The International Trade Commission announces that a section 337 patent-based complaint has been filed regarding certain automated media library devices.

The International Trade Commission announces that a section 337 patent-based complaint has been filed regarding certain interactive program guide and parental controls technology.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has received and accepted for review two petitions in connection with the 2010 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Review to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program (2010 GSP Annual Product Review).

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program (i.e., A, A*, and A+) for most beneficiary countries, i.e., other than those listed as African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) beneficiary countries, will expire on December 31, 2010, unless a law extending it is enacted.

The International Trade Commission announces that a section 337 patent-based complaint has been filed regarding certain electronic device mixer apparatus for use in the audio disc-jockey industry.

The FCC is sticking to the sidelines in the Cablevision-Fox dispute that left all of the cable operator’s 3 million video subscribers without access for a fifth day to the three News Corp.-owned TV stations in the New York area and in Philadelphia. On Wednesday, Commissioner Michael Copps became the second FCC member to speak out against the contractual dispute, raising net neutrality concerns voiced by others. Chairman Julius Genachowski the day before criticized both sides for “petty gamesmanship” (CD Oct 20 p1). The head of the Fox affiliates group told us his members back the network’s position, as TV stations owned by networks and those held by independent companies seek more money to be carried by subscription-video providers.

The Republican who may lead the House Commerce Committee next year said FCC regulations “are only further smothering the economy.” In a Washington Times op-ed piece Tuesday, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., urged congressional oversight of the FCC and other federal agencies next year. Upton has expressed interest in becoming the next Commerce Committee chairman, and some telecom industry officials say he’s the favorite. Current Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton, R-Texas, must step down under GOP term-limit rules unless he gets a waiver from the Republican leadership.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Small U.S. cities showed off Monday how they're using online portals and social media for everything from offering residents deep dives into how the cities raise and spend money to marketing big-time sporting events. But they acknowledged being upstaged a bit at the annual conference of the International City/County Management Association by a presentation about how officials in the German city of Essen, with a population of about 500,000 and an accumulated deficit of about $2.8 billion, are continuously soliciting ideas online on how to increase revenue and decrease spending and doing interactive polling about budgeting.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a Federal Register notice requesting comments on its proposed revisions to the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides).

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., will target the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for a major update in 2011 because the law hasn’t kept pace with technological change, his office told us Friday. The law’s definitions are broad enough to cover technology that has emerged since the law passed in 1998, said the Center for Democracy & Technology.