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.
Thirty-nine comments were submitted in response to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s August 2010 proposed rule to define “common cultivar” and “common food crop,” which are among the categorical exemptions1 to requirements of the Lacey Act, as amended (the Act).
The FCC gave interested parties until Thursday to comment on two separate appeals, each of which challenge the commission’s decision in the Corr Wireless Order (CD Sept 7 p1). Both SouthernLINC and Allied Wireless Communications asked the commission to review the Corr decision. Oppositions to SouthernLINC’s petition were due Tuesday but oppositions on Allied’s petition aren’t due until Friday. The commission changed the comment deadline for both petitions to Thursday.
A proposal by FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell for broadcasters to come up with their own standards on indecency has drawn some early interest from the TV industry but no pledges of the dialogue sought. FCC enforcement of its own indecency rules is restricted by a recent appeals court loss. The plan floated at the NAB radio show (CD Oct 1 p1) by McDowell, a Republican, hasn’t led to serious talks between the commission and industry, and neither side appears to have made an entreaty to the other to begin a conversation, commission and industry officials said. Some broadcasters are skeptical of McDowell’s plan -- which drew some support from one former FCC chairman even as another said it’s unworkable -- while others may be interested, executives and government officials said.
This is a reminder that Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) third-party testing and certification will be required for the following children’s products that are manufactured after November 16, 2010, to ensure their compliance with the applicable flammability regulations under the Flammable Fabrics Act:
Capitol Hill aides urged patience from those seeking a Telecom Act revamp by Congress. A rewrite will happen, but Congress doesn’t want to rush it, said Danny Sepulveda, senior adviser to Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass. Other priorities next year include wireless spectrum and oversight of the broadband stimulus program, aides told a panel discussion Tuesday by the Free State Foundation.
Capitol Hill aides urged patience from those seeking a Telecom Act revamp by Congress. A rewrite will happen, but Congress doesn’t want to rush it, said Danny Sepulveda, senior adviser to Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass. Other priorities next year include wireless spectrum and oversight of the broadband stimulus program, aides told a panel discussion Tuesday by the Free State Foundation.
The International Trade Commission announces that a section 337 patent-based complaint has been filed regarding certain wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers and components thereof.
Ex-Republican FCC Chairmen Michael Powell and Kevin Martin called on current Chairman Julius Genachowski to stake out clear positions on net neutrality as the debate continues at the commission and on Capitol Hill. Their comments came on an episode of C-SPAN’s The Communicators that was scheduled to air over the weekend. The third former chairman on the program, Reed Hundt, a Democrat and Genachowski’s old boss, came to Genachowski’s defense. The chairman has already changed the debate on key issues before the FCC, Hundt said.
Former FCC Chairmen Michael Powell and Kevin Martin, both Republicans, called on current Chairman Julius Genachowski to stake out clear positions on net neutrality as the debate continues at the commission and on Capitol Hill. Their comments came on an episode of C-SPAN’s The Communicators that was scheduled to air over the weekend. The third former chairman on the program, Reed Hundt, a Democrat and Genachowski’s old boss, came to Genachowski’s defense and said the chairman has already changed the debate on key issues before the FCC.