Modified EARN IT Act Marked Up; Before Markup, Graham, Cotton, and Blackburn Introduce Encryption Bill (July 2020)

Subscribe to my newsletter, The Wavelength, if you want the content on my blog delivered to your inbox four times a week. The Wavelength will transition shortly to a subscription product early in 2022. Posts on this site will continue in a fashion. Note that this was written in July 2020, but I realized two … Continue reading Modified EARN IT Act Marked Up; Before Markup, Graham, Cotton, and Blackburn Introduce Encryption Bill (July 2020) →

Other Developments, Further Reading, and Coming Events (16 April 2021)

Other Developments The United Kingdom launched its Digital Markets Unit (DMU) that will “will oversee plans to give consumers more choice and control over their data, promote online competition and crack down on unfair practices which can often leave businesses and consumers with less choice and more expensive goods and services” according to its press … Continue reading Other Developments, Further Reading, and Coming Events (16 April 2021) →

“Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election” Hearing

A second committee gets its shot at social media platform CEOs and much of the hearing runs much like the one at the end of last month. It was with some reluctance that I watched the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing with Facebook and Twitter’s CEO given the other Senate hearing at which they appeared a … Continue reading “Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election” Hearing →

Questionable Hunter Biden Article Blocked; Republicans Claim Bias

After social media platforms decline to allow the unfettered distribution of an article planted by Trump associates, Republicans increase their rage towards these companies. Last week, at first, both Twitter and Facebook blocked their users from posting a very questionable New York Post article about the allegedly illegal and unethical business dealings of former Vice … Continue reading Questionable Hunter Biden Article Blocked; Republicans Claim Bias →

Section 230 Hearings

Republicans continue to spotlight Section 230 and supposed bias against conservatives on social media platforms. On 1 October , against a backdrop of coordinated, increasing Republican focus on 47 U.S.C. 230 (aka Section 230), the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to subpoena three technology CEOs: Jack Dorsey, Chief Executive Officer of Twitter;Sundar … Continue reading Section 230 Hearings →

Administration Sends Section 230 Legislation To Congress; Senate Committee Set To Mark Up Its Second Section 230 Bill This Year

The Administration sends its Section 230 reform bill to Congress as a committee is gearing up to consider a second such bill in a matter of months. There has been increased activity among Republicans in the Administration and Congress regarding the liability shield provided to technology companies in 47 U.S.C. 230 (Section 230 of the … Continue reading Administration Sends Section 230 Legislation To Congress; Senate Committee Set To Mark Up Its Second Section 230 Bill This Year →

Modified EARN IT Act Marked Up; Before Markup, Graham, Cotton, and Blackburn Introduce Encryption Bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously reports out a revised bill to remove online child sexual material from Section 230 protection. The bill no longer allows companies to use a safe harbor based on adopting best practices for finding and removing this material. However, before the hearing, the chair of the committee introduced a bill requiring … Continue reading Modified EARN IT Act Marked Up; Before Markup, Graham, Cotton, and Blackburn Introduce Encryption Bill →

Senate Democrats Release Privacy Principles

The ranking members of four Senate Committees have released their principles for any privacy legislation, many of which are likely to be rejected by Republicans and many industry stakeholders (e.g. no preemptions of the “California Consumer Privacy Act” (AB 375) and a private right of action for consumers). Nonetheless, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein … Continue reading Senate Democrats Release Privacy Principles →