Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act needs recalibration because Big Tech isn’t doing enough to combat disinformation, House Commerce Committee Democrats said Wednesday. Republicans suggested platforms provide more transparency about content moderation decisions, citing political bias. It was a hearing (see 2006110064) of the Communications and Consumer Protection subcommittees.
The Senate Commerce Committee’s divide over FCC approval of Ligado’s L-band plan was again on display Wednesday during a commission oversight hearing, as expected (see 2006230059). The issue also came up during a committee confirmation hearing for Commissioner Mike O'Rielly (see 2006160062). There was an even clearer partisan divide among committee members about President Donald Trump’s May executive order directing NTIA to petition the FCC for regulations defining the scope of Communications Decency Act Section 230 (see 2005280060). Senate Commerce also drilled into broadband funding proposals amid the ongoing push to include money in future COVID-19 aid legislation.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai laid out a busy agenda for commissioners’ July 16 meeting. It tentatively includes (see 2006240044) an order addressing supply chain security and equipment from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, and an update of vertical location accuracy rules for wireless calls to 911. Commissioners will also consider broadband mapping, call blocking technology and emergency calling rules. Also on the agenda is the draft order establishing 988 for a nationwide three-digit suicide hotline and giving carriers a July 2022 deadline for implementation (see 2006230022). FCC members would vote on changing the cable leased access rate formula.
The FCC faces a challenge to its June wireless infrastructure declaratory ruling, with Oregon and California cities filing a challenge in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The order was approved 3-2 over dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks (see 2006090060). Others are expected to join the appeal. Local governments are also considering filing a petition for reconsideration at the FCC, lawyers said. The agency acted on requests by CTIA and the Wireless Infrastructure Association in approving the ruling, which took effect June 10.
Domain name system abuse and IoT challenges are key issues for the ICANN community, panelists said this week at the ICANN68 meeting held virtually. Despite progress against DNS abuse, much more needs to be done, stakeholders said. Since many IoT devices will use the DNS to locate the services they need, the community must address security risks and other issues, they said.
T-Mobile is playing fast and loose with job promises related to buying Sprint, Communications Workers of America President Chris Shelton responded Tuesday to the carrier's challenge of the California Public Utilities Commission’s mid-April conditional OK. Two consumer advocacy groups joined the union in slamming T-Mobile’s Monday petition in docket A.18-07-011 to modify conditions on jobs, speeds and deployment. The request follows reported layoffs at the carrier. Continued fighting between T-Mobile and the CPUC might portend litigation over state wireless authority (see 2005010048).
The citizens broadband radio service band appears to be off to a strong start, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said during a ConnectX webinar Tuesday. O’Rielly expects July 23’s priority access license auction to take place as planned, though he said that’s a decision to be made by Chairman Ajit Pai. Other speakers said CBRS will get wide use.
Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee ranking member Chris Coons, D-Del., told us he doesn’t see an easy path forward for drafting text for updating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by December (see 2006090063). Chairman Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told us he’s hoping to get the tech industry to the negotiating table, after the Internet Association said it doesn’t want the DMCA amended.
Rollout of a nationwide three-digit suicide prevention hotline will be given two years, not 18 months, under a draft order to be on the FCC's July 16agenda, it said Tuesday. The longer timeframe is getting acceptance from the mental health community. Some telecom interests argued the 18-month implementation in the NPRM was too short a time frame (see 2002180021) and see two years as still problematic.
President Donald Trump appears slightly likelier to choose Brendan Carr over GOP Commissioner Mike O’Rielly as FCC chairman if he wins re-election and current commission head Ajit Pai steps aside, communications sector officials and lobbyists said in interviews. Carr’s edge is narrow enough that few people we spoke with discounted the prospect of O’Rielly prevailing or the possibility Trump could choose a non-FCC Republican.