The Federal Trade Commission wants comment on possible revisions to its Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act rule, which has remained unchanged for nearly 10 years. The rule requires online operators to notify and get parents’ permission before collecting, using or disclosing personal information about children under 13, secure that information and only collect what’s “reasonably necessary” for children to use their websites. The FTC decided against changes in its 2005 review, but “in light of rapidly evolving technology and changes in the way children use and access the Internet,” it’s considering changes, the agency said Wednesday. In a notice to be published shortly in the Federal Register, it asks for feedback on the implications of COPPA enforcement on mobile communications, interactive TV and gaming and similar two-way forms; the use of automated systems to filter out personally identifiable information; whether the definition of “personal information” should be expanded to include data that can identify a “specific individual,” such as persistent IP addresses and mobile geolocation data; other ways to get “verifiable” parental consent; whether parents are using their right to review or delete their children’s information and the difficulty in authenticating them; and whether the FTC’s safe-harbor programs have improved compliance.
LAS VEGAS -- The FCC is still contacting public safety groups and others in the wireless world to explain the National Broadband Plan’s proposal for the 700 MHz band, said Jennifer Manner, the Deputy Public Safety Bureau’s deputy chief, at the CTIA convention. Questions about the plan, which has faced a firestorm of criticism from public safety groups, followed FCC officials to Las Vegas.
The House Communications Subcommittee plans to mark up a calling-card protection bill (HR-3993) Wednesday morning, it said Tuesday. The bill would require calling-card providers and distributors to clearly disclose information about the provider, the card’s number of minutes or dollar value, per-minute rates, fees and charges, time period limits and expiration dates, and refund and recharge policies. It would also require the Federal Trade Commission to prosecute violations.
TORONTO -- In a much-anticipated decision, the Canadian Radio-TV and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said the nation’s conventional TV networks can seek from cable operators and satellite-TV providers fees or other compensation for their signals. But the CRTC stopped short of imposing any fees or mandating “value for signal” negotiations between the parties, pending a judgment by the courts on the agency’s power to do so.
The FCC shouldn’t pursue a requirement proposed by the Federal Trade Commission for communications service ads to include state and local taxes in advertised prices since the requirement wouldn’t be workable, for national services like direct broadcast satellite TV providers, Dish Network told the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Wireline, wireless and cable services were the subjects of 7,570 complaints to the FCC about billing or rates in the first quarter of 2009, and DBS companies 13, the ex parte said.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Google defended its privacy practices at a session on setting policy for Californians to share detailed information about their power usage with online conservation companies and others. At a Public Utilities Commission workshop, Jeffrey Byron of the state Energy Commission told Google representative Ed Lu, advanced-projects program manager, late Friday that his company had been portrayed earlier at the event as a danger to privacy. The warning came from Zack Kaldveer, the communications director of the Consumer Federation of California, who cited privacy worries about Google Book Search and Google Buzz.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Privacy and security considerations may require California regulators to move more slowly than planned to require the distribution of smart grid data on customers’ electric usage over the Internet or other networks, said the official handling the work. The issues “are even more complex than I thought, and so we might need more time,” said Administrative Law Judge Timothy Sullivan Friday, speaking just after a panel at a Public Utilities Commission workshop in which consumer advocates, including one from the commission, pleaded with it to slow down because of the mass, detail and sensitivity of the information and what they called a need for careful planning by the PUC and utilities.
The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates asked the FCC to approve a request by Maine’s Public Utilities Commission that incumbent carriers be required to offer competitive local exchange carriers access to dark fiber and line sharing. The carriers that have led the opposition, including AT&T, Verizon and Fairpoint, kept it up in reply comments. The Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance said Maine’s request would work against the extension of high-speed access sought by the National Broadband Plan. At issue in the proceeding is whether Section 271(c)(2)(B) of the Telecom Act requires incumbent carriers to provide access to elements including dark fiber loops, dark fiber transport and dark fiber entrance facilities.
Verizon Communications is trying to block imports of some Cablevision DTV set-top boxes. The telco filed patent-infringement complaints with the U.S. District Court in Delaware and the International Trade Commission, a federal agency, court documents said. Verizon said the patents violated relate to digital set-tops and other network and system components used in digital broadband distribution networks. The patents involve technologies to facilitate the delivery of video and other data over networks and to offer next-generation services, Verizon said. A Cablevision spokesman said it’s “becoming increasingly clear that Verizon is having difficulty competing on the merits in the marketplace, so they are resorting to filing lawsuits and pursuing regulatory bailouts.” The cable operator plans “a vigorous defense,” he said.
Some members of Congress may be wary of spending additional money on broadband, said Republican aides at a Broadband Breakfast event Tuesday morning. The FCC’s National Broadband Plan asks Congress for $16 billion for a national public-safety network and $9 billion for a new Universal Service Fund emphasizing high-speed access. Aides from both parties called the plan a step toward broadband for all.