The U.S. is shifting toward privacy by design and building safeguards into products from the outset rather than into disclosure statements consumers don’t read, FTC Office of Policy Planning Senior Economic and Technology Adviser Liad Wagman told the Technology Policy Institute Tuesday. He noted he was speaking only for himself, which the commission reiterated after his appearance.
Engineers and broadcasters disagree whether more experimentation with possible interference concerns is needed before allowing AM broadcasters go all-digital (see 2003100062). Some argued the FCC should pursue other solutions for the band, in replies posted through Tuesday in docket 19-311.
Zoom emerged as a tool for everyone from businesses to clubs to houses of worship to hold meetings online in the COVID-19 era. The U.K. government used it for cabinet meetings. The load such conferencing sites are putting on networks appears mostly manageable. Zoom users question whether data is adequately protected.
The California Public Utilities Commission teed up a COVID-19 resolution for members' April 16 meeting to retroactively apply emergency customer protection measures from March 4 until the emergency ends. Meanwhile, industry opposed CPUC plans for power backup, among other comments. Also Friday, the CPUC clarified a state LifeLine rule.
DOJ can investigate without weakening end-to-end encryption for messaging apps, representatives from BSA|The Software Alliance and Internet Society said in interviews, after Telegram told us the messaging app is under FBI investigation. Attorney General William Barr has repeatedly attacked end-to-end encryption (see 1910030058, 1910040035 and 2001220054), citing the dark web. The FBI is “obsessed” with breaking public encryption, said Cato Research Fellow Patrick Eddington. He cited bureau efforts since the 1990s and more recent interest in Facebook’s WhatsApp.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday the agency will move as quickly as it can to allow outdoor use of the 6 GHz band by very low-power devices. Pai told incumbents the FCC has fully vetted their concerns, speaking on a webinar hosted by New America’s New Technology Institute and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. Pai circulated the draft last week for a vote at the April 23 commissioners’ meeting (see 2004020066).
Streaming video providers are slowing down video transmissions to free up bandwidth when U.S. ISP networks are jammed, we heard this and last week. More content providers likely dialed back their HD video quality during the pandemic, said Streaming Video Alliance (SVA) Executive Director Jason Thibeault. An FCC official doesn't anticipate requesting streaming video operators throttle bit rates like Europe has (see 2003240032). For our past report about increasing demand on networks, see here.
President Donald Trump’s “Team Telecom” executive order formalizes the executive branch’s process for reviewing foreign takeovers of U.S. communications assets, but some observers questioned the extent to which it will alter the status quo. DOJ, DOD and the Department of Homeland Security do those evaluations. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the Saturday EO means the commission can advance a 2016 NPRM to speed up the review process (see 1606240043).
The FCC rejected Free Press’ emergency petition for inquiry into broadcasters airing allegedly false information about COVID-19 (see 2004060026). FCC Republicans slammed the petition as an attack on free speech. “At best, the Petition rests on a fundamental misunderstanding of the Commission’s limited role in regulating broadcast journalism,” said a Monday letter from General Counsel Tom Johnson and Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey. “At worst, the Petition is a brazen attempt to pressure broadcasters to squelch their coverage of a President that Free Press dislikes.”
EU and U.K. telecom operators are scrambling to decide what to do about Huawei gear in their networks despite neither the EU nor the U.K. banning it, officials and consultants said in interviews and reports. Companies face significant costs to replace the equipment and are under pressure to build out 5G networks. Showing the sensitivity of the issue, no stakeholders would speak about the subject on the record in phone interviews.