and whether additional changes are needed.

Sen Feinstein Reintroduces Bill That Prevents Use of Social Media Bots in Elections

Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) reintroduced the Bot Disclosure and Accountability Act, a bill to require disclosure of information concerning online social media bots. The Bot Disclosure and Accountability Act authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to enforce transparency requirements on social media companies regarding the use of social media bots that replicate human activity online.

Free Press Cautiously Optimistic on Pai's Proposed Reforms to Broadband Data and Maps

On July 11, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai released a draft proposal to improve the FCC’s broadband-deployment data-collection rules. These revisions are intended to increase the granularity and precision of the National Broadband Map, a semiannual data-collection effort that began at the National Telecommunications Information Agency (NTIA) in 2010. The full FCC will vote on Chairman Pai’s proposal at its Aug.

EFF Sues AT&T, Data Aggregators For Giving Bounty Hunters and Other Third Parties Access to Customers’ Real-Time Locations

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of AT&T customers in CA to stop the telecommunication company and two data location aggregators from allowing numerous entities—including bounty hunters, car dealerships, landlords, and stalkers—to access wireless customers’ real-time locations without authorization. An investigation by Motherboard earlier in 2019 revealed that any cellphone user’s precise, real-time location could be bought for just $300.

Becoming Broadband Ready Means Community Innovation and Collaboration

Next Century Cities teamed up with the Internet Society and Neighborly to create the Becoming Broadband Ready toolkit. This comprehensive toolkit provides local leaders with a roadmap to encourage broadband investment in their community. While every community will choose to tackle connectivity a little differently – a small island community and a large urban center will likely have unique considerations and approaches – there are many common threads that run through successful broadband projects.

FCC Authorizes $39.2 Million For Rural Broadband In New York

The Federal Communications Commission authorized over $39.2 million in federal funding over the next decade to expand broadband to 15,442 unserved rural New York homes and businesses, in partnership with the state’s New NY Broadband Program. Providers will begin receiving funding in July. The federal funding is being provided through the FCC’s Connect America Fund, which is part of a broader effort by the FCC to close the digital divide in rural America. 

Public Knowledge Appoints Chris Lewis to Succeed Kimmelman as President and CEO

Public Knowledge is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Lewis as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer as Gene Kimmelman steps down from the position. Lewis brings 17 years of experience in policymaking and political activism, including the last decade working in technology policy at the Federal Communications Commission and as Vice President at Public Knowledge. As a part of this leadership transition, Public Knowledge appoints Gene Kimmelman as Senior Advisor.

New York State Public Service Commission Approves Settlement with Charter Communications

The New York State Public Service Commission approved an agreement with Charter Communications (known as Spectrum) to resolve disputes over the Commission’s network expansion condition that was contained in the Commission’s approval of the company’s merger with Time Warner Cable in 2016. Under the terms of the agreement, Charter will expand its network to provide high-speed broadband service to 145,000 residences and businesses entirely in Upstate New York and will pay an additional $12 million to expand broadband service to additional premises. Under the terms of the settlement:

Sens Capito, Schatz, Moran, Tester Urge FCC to Improve Accuracy of Broadband Coverage Maps

Sens Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Brian Schatz (D- HI), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Jon Tester (D-MT) urged the Federal Communications Commission to take specific, concrete steps to improve the accuracy of broadband coverage maps. Their letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai encourages the FCC to look at legislative proposals introduced recently in Congress that include reforms requiring wired, fixed wireless, and satellite broadband providers to submit data like “shapefiles” that is more granular and precise to the commission.

Chairman Pai Statement Following FCC's SHAKEN/STIR Robocall Summit

“We must move aggressively to help consumers combat scam robocalls that use and abuse caller ID spoofing, and that’s why we held today’s summit. The summit was productive, and we received generally encouraging signs that companies are headed toward full implementation of the SHAKEN/STIR caller ID authentication framework. I was pleased to hear from voice service providers, vendors, consumer advocates, and others about the successes to date and the challenges that remain.

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for August 2019 Open Meeting

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Aug 1, 2019:

Establishing the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund – The FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would propose to adopt a two-phase reverse auction framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, committing $20.4 billion in high-cost universal service support to bring high-speed broadband service to millions of unserved Americans.

House Legislation to Study Effects of Broadband on the Economy

Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband Act, to require the Bureau of Economic Analysis to conduct a study of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the U.S. economy. The legislation empowers policymakers to make more informed decisions about broadband, connecting underserved communities and keeping America competitive in a digital world.

When Opportunity Knocks (FCC Aug Agenda)

This April, I joined President Donald Trump at a White House event, where I announced my plans to create the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, a modernized approach for connecting the hardest-to-serve corners of our country. Today, I’m circulating a proposal to formally establish this program. If adopted, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund will mark the Federal Communications Commission’s single biggest step yet to close the rural digital divide and will connect millions more rural homes and small businesses to high-speed broadband networks.

Rep Collins releases principles to protect online data property and privacy

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-GA) released guiding principles for legislation he plans to draft and introduce to protect online data as the property of consumers and establish privacy protections for online users. “When consumers generate data, they should have a powerful voice in who gets to use it, how much of it is used and under what conditions. Since it’s their property, consumers should also determine how much privacy they want surrounding their data,” Rep Collins said.

FCC Modernizes Children's TV Programming Rules

The Federal Communications Commission updated its children’s television programming rules. This action provides broadcasters greater scheduling flexibility, enables them to offer more diverse and innovative educational programming, and relieves unnecessary burdens while ensuring that educational programming remains available to all children. The updates reflect the myriad changes in the media marketplace since the FCC first adopted children’s programming rules nearly 30 years ago.

FCC Removes Unnecessary Rules on Phone Company Transport

In light of increasing competition in the marketplace for transport services, the Federal Communications Commission largely eliminated pricing regulation of lower-speed, legacy transport offered by price cap incumbent carriers as part of their commercially available business data services (BDS) or as unbundled network elements. The FCC continued its push to eliminate needless and burdensome regulation and incentivize investment in modern networks by adopting a two-part item that provides the following regulatory relief for price cap carriers’ transport services and facilities:

FCC Spurs Broadband Access in Apartments, Condos, and Office Buildings

The Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to improve broadband deployment and competition in the nation’s apartment buildings, condominium complexes, and office buildings, known as multiple tenant environments (MTEs). For decades, Congress and the FCC have encouraged facilities-based competition by broadly promoting access to customers and infrastructure— including MTEs and their tenants—while avoiding overly burdensome sharing mandates that reduce incentives to invest. Consistent with these principles, the FCC today takes three specific steps to promote facilities-based broadba

FCC Proposes $100 Million Connected Care Pilot Telehealth Program

The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to establish a three-year, $100 million Connected Care Pilot program that would support bringing telehealth services directly to low-income patients and veterans. The proposed Connected Care Pilot would provide an 85% discount on connectivity for broadband-enabled telehealth services that connect patients directly to their doctors and are used to treat a wide range of health conditions.

FCC Establishes Procedures for 5G Incentive Auction

The Federal Communications Commission established procedures for the third auction of high-band, flexible-use licenses suitable for 5G. This auction of airwaves in the Upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz spectrum bands will be the largest spectrum auction in our nation’s history, offering licenses covering up to 3,400 megahertz. These bands of spectrum are suited for the development of 5G, the Internet of Things, and other advanced spectrum-based services, so that Americans can be the first to benefit from the next generation of wireless connectivity.

FCC Transforms 2.5 GHz Band for 5G Services

The Federal Communications Commission voted to modernize the outdated regulatory framework for the 2.5 GHz band to make this swath of vital mid-band spectrum available for advanced wireless services, including 5G.

Chairman Pai Announces Action To Help Americans Reach 911 And Be Quickly Located By First Responders

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the FCC will vote at its Aug meeting on rules to help ensure that people who call 911 from multi-line telephone systems which commonly serve hotels, office buildings, and college campuses—can reach 911 and be quickly located by first responders. The Chairman has circulated draft rules that would implement two recently enacted laws to improve emergency calling, the Kari’s Law Act of 2017 and RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018, and extend 911 location requirements to additional calling platforms. 

Public Interest Groups Urge Congress to Auction C-Band Spectrum to Fund Closing Digital Divide

Public Knowledge joined the Benton Foundation and 20 other rural, education, and public interest groups in a letter urging Congress to ensure that the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to reallocate spectrum in the 3700 to 4200 Mhz band (the “C-Band”) benefits rural and low-income Americans struggling to access broadband. In the letter, the groups argue that permitting foreign satellite operators to privately sell the public’s airwaves will achieve little more than windfall profits for satellite operators.

FCC Chairman Proposes Banning Malicious Caller ID Spoofing Of Text Messages & Foreign Robocalls

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai proposed adoption of new rules banning malicious caller ID spoofing of text messages and international calls.

Benton Urges FCC to Reject Proposal that Would Harm Competition and Consumers

On July 1, 2019, the Benton Foundation urged the Federal Communications Commission to dismiss a proposal that would require E-Rate program participants to pay more than is required by mandating less competition than is available. The FCC's E-Rate program makes broadband and telecommunications services more affordable for schools and libraries around the country.