The California Assembly’s Judiciary Committee unanimously passed legislation Tuesday to make social media platforms liable for addiction- and design-related harm to children. AB-2408 would impose penalties on major social media platforms for negligent design.
A looser content moderation approach at Twitter under Elon Musk's ownership risks turning it into a fringe, extremist platform like 4chan, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., told us Thursday. “I’m concerned with what he’s rumored or said to believe” in terms of moderation, said Nadler: “That means you’re going to have all this disinformation on Twitter that wouldn’t have been previously allowed. That would concern me.” The Judiciary Committee will have to “wait and see” whether action is necessary, he said.
A looser content moderation approach at Twitter under Elon Musk's ownership risks turning it into a fringe, extremist platform like 4chan, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., told us Thursday. “I’m concerned with what he’s rumored or said to believe” in terms of moderation, said Nadler: “That means you’re going to have all this disinformation on Twitter that wouldn’t have been previously allowed. That would concern me.” The Judiciary Committee will have to “wait and see” whether action is necessary, he said.
A draft FCC NPRM would seek comment on an Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) Broadband Coalition proposal to establish an "Enhanced" A-CAM program, if adopted during the May 19 commissioners' meeting (see 2010300055). The proposal would "achieve widespread deployment of faster 100/20 Mbps broadband service" in rural areas currently receiving A-CAM support, said a fact sheet Thursday. Also on tap are orders updating priority calling rules and clamping down on robocalls. Another order would allow computer modeling to verify the pattern of FM directional antennas.
The U.S. moved for a stay of proceedings in an Enforce and Protect Act contest at the Court of International Trade after CBP found that a covered merchandise referral to the Commerce Department was needed after a voluntary remand request to reconsider its affirmative evasion finding (Fedmet Resources Corporation v. United States, CIT #21-00248).
Top Republicans on the Senate and House Commerce committees urged NTIA Tuesday to rely solely on the FCC’s pending revised broadband coverage data maps as the basis for distributing money from the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment program. It should not prioritize any particular type of network or broadband technology in evaluating applications for money from the infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, they said. The committees’ Democratic leaders in March urged “an emphasis on affordability, digital inclusion, high-capacity networks, competition, and community engagement” as part of NTIA’s implementation of IIJA (see 2204130049). “Closing the digital divide is a top priority of Congress, but this will only be achieved if NTIA carefully administers these programs and prioritizes unserved and underserved communities based on accurate data,” Senate Commerce ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi, House Commerce ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington and the GOP leads on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees jointly urged NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson to “not deviate” from IIJA’s “explicit instructions” for determining what areas would be eligible to receive the law’s broadband funding, including making unserved areas the top priority. NTIA should also “refrain from adding additional, needless requirements that will increase the cost and challenges of deploying new networks,” the Republicans said. “These include requiring broadband providers to commit to net neutrality restrictions, adopting burdensome labor standards, and favoring open-access networks.” Senate Communications ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., raised concerns during Davidson’s confirmation process that the now-administrator hadn’t committed to not requiring companies receiving BEAD money to follow net neutrality requirements (see 2112140074).
Federal and state lawmakers are looking for new ways to tighten robocall restrictions amid an evolving landscape, but experts told us it’s still challenging for governments to keep ahead of bad actors. Some on Capitol Hill are hoping to quickly enact a new anti-robocall package this year, despite a rapidly closing legislative window. State legislators are acting in case federal legislation stalls. Robocall opponents must “press on every front,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) in an interview: He believes stopping bad actors requires state and federal collaboration, and should include industry and other countries.
The FTC and DOJ are relying on faulty antitrust theories to single out digital platforms, tech industry groups told the agencies in comments on enforcers’ review of merger guidelines (see 2204080056). Sector-specific antitrust laws are appropriate due to the unprecedented control companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google have over digital markets, consumer groups told the agencies.
The FTC and DOJ are relying on faulty antitrust theories to single out digital platforms, tech industry groups told the agencies in comments on enforcers’ review of merger guidelines (see 2204080056). Sector-specific antitrust laws are appropriate due to the unprecedented control companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google have over digital markets, consumer groups told the agencies.
California regulators scaled back price and speed requirements proposed for a $2 billion last-mile federal funding account (FFA) required by the state’s $6 billion broadband law. The California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 at a livestreamed Thursday meeting to adopt CPUC President Alice Reynolds’ revised proposed decision released Wednesday.