Public Knowledge

Congress passed out of committee a package of bills aimed at kids’ online safety. The bills range from uncontroversial, bipartisan Federal Trade Commission study bills to those facilitating privacy-threatening surveillance. Lawmakers continue spending time on bills that simply pass on the responsibility for child safety online entirely to parents, rather than pushing platforms to make their products safer for everyone.

Public Knowledge surveyed 13 technology policy organizations and convened 17 early-career technology policy professionals. Key insights include:

Public Knowledge and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance are launching the Connectivity Policy Corps, a nationwide program advancing digital inclusion and broadband policies that shape America’s digital future. The CPC will advance digital equity by elevating local expertise, storytelling, and community organizing into policy action that will inform debates surrounding broadband adoption and affordability to better connect and serve all Americans.

Rather than doing the hard work of establishing a federal regulatory standard for AI with Congress, the White House has invented authorities and delegated non-existent powers to the agencies and executives most anxious to do the President’s bidding. Meanwhile, Congress is trying again to slip soundly rejected AI regulation moratoriums into must-pass legislation in the dark of night.

On October 29, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge Harold Feld testified at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing regarding First Amendment freedoms. "I have been an advocate for First Amendment freedoms––especially the right of the public to hear diverse views and production of local news critical to an informed democracy––for over 25 years," he said.

Public Knowledge promoted Nat Purser, formerly a Government Affairs Policy Advocate, to Senior Policy Advocate for her work in championing consumer interests on Capitol Hill. Her portfolio will grow from broadband access, broadband affordability, and spectrum policy to also include artificial intelligence. Prior to joining Public Knowledge, Purser served as a Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Fellow on Capitol Hill. She previously worked on competition, content moderation, and net neutrality policy at Yelp and in the Michigan legislature.

Public Knowledge joined the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Free Press, and New America’s Open Technology Institute to announce a decision not to file a petition for certiorari seeking U.S. Supreme Court review of a lower court decision that struck down federal Net Neutrality rules.