FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith worked with 54 clients that could trigger his recusal, including Equifax, PayPal and Uber, according to agency records we obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. The clients paid Smith $5,000 or more in a given year dating back two years from his May 21 appointment. By signing President Donald Trump’s ethics pledge, Smith for two years after his appointment can't participate “in any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to [a] former employer or former clients, including regulations and contracts.”
FCC designation for hearing of Sinclair’s proposed buy of Tribune will almost certainly kill that deal by early August and could threaten other Sinclair licenses even if the deal goes away, said industry officials in interviews. Though Sinclair withdrew the divestitures in Dallas, Houston and Chicago (see 1807180060) targeted by the hearing designation order, "material questions remain,” said the HDO, released Thursday as expected (see 1807180066). The case “includes a potential element of misrepresentation or lack of candor that may suggest granting other, related applications by the same party would not be in the public interest,” it said.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said a telehealth inquiry's facilities-based focus is aimed at advancing broadband access through a pilot program, but is open to discussion. At a Wiley Rein event Wednesday, Carr outlined his views on a draft notice of inquiry to provide up to $100 million for "connected care" pilot projects slated for a vote Aug. 2, and agency efforts to make wireless regulation "5G ready" and modernize media regulation.
The U.S. needs data security legislation, which could strengthen FTC civil penalty authority and deter repeat offenders, Chairman Joe Simons and Commissioner Rohit Chopra told the House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Wednesday (see 1807160051). During the new commission’s first official appearance on Capitol Hill, House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said that despite Uber’s infractions in two data breaches, the FTC couldn't levy civil penalties (see 1804120056).
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Application programming interfaces must be included in the Lifeline national verifier so carriers can help low-income fund recipients with enrollment, said a NARUC resolution passed Wednesday. NARUC cleared that and other resolutions on separations, IP captioned telephone service (IP CTS) and precision agriculture (see 1807030052). NARUC is following the national verifier closely, with the API resolution setting up a big push planned for Lifeline Awareness Week this September, a spokesperson said.
Google must pay a record 4.34 billion euro fine ($5.1 billion) and remove years-old illegal restrictions on Android device makers and mobile network operators or face stiff penalties for noncompliance, said EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager Wednesday. Google breached three EU antitrust rules, she said: It forced manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search and Chrome browser apps as condition for licensing its app store (Play Store); it paid large device makers and mobile operators to ensure they exclusively pre-installed the search app on their mobile smartphones and tablets; and it prevented manufacturers who wanted to pre-install Google apps from selling any smart mobile devices running on alternative versions of Android not approved by Google ("Android forks").
The FCC proposed to extend by 15 years a freeze on federal-state separations rules apportioning rate-of-return telco regulated costs and revenue between interstate and intrastate jurisdictions. The commission made the proposal in a unanimous Further NPRM in docket 80-286, noting the freeze was instituted in 2001 and repeatedly extended, with the current one to expire Dec. 31. Also Wednesday, NARUC passed a resolution saying any extension shouldn't last longer than two years (see 1807180018).
The FCC voted to unanimously approve the draft order designating Sinclair's proposed purchase of Tribune for an administrative law judge hearing, the agency announced Wednesday evening, noting the document will be released Thursday. This came the same day the companies changed their plan. Many in the industry said pre-announcement that releasing the HDO could kill the entire deal.
After four straight quarters of “under-forecasting” net subscriber additions, Netflix in Q2 “over-forecasted the business,” said Chief Financial Officer David Wells in the company’s quarterly earnings interview Monday after U.S. markets closed. The company had 5.15 million global net subscriber adds in the quarter, 17 percent below its April forecasts (see 1807160066).
APCO and the National Emergency Numbering Association urged the FCC to impose new 911 reliability rules. Industry commenters said rules would do nothing to make emergency calling more reliable. The Public Safety Bureau sought comment in June on reliability of 911 networks and whether current rules should be “modified to adapt to advancements in technology or other changes, including notification to Public Safety Answering Points of network outages affecting 911 service." Initial comments were due Monday in docket 13-75.