Chairman Ajit Pai pledged to move the FCC toward an era of light-handed regulation. He said in a speech Tuesday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that if regulators don’t get the rules right, investors will put their money elsewhere and not in 5G and broadband. Pai said the 2015 net neutrality order was a “mistake” and injected too much uncertainty into the market.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Monday a 2015 Jacksonville district court ruling that granted cruise line Royal Caribbean a default judgment against Cruise Traffic over the latter's cybersquatting of two domain names -- RoyalCaribean.com and RoyalCarribean.com. Royal Caribbean filed an in rem lawsuit against Cruise Traffic under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, claiming Cruise Traffic used the two domain names to “wrongfully profit” from the cruise line’s reputation. The Jacksonville court granted a default judgment against Cruise Traffic when Royal Caribbean’s notice to the address for Jai George, the domains’ original listed registrant, went undelivered because the address included on registration documents was no longer correct. Royal Caribbean also attempted to contact Bindu Joseph, George’s sister-in-law, to whom George transferred registration of the domains. Cruise Traffic appealed, claiming the Jacksonville court didn’t have in rem jurisdiction and Royal Caribbean didn’t exercise due diligence in its attempts to contact Joseph. A three-judge 11th Circuit panel ruled per curiam that the Jacksonville court was correct in saying “Royal Caribbean would be prejudiced by the continued use of the Domain Names. This determination was supported by evidence the Domain Names diverted customers attempting to book cruises directly through Royal Caribbean to third-party agents, to whom Royal Caribbean then paid a commission. In other words, Royal Caribbean incurred additional expenses due to the use of the Domain Names.” Judges Lanier Anderson, Stanley Marcus and Beverly Martin heard the case. They panel ruled that the Jacksonville court did have jurisdiction and said it was “unpersuaded” by Cruise Traffic’s claim that Royal Caribbean didn’t exercise proper due diligence. “Royal Caribbean did all that it was required by statute when it sent notice to Joseph via mail and email and published notice,” the 11th Circuit said in its opinion. It said Cruise Traffic couldn't be considered a “registrant or authorized licensee” because that issue was not raised at the Jacksonville court. Royal Caribbean and Cruise Traffic didn’t comment.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Monday a 2015 Jacksonville district court ruling that granted cruise line Royal Caribbean a default judgment against Cruise Traffic over the latter's cybersquatting of two domain names -- RoyalCaribean.com and RoyalCarribean.com. Royal Caribbean filed an in rem lawsuit against Cruise Traffic under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, claiming Cruise Traffic used the two domain names to “wrongfully profit” from the cruise line’s reputation. The Jacksonville court granted a default judgment against Cruise Traffic when Royal Caribbean’s notice to the address for Jai George, the domains’ original listed registrant, went undelivered because the address included on registration documents was no longer correct. Royal Caribbean also attempted to contact Bindu Joseph, George’s sister-in-law, to whom George transferred registration of the domains. Cruise Traffic appealed, claiming the Jacksonville court didn’t have in rem jurisdiction and Royal Caribbean didn’t exercise due diligence in its attempts to contact Joseph. A three-judge 11th Circuit panel ruled per curiam that the Jacksonville court was correct in saying “Royal Caribbean would be prejudiced by the continued use of the Domain Names. This determination was supported by evidence the Domain Names diverted customers attempting to book cruises directly through Royal Caribbean to third-party agents, to whom Royal Caribbean then paid a commission. In other words, Royal Caribbean incurred additional expenses due to the use of the Domain Names.” Judges Lanier Anderson, Stanley Marcus and Beverly Martin heard the case. They panel ruled that the Jacksonville court did have jurisdiction and said it was “unpersuaded” by Cruise Traffic’s claim that Royal Caribbean didn’t exercise proper due diligence. “Royal Caribbean did all that it was required by statute when it sent notice to Joseph via mail and email and published notice,” the 11th Circuit said in its opinion. It said Cruise Traffic couldn't be considered a “registrant or authorized licensee” because that issue was not raised at the Jacksonville court. Royal Caribbean and Cruise Traffic didn’t comment.

A Vermont 911 case is raising legal and public policy questions about whether states can mandate backup-power requirements for wireless or interconnected VoIP carriers. Last week at the Public Service Board, some commented that federal statute bars states from making battery-backup mandates to either industry, and -- for wireline providers including VoIP -- that FCC existing backup power requirements make separate state rules unnecessary. A recent former California commissioner said in an interview it’s critical from a public policy standpoint for states and local governments to make their own decisions on communications network resiliency, including battery backup. A NARUC attorney disputed industry claims of federal pre-emption.

A Vermont 911 case is raising legal and public policy questions about whether states can mandate backup-power requirements for wireless or interconnected VoIP carriers. Last week at the Public Service Board, some commented that federal statute bars states from making battery-backup mandates to either industry, and -- for wireline providers including VoIP -- that FCC existing backup power requirements make separate state rules unnecessary. A recent former California commissioner said in an interview it’s critical from a public policy standpoint for states and local governments to make their own decisions on communications network resiliency, including battery backup. A NARUC attorney disputed industry claims of federal pre-emption.

Current and former journalists defended their profession at a discussion about a report that news coverage of technology gradually has become more negative. Some panelists speculated one reason the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation study found increased negativity was greater sophistication about tech.

Current and former journalists defended their profession at a discussion about a report that news coverage of technology gradually has become more negative. Some panelists speculated one reason the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation study found increased negativity was greater sophistication about tech.

Current and former journalists defended their profession at a discussion about a report that news coverage of technology gradually has become more negative. Some panelists speculated one reason the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation study found increased negativity was greater sophistication about tech.

The Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability’s draft recommendations for improving the organization’s transparency drew early praise Wednesday in interviews. The draft recommendations, released Tuesday, are part of CCWG-Accountability’s work on a second set of recommended changes to the organization's accountability mechanisms (see 1610030042). CCWG-Accountability’s transparency work had already been seen as progressing smoothly, even as the working group’s exploration of how to address ICANN's post-Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition jurisdiction was raising U.S. stakeholders' eyebrows (see 1701030021). Comments on the draft transparency recommendations are due April 10, ICANN said.

The Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability’s draft recommendations for improving the organization’s transparency drew early praise Wednesday in interviews. The draft recommendations, released Tuesday, are part of CCWG-Accountability’s work on a second set of recommended changes to the organization's accountability mechanisms (see 1610030042). CCWG-Accountability’s transparency work had already been seen as progressing smoothly, even as the working group’s exploration of how to address ICANN's post-Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition jurisdiction was raising U.S. stakeholders' eyebrows (see 1701030021). Comments on the draft transparency recommendations are due April 10, ICANN said.