Multichannel News

CES 2020: FTC Chairman Simons Says Facebook, Other Tech Investigations Are Ongoing

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons said that the FTC was still investigating Facebook for antitrust violations, and that the FTC's $5 billion settlement with the company is the thing he is most proud of over the past year. The other was the $170 million settlement with Google/YouTube over kids privacy. Chairman Simons renewed his call for Congress to pass comprehensive privacy legislation, but does not favor a Democrat-backed proposal to create a new, separate, privacy enforcement agency.

AT&T Will Grow on Fiber Diet

AT&T has set an ambitious agenda to gain 50% market share within three years in the regions where it has launched fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service. “We have proof of how we do this historically,” said Jeffrey McElfresh. “As you look at the fiber that we built out in the ground in 2016, at the three-year mark, we roughly approach about a 50% share gain in that territory.

Debate over what constitutes 'high-speed broadband' heats up as the FCC collects comments for its next broadband availability report

The debate over what constitutes high-speed broadband has heated up as the Federal Communications Commission collects comments for its next report to Congress on the state of broadband availability. At stake is whether the FCC gets to regulate broadband to ensure it meets Congress’s goal of universal service.

Chairman Doyle: A President Biden Would Likely Back Return of Net Rules

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) is confident that if Vice President Joe Biden were to be elected president, he would work with the Democrats to restore net neutrality rules. Net neutrality tends to be an important issue with a lot of people in the tech community and younger voters that want to see a level playing field and make sure ISPs don't block content, he said, but that while it is an important issue, he doesn't see it as a "primary" issue (no pun intended).

Sec. 230 Language Remains in USMCA

Social media platforms will continue to be held harmless for third-party content on their web sites according to the compromise on the US Mexico Canada Agreement trade deal announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). 

 

Knock, Knock. Who's There? Ajit Pai

At the Federal Communications Bar Association's annual Chairman's Dinner, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai delivered a solid set of inside jokes. 

House Approves Comprehensive Robocall Bill TRACED Act

The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to approve the bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED Act), a Senate bill (S. 151) that would crack down on unwanted robocalls. The vote was 417-3.  The bill has already passed the Senate so it now heads to the President's desk. Among other things, the bill would give the Federal Communications Commission civil fining authority of up to $20,000 per call for those who "intentionally flout" telemarketing restrictions.