Further Reading “Why the Russian hack is so significant, and why it's close to a worst-case scenario” By Kevin Collier — NBC News. This article quotes experts who paint a very ugly picture for the United States (U.S.) in trying to recover from the Russian Federation’s hack. Firstly, the Russians are very good at what … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (11 January 2021)
The end-of-the-year funding package for FY 2021 is stuffed with technology policy changes. At the tail end of the calendar year 2020, Congress and the White House finally agreed on FY 2021 appropriations and further COVID-19 relief funding and policies, much of which implicated or involved technology policy. As is often the practice, Congressional stakeholders … Continue reading FY 2021 Omnibus and COVID Stimulus Become Law
The FCC could be a major force for technology policy in the Biden Administration. The next Administration will change many of the technology policies put in place under President Donald Trump, but among the highest profile policy reversals will be the Biden Administration’s reestablishment of net neutrality rules. This signature accomplishment of the Obama Administration … Continue reading Biden Administration Tech Policy: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC’s General Counsel says “Nothing to see here, move along” in regards to the agency’s authority to conduct a Section 230 rulemaking, the first since its enactment in 1996. Recently, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai asserted that the agency has the authority to proceed with a rulemaking to clarify 47 U.S.C. 230 (Section … Continue reading FCC General Counsel Claims Agency Can Make Regulations For Section 230
Further Reading “A deepfake porn Telegram bot is being used to abuse thousands of women” By Matt Burgess — WIRED UK. A bot set loose on Telegram can take pictures of women and, apparently teens, too, and “takes off” their clothing, rendering a naked image of females who never took naked pictures. This seems to … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (22 October)
A conservative Justice on the Supreme Court opines on Section 230, and then the FCC announces it will proceed with rulemaking to clarify Section 230. There continues to be intense and growing scrutiny of social media platforms that benefit from the liability shield in 47 U.S.C. 230 (Section 230), particularly from Republicans who seem intent … Continue reading Supreme Court Justice Weighs In On Section 230; FCC To Move Ahead on Rulemaking
Congress may well pass IoT legislation this year, and the two bills under consideration take different approaches. Continuing our look at bills Congress may pass this year leads us to an issue area that has received attention but no legislative action; the Internet of Things (IoT). Many Members are aware and concerned about the lax … Continue reading Pending Legislation In U.S. Congress, Part V
There is an even chance that Congress further narrows the Section 230 liability shield given criticism of how tech companies have wielded this language. This year, Congress increased its focus on Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 that gives companies like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and others blanket immunity from litigation based on the … Continue reading Pending Legislation In U.S. Congress, Part IV
Here are Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events: Coming Events On 18 August, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host the “Bias in AI Workshop, a virtual event to develop a shared understanding of bias in AI, what it is, and how to measure it.”The United States’ Department of Homeland Security’s … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (13 August)
The U.S. government has rolled out a plan to make available desirable mid-band spectrum in an arrangement under which the military would share with commercial providers. However, these new frequencies would be used in mid-2022 at the earliest. The White House and the United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DOD) will share a prime … Continue reading U.S. Announces Plan To Release Prized Mid-Band Spectrum For 5G
Michael Kans 