Shiva Stella

Public Knowledge announced two additions and one change to its team. Public Knowledge welcomed Cedric Watkins, Government Affairs Policy Advocate, and Will McBride, Digital Content Manager.

Public Knowledge joined the Association for Progressive Communications, Creative Commons, Derechos Digitales, Internet Archive, Niskanen Center, and Wikimedia Foundation to launch the Movement for a Better Internet, a diverse community of advocates and activists working together to promote policies that create a better internet for people everywhere. The movement is a collaborative effort seeking to drive policy change based on a public interest vision for internet that benefits us all.

Sherwin Siy, former Vice President of Legal Affairs at Public Knowledge, has passed away at the age of 40. Sherwin championed the public interest throughout his career, serving as a member of the Public Knowledge staff from 2006 to 2015. His technology policy work spanned many subjects, including copyright, privacy, telecommunications, and free expression. “We are heartbroken to have lost a beloved member of the Public Knowledge family, former Vice President of Legal Affairs, Sherwin Siy," said CEO Chris Lewis in a statement on behalf of Public Knowledge.

Public Knowledge Senior Advisor Gene Kimmelman announced his resignation in order to serve as Senior Counselor for President Joe Biden’s Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice. This will be a limited duration position.

Public Knowledge has been tracking the efforts of digital platforms to counter mis- and dis-information about the novel coronavirus pandemic since early March. This tracking has involved careful analysis of hundreds of articles, abstracts, research, and opinion pieces about how platforms are responding to the pandemic.

Copper networks still form the backbone of America’s communication system despite the rise of fiber -- and providers are either pulling the plug or letting them fall into disrepair.

Public Knowledge joined 19 other public interest, rural, Native American, and consumer groups (including the Benton Foundation) in a letter urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to either issue a new Public Notice examining the classification of text messaging and short codes, or to classify both as Title II telecommunications services. 

34 civil rights, consumer, and privacy organizations join in releasing public interest principles for privacy legislation, because the public needs and deserves strong and comprehensive federal legislation to protect their privacy and afford meaningful redress.

Public Knowledge, joined by Common Cause, Consumers Union, Open Markets Institute, and Writers Guild of America West, filed reply comments with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to deny the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. Senior Policy Counsel Phillip Berenbroick said, "The record compiled by the Federal Communications Commission clearly demonstrates that the proposed transaction will substantially reduce competition in the wireless market and harm consumers. Post-merger, New T-Mobile, along with AT&T and Verizon, would dominate the wireless market.

Public Knowledge joined 20 rural advocacy organizations, rural healthcare providers, rural network operators, and public interest advocates (including the Benton Foundation) in a letter urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to preserve the existing Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) rules that enable small providers to offer service in rural areas.