The Senate Commerce Committee’s privacy hearing Wednesday (see 1809200050) is a good opportunity for prominent platforms to weigh potential federal legislation, Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Monday. Asked about committee criticism for its all-industry witness list, Thune looked forward to listening to privacy groups at a future hearing. Representatives from Google, Twitter, Apple, Amazon, AT&T and Charter Communications will testify Wednesday (see 1809120036).
Sundar Pichai expects to meet Friday with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the Google CEO confirmed in an email Tuesday. Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark Warner, D-Va., told us the executive is meeting with a “partisan group” of House Republicans Friday. He cited the platform’s recent absence from a hearing with Twitter and Facebook executives (see 1809050057). “I look forward to meeting with Members on both sides of the aisle, answering a wide range of questions, and explaining our approach,” Pichai said in a statement. “These meetings will continue Google's long history of engaging with Congress, including testifying seven times to Congress this year.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been a vocal critic of alleged anti-conservative bias on Google, announcing Sept. 11 an invite to the platform. Google didn't respond to questions about reports Pichai also plans to testify before the House Judiciary Committee after the November elections. The committee didn’t comment. Content Creators Coalition launched a campaign Tuesday calling for Congress to subpoena testimony from Google so it can answer questions on “the Russian attack on the 2016 election, as well as the company’s long history of ignoring illegal activities on its networks.”
Craig Newmark is in contact with Facebook, Google and Twitter about The Markup, an investigative journalism platform that will use data science to cover big tech, the Craigslist founder said Monday. Newmark, who won't have an editorial role in the new venture, contributed $20 million, and it's headed in part by ex-ProPublica journalists. Newmark said at the National Press Club that he's working “quietly and diplomatically,” talking to online platform representatives, platform critics and reporters, “to make sure everyone plays well together.” Asked if representatives from Facebook, Google and Twitter are involved in discussions, Newmark said, “It involves everyone.” The event’s moderator noted a New York Times article on the new venture describes concerns that The Markup’s data collection practices might violate platform terms of service. “Getting to the truth” often requires data science, Newmark said. There’s a lot of conjecture about tech platforms, and “we need something real,” he said. Journalism is in “crisis,” he said, suggesting The Markup adopt values that are in line with The Trust Project, a media company collaboration aimed at creating more trust in the press. Asked about platform bias, given claims coming from the White House and conservative lawmakers, Newmark said he's more interested in the details of platform terms of service and whether companies are upholding promises. He backed more enforcement to hold platforms accountable. Newmark also suggested consumers should have a certain level of “media literacy,” the ability to sniff out when a news story is “fake.” National Religious Broadcasters CEO Jerry Jones warned big tech platforms Friday there will be calls to re-examine Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act if platform bias isn't addressed this year.
EU antitrust enforcers have different standards, but monitoring their activity helps U.S. regulators decide if changes are needed here, FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said Friday during the agency’s second round of hearings on antitrust and consumer protection policy (see 1809130057). She cited Chairman Joe Simons’ call for regulators to keep an open mind as the agency fields policy suggestions through this year.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) is planning on DOJ holding its Tuesday meeting in Washington, D.C., to discuss tech industry issues (see 1809140033 and 1809110041), an official said Friday, despite a report Justice was considering delaying the event. DOJ didn’t comment. A spokesperson for Iowa AG Tom Miller (D), who declined to attend, said her understanding was that the National Association of Attorneys General proposed Justice reschedule the meeting to coincide with an NAAG event Nov. 27-29 in Charleston, South Carolina, but DOJ rejected the idea. An NAAG spokesperson directed questions to individual AG offices. Iowa cited a scheduling conflict and “the lack of an agenda” in declining DOJ’s invite. “We’d be interested in a substantive, bipartisan discussion in which all states were invited,” the spokesperson said. Seven offices for various states AGs told us they are either interested in or will attend Tuesday's meeting. Seven other offices told us they aren’t attending. Justice sent invites to at least 24 AGs. We’ve contacted all 50 state law enforcements chiefs multiple times. Law enforcement chiefs in Texas (R), Louisiana (R) and California (D) said they plan to attend, though they didn't confirm if they are sending the AG or representatives. A spokesperson for Arizona' Mark Brnovich (R) said he's unable to attend, but the office will send staff. Offices in Nebraska (R), Washington (D) and Wisconsin (R) said they were invited. Law enforcement chiefs in Ohio (R), North Dakota (R), Arkansas (R) and North Carolina (D) said they won’t attend due to scheduling conflicts. Democrats in New York and Massachusetts said they aren’t interested. Ten offices told us there weren't invited: Colorado (R), Connecticut (D), Delaware (D), Hawaii (D), Iowa (D), New Hampshire (R), Ohio (R), Oklahoma (R), Oregon (D) and Rhode Island (D). The office for Tennessee's Herbert Slatery (R) directed questions to DOJ. Justice’s inquiry into tech company bias is “misguided,” several groups wrote the department Friday. TechFreedom, Engine Advocacy and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation were among those expressing skepticism the DOJ inquiry will produce any legal action, since the First Amendment bars government from attempting to correct political bias, including through antitrust.
President Donald Trump signed a national cyber strategy to coordinate defensive and offensive activities, National Security Adviser John Bolton said Thursday. The strategy was finalized in connection with rescinding an Obama-era directive requiring interagency coordination on offensive U.S. cyberattacks. Bolton called the reversal a warning sign for adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. It's the first “fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years,” Bolton said. Presidential policy directive 20, in 2012 by President Barack Obama, established an interagency framework for approving U.S. cyberattacks. The administration eliminated that directive several weeks ago, Bolton told reporters. The U.S. no longer has its hands tied, he said: “We’re going to do a lot of things offensively, and I think our adversaries need to know that. ... We’re not just on defense as we have been primarily.” U.S. Cyber Commander Paul Nakasone, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed on the change Bolton said. The new plan recognizes public and private sectors have struggled to secure systems, said Bolton. Overcoming those challenges will require technical advances and a thriving tech sector, Bolton added. He cited the WannaCry cyberattack and a recent attack against Atlanta as evidence threats aren't going away. The 2015 Office of Personnel Management data breach is one type of attack the U.S. is looking to deter, Bolton said. Asked about the administration eliminating the top cyber policy adviser position (see 1805160046), Bolton said he inherited a duplicative staffing structure. Numerous senior directors -- for defense and intelligence, for example -- don't have coordinators, he said. The strategy emphasizes “promoting American prosperity,” “preserving peace through strength,” “advancing American influence” and securing a “cyber future.” It's an extension of Trump’s May 2017 cybersecurity executive order, the White House said. DOD said Tuesday the U.S. needs to collect intelligence in cyberspace to combat malicious efforts by China and Russia, which pose an unacceptable risk to the U.S. North Korea and Iran pose similar threats, officials said.
Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., author of music copyright legislation that passed the Senate Tuesday (see 1809180057), anticipates the bill will get unanimous support in the House, his aide told us Wednesday. “We expect the House to greet the amended bill with the same support that has already seen it through both chambers with unanimous votes.”
Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chris Coons, D-Del., crafted another last-minute compromise on music copyright legislation that could clear the way for fast-track unanimous consent consideration (see 1809170050). They will introduce a bill to be included in the final version of the Music Modernization Act, replacing the Classics Act portion Wyden opposed. That's according to documents we obtained.
Expect a request to “hotline” Senate music copyright legislation this week in an effort to allow unanimous consent consideration on the floor, industry representatives told us Monday. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told us he supports hotlining his Music Modernization Act (see 1808170046).
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes (R) and North Carolina AG Josh Stein (D) were invited to DOJ’s Sept. 25 meeting on social media concerns, their offices told us Monday (see 1809140033). Stein won't attend, a spokeswoman said, citing a full schedule that day. Reyes is still deciding.