Edge and tech heavyweights face growing policymaker scrutiny and regulatory risk, analysts and others said Monday, but most doubted there's a near-term threat of major U.S. government intervention that would realign the internet marketplace. "It is remarkable how quickly the discussion has changed, putting large tech companies on the defensive," emailed Doug Brake, telecom policy senior analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
Edge and tech heavyweights face growing policymaker scrutiny and regulatory risk, analysts and others said Monday, but most doubted there's a near-term threat of major U.S. government intervention that would realign the internet marketplace. "It is remarkable how quickly the discussion has changed, putting large tech companies on the defensive," emailed Doug Brake, telecom policy senior analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
Conducting the nationwide emergency alert system test following hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria “will provide insight into the resiliency of our national-level alerting capabilities in impacted areas,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a news release Tuesday. The test is set for Sept. 27 at 2:20 p.m., but could be moved to Oct. 4 if the September date is canceled because of another emergency. The EAS test also will provide data on how the Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System performs “during and following a variety of conditions,” the agency said. “With two major hurricanes already making landfall, and a potential for two more impacting our nation, we need to have the ability to maintain the continuity of critical infrastructure under various conditions.”
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel objected to a possible lower broadband benchmark through the commission's review of advanced telecom capability (ATC) deployment. "#FCC proposing to lower US #broadband standard from 25 to 10 Mbps. This is crazy. Lowering standards doesn't solve our broadband problems," she tweeted Wednesday. An aide said Rosenworcel is "connecting the dots" of what she feels the FCC is proposing in its inquiry into whether broadband-like ATC is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely way pursuant to a Telecom Act Section 706 mandate. Initial comments on a notice of inquiry are due Thursday.
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel objected to a possible lower broadband benchmark through the commission's review of advanced telecom capability (ATC) deployment. "#FCC proposing to lower US #broadband standard from 25 to 10 Mbps. This is crazy. Lowering standards doesn't solve our broadband problems," she tweeted Wednesday. An aide said Rosenworcel is "connecting the dots" of what she feels the FCC is proposing in its inquiry into whether broadband-like ATC is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely way pursuant to a Telecom Act Section 706 mandate. Initial comments on a notice of inquiry are due Thursday.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report Tuesday on “The IoT Revolution and Our Digital Security,” counseling against regulation. “When it comes to security, attempts to regulate today will become outdated tomorrow,” said the first of 10 principles. “Flexible approaches to collaboration and cooperation to combat shared threats have significant advantages over national regulation which serves to fragment the global economy and lags behind technological innovation.” The Chamber said the issues raised will only grow in importance. “Recent high-profile cyberattacks underscore the importance for public-private collaboration to create policies that enhance privacy, security, and trust in the IoT,” said Ann Beauchesne, senior vice president-national security and emergency preparedness. The best approach to IoT security is “data-driven, based on empirical evidence of a specific harm, and [will] be adaptable both over time and cross-border,” the Chamber said. “Security demands should never be used as industrial policy to advance protectionism or favor national economic interests.” The report was written in partnership with Wiley Rein.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report Tuesday on “The IoT Revolution and Our Digital Security,” counseling against regulation. “When it comes to security, attempts to regulate today will become outdated tomorrow,” said the first of 10 principles. “Flexible approaches to collaboration and cooperation to combat shared threats have significant advantages over national regulation which serves to fragment the global economy and lags behind technological innovation.” The Chamber said the issues raised will only grow in importance. “Recent high-profile cyberattacks underscore the importance for public-private collaboration to create policies that enhance privacy, security, and trust in the IoT,” said Ann Beauchesne, senior vice president-national security and emergency preparedness. The best approach to IoT security is “data-driven, based on empirical evidence of a specific harm, and [will] be adaptable both over time and cross-border,” the Chamber said. “Security demands should never be used as industrial policy to advance protectionism or favor national economic interests.” The report was written in partnership with Wiley Rein.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report Tuesday on “The IoT Revolution and Our Digital Security,” counseling against regulation. “When it comes to security, attempts to regulate today will become outdated tomorrow,” said the first of 10 principles. “Flexible approaches to collaboration and cooperation to combat shared threats have significant advantages over national regulation which serves to fragment the global economy and lags behind technological innovation.” The Chamber said the issues raised will only grow in importance. “Recent high-profile cyberattacks underscore the importance for public-private collaboration to create policies that enhance privacy, security, and trust in the IoT,” said Ann Beauchesne, senior vice president-national security and emergency preparedness. The best approach to IoT security is “data-driven, based on empirical evidence of a specific harm, and [will] be adaptable both over time and cross-border,” the Chamber said. “Security demands should never be used as industrial policy to advance protectionism or favor national economic interests.” The report was written in partnership with Wiley Rein.
The FCC deactivated the Disaster Information Reporting System for Hurricane Irma at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s request, said a Public Safety Bureau in a public notice Monday. That leaves Monday’s DIRS report the final one for Irma (see 1709180034), the PN said. The FCC “anticipates that, within the next couple of days, FEMA will likely request activation of DIRS for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” the PN said, and a separate notice will be issued. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai praised the dependability of AM radio in disasters but conceded that the band is perceived as outdated. “Whenever these emergencies hit, listenership goes through the roof,” Pai said in a radio interview in iHeartMedia’s Miami headquarters during a visit to Irma-damaged Florida with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. “You guys do a terrific job giving people the information when they need it,” he said. Younger listeners don’t gravitate to AM, and “time is not on the side of the AM dial,” Pai said, but he said he and Clyburn are working to improve things for AM. “A bipartisan majority at the FCC” believes in AM radio, Pai said. It's “critically important” for broadcasters to have an FCC that supports them, Clyburn said. Broadcasters should know that the FCC is thinking about their issues and the emergency services they provide, she said. Clyburn and Pai also toured a public safety building, and met with a Florida public service commissioner and staff from the FCC’s Miami Field Office, said a news release. They spoke with a team restoring cell towers and other wireless infrastructure damaged during the storm, it said. “The lessons learned during our visit will help the FCC’s continued work to improve the performance of communications networks in future emergencies,” Pai said in the release, praising emergency and wireless workers, plus broadcasters. There's “much more work to be done in the days and weeks ahead, including in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where more than 50% of cell sites remain out of service,” said Clyburn in the release. “Working with my colleagues, Members of Congress, as well as state and local officials, we can translate these lessons into policies that ensure our nation’s communications networks and 9-1-1 systems remain reliable and resilient during disasters.” The FCC added a briefing on its response to the recent hurricanes to the agenda for the Sept. 26 commissioners' meeting, said a notice. The briefing will be done by Public Safety Bureau staff, the notice said.
The Agricultural Marketing Service needs to implement “controls at U.S. ports of entry” to ensure organic certification requirements for agricultural products are enforced at the border, the Agriculture Department’s Office of the Inspector General said in a report. The current lack of enforcement “increases the risk that non-organic products may be imported as organic into the United States and could create an unfair economic environment for U.S. organic producers,” the report said. As part of its response, AMS agreed to submit a request to CBP for new ACE requirements for organic products by July 2018.