BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017
Today's Event: Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, NTIA -- https://www.benton.org/node/252358
TRANSITION/AGENDA
Chairman Thune Outlines Senate Commerce Committee Tech Agenda for 115th Congress - press release
House Advances Eleven Energy and Commerce Committee Bills, Including FCC Process Reform Act - press release
Chairman Pai Statement on House Telecom Bills - press release [links to Benton summary]
Senate Commerce Committee Approves 16 Bills and Two Cabinet Nominations at First Markup of 115th Congress - press release
Trump’s nominee to lead Commerce Department clears key Senate panel
Donald Trump’s Supreme Court shortlist is reportedly down to these 3 men [links to Vox]
FBI Director James Comey to stay on in Trump administration [links to Washington Post]
Third Breitbart alum joins Trump administration [links to Benton summary]
President Trump and the TPP: Giving Away Something for Nothing [links to Council on Foreign Relations]
After Seismic Political Shift, Modest Changes in Public’s Policy Agenda [links to Pew Research Center]
With Trump as President, White House Web Site Under Barack Obama Goes to National Archives [links to Broadband Census]
CHAIRMANPAI/FCC
Remarks of Chairman Ajit Pai at FCC - speech
FCC Chairman Pai Appoints Bureau and Office Chiefs - press release
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Appoints Acting General Counsel - press release
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Announces Staff Appointments - press release
Democratic Lawmakers promise to stand up to FCC chair on net neutrality [links to Benton summary]
Reactions to Ajit Pai Being Designated as FCC Chairman [links to Benton summary]
Comcast, AT&T, and ISP lobbyists are excited about Trump’s FCC chair [links to Benton summary]
An Open Letter to FCC Chairman-Nominee Ajit Pai - TeleFrieden [links to Benton summary]
Agenda for January 2017 FCC Open Meeting - press release [links to Benton summary]
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
A visual guide to President Trump’s media habits [links to Benton summary]
White House Echoes Beijing in Treatment of US Press - Foreign Policy [links to Benton summary]
Sean Spicer just keeps killing his credibility [links to Benton summary]
Tech workers aren't known for political activism. But that may be changing [links to Benton summary]
President Trump silences government scientists at EPA and USAD with gag orders [links to Vox]
We Need Techies to Work for Trump [links to Medium]
Lewandowski: 'The media has to do a better job' [links to Hill, The]
Thousands of people are using bots to track the Trump administration [links to Benton summary]
Podcast: Here's What Trump's Tweets Mean for Twitter, and Democracy [links to Bloomberg]
JOURNALISM
Don’t Expect the First Amendment to Protect the Media - op-ed
Five ways the media bungled the election - CJR op-ed [links to Benton summary]
In 2009, media drooled over Obama. To Trump they bare their teeth. - The Hill op-ed [links to Benton summary]
10 ways the media described Trump’s ‘false,’ ‘bogus’ voter fraud ‘lie’ [links to Washington Post]
ELECTION 2020
Trump campaign applies to trademark ‘Keep America Great!’ [links to Politico]
Zuckerberg has 'no plans' to run for president [links to Hill, The]
INTERNET/BROADBAND
Democratic Lawmakers Propose $20 Billion Broadband Spend
Bills in VA and MO Would Double Down on Banning Municipal Broadband - analysis
Virginia Being Scammed With Industry-Ghostwritten Broadband Ban Bill - Stop the Cap [links to Benton summary]
Home Internet data caps and overage fees expand to more US cities [links to Benton summary]
SECURITY/PRIVACY
Google Privacy-Policy Change Faces New Scrutiny in EU
You can’t use US law to search foreign servers, appeals court confirms [links to Vox]
Your 'anonymized' web browsing history may not be anonymous [links to Princeton University]
CONTENT
A leaked report shows how much money publishers make from platforms like Facebook, Google, and Snapchat [links to Benton summary]
Apple is trying to limit how often your iPhone apps can bug you to give them a rating [links to Vox]
A novel way to help readers spot fake news [links to Christian Science Monitor]
EDUCATION
Google doubles down on Chromebooks in education with two new devices [links to Verge, The]
LABOR
Diversity in tech: Lots of attention, little progress [links to Associated Press]
Verizon Confirms Job Cuts at Go90 [links to Multichannel News]
POLICYMAKERS
How a former Bill Clinton aide is rewriting Silicon Valley’s political playbook
115th Congress sets new high for racial, ethnic diversity [links to Pew Research Center]
STORIES FROM ABROAD
Amazon Offers to Settle EU Probe Over E-Books Contracts [links to Bloomberg]
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TRANSITION/AGENDA
THUNE OUTLINES TECH AGENDA
[SOURCE: US Senate Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD)]
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) discussed the committee’s tech agenda for the 115th Congress during a speech at the State of the Net internet policy conference. Chairman Thune said, "First, we need to modernize our communications laws to facilitate the growth of the Internet itself. And second, we need to update government policies to better reflect the innovations made possible by the Internet and other digital technologies. As chairman of the Senate committee most focused on helping businesses find opportunities for growing worker rolls and paychecks, the vast majority of our top agenda items fit into one of those two buckets....My goals for the current Congress include: enacting MOBILE NOW; moving additional legislation on broadband deployment and spectrum policy; including broadband in any larger infrastructure package; finding a long-term, legislative solution to protecting the open Internet; and working with my colleagues in the Senate and the House on overdue updates to modernize the FCC and our communications laws."
benton.org/headlines/chairman-thune-outlines-senate-commerce-committee-tech-agenda-115th-congress | US Senate Commerce Committee
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HOUSE ADVANCES ELEVEN COMMERCE COMMITTEE BILLS
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Press release]
The House of Representatives passed eleven Commerce Committee bills. Bills related to communications policy include:
Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2017 (HR 290), sponsored by Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), would make the FCC more efficient, transparent, and accountable through reforming the commission’s processes and ensuring the FCC regulates in an innovative and dynamic way. HR 290 passed the House unanimously by voice vote.
Anti-Spoofing Act of 2017 (HR 423) sponsored by Rep Grace Meng (D-NY), would protect consumers against fraudulent actors and deceptive text messages by updating the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, which prohibits entities from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information. HR 423 passed the House 398-5.
Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2017 (HR 460), sponsored by Rep. David Young (R-IA), would require intermediate providers to register with the FCC and comply with the service quality standards set by the agency in order to improve call quality from long distance or wireless calls in rural areas throughout the country. HR 460 passed the House unanimously by voice vote.
Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 (HR 555), sponsored by committee member Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), would instruct the FCC to adopt rules that protect the rights of amateur radio operators to use radio equipment in deed-restricted communities. HR 555 passed the House unanimously by voice vote.
Kari’s Law Act of 2017 (HR 582), sponsored by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), would require that any multi-line telephone system connects directly to 911 when dialed, even in instances where the phone requires the user to dial “9” to get an outside line. HR 582 passed the House 408-0.
Securing Access to Networks in Disaster Act (HR 588), sponsored by full committee Ranking Member Rep Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), would create requirements for mobile service providers during emergencies to ensure that consumers have access to networks during disasters, and requires the FCC and GAO to examine the resiliency of networks during these events. In addition, it amends the Stafford Act to ensure all categories of communications service providers may access disaster sites to restore service. HR 588 passed the House unanimously by voice vote.
Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of 2017 (HR 599), sponsored by committee member and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), would consolidate eight separate reports at the FCC into a single, comprehensive overview of the communications marketplace, reducing reporting burdens and encouraging the agency to analyze competition in the marketplace. HR 599 passed the House unanimously by voice vote.
benton.org/headlines/house-advances-eleven-energy-and-commerce-committee-bills-including-fcc-process-reform-act | House of Representatives Commerce Committee | B&C
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SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE MARKUP
[SOURCE: Senate Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Press release]
The Senate Commerce Committee approved 16 bills and the nominations for Wilbur Ross to be Secretary of Commerce and Elaine Chao to be Secretary of Transportation. The bills (all approved by voice vote) include:
MOBILE Now Act (S 19), Sponsors: Chairman John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act (S 88), Sponsors: Sens Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act (S 96), Sponsors: Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairman Thune, Jon Tester (D-MT)
Securing Access to Networks in Disasters (SANDY) Act (S 102), Sponsors: Sens Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ranking Member Nelson
Kari’s Law Act (S 123), Sponsors: Sens Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Brian Schatz (D-HI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chairman Thune, Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Spoofing Prevention Act (S 134), Sponsors: Ranking Member Nelson, Deb Fischer (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act (S 174), Sponsors: Sens Dean Heller (R-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI)
benton.org/headlines/senate-commerce-committee-approves-16-bills-and-two-cabinet-nominations-first-markup-115th | Senate Commerce Committee
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COMMERCE DEPT NOMINEE CLEARS SENATE PANEL
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Ylan Mui]
Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, cleared a key Senate panel with bipartisan support, signaling an easy path to confirmation. The Senate Commerce Committee approved Ross's nomination in a voice vote with no opposition. Ross amassed his fortune by investing in distressed industries that have been hard hit by the forces of globalization, including steel, coal and textiles. He was one of Trump’s key advisers on trade policy on the campaign trail and is slated to take a leading role in carrying out the White House’s promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. During his confirmation hearing, Ross advocated the need for bilateral trade deals rather than sweeping agreements such as the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
benton.org/headlines/trumps-nominee-lead-commerce-department-clears-key-senate-panel | Washington Post
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CHAIRMAN PAI/FCC
REMARKS OF PAI
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai]
As I enter this new position, I want you to know that I value and respect each and every one of you. I may now have the fancy title of Chairman (although I urge you to call me Ajit), but the credit for our work primarily belongs to you...One of the most significant things that I’ve seen during my time here is that there is a digital divide in this country—between those who can use from cutting-edge communications services and those who do not. I believe one of our core priorities going forward should be to close that divide—to do what’s necessary to help the private sector build networks, send signals, and distribute information to American consumers, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or anything else. We must work to bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans.
benton.org/headlines/remarks-chairman-ajit-pai-fcc | Federal Communications Commission
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PAI APPOINTS BUREAU AND OFFICE CHIEFS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced the appointment of Commission bureau and office chiefs. The following are new appointments:
Michelle Carey, Acting Chief of the Media Bureau.
Michael Carowitz, Acting Chief of the Enforcement Bureau.
Lisa Fowlkes, Acting Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
Nese Guendelsberger, Acting Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
Kris Monteith, Acting Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau.
Tom Sullivan, Acting Chief of the International Bureau.
Wayne A. Leighton, Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis.
Timothy Strachan, Acting Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-chairman-pai-appoints-bureau-and-office-chiefs | Federal Communications Commission
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CHAIRMAN PAI APPOINTS ACTING GENERAL COUNSEL
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced the appointment of Brendan Carr as the Commission’s Acting General Counsel. For the past three years, Carr has served as Commissioner Pai’s Wireless, Public Safety, and International Legal Advisor. He joined the office from the FCC’s Office of General Counsel. In that role, he provided legal advice on a wide range of spectrum policy, competition, and public safety matters. Prior to joining the FCC, Carr was an attorney at Wiley Rein LLP, where he worked in the firm’s appellate, litigation, and telecom practices. He represented clients in both trial and appellate court proceedings, including complex litigation involving the First Amendment and the Communications Act. Earlier in his career, he served as a law clerk for Judge Dennis W. Shedd of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Carr graduated magna cum laude from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and obtained a certificate from its Institute for Communications Law Studies. Carr received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-appoints-acting-general-counsel | Federal Communications Commission
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CHAIRMAN PAI ANNOUNCES STAFF APPOINTMENTS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced staff appointments to the Office of the Chairman:
Matthew Berry, Chief of Staff. For the past four years, Berry has served as Commissioner Pai’s Chief of Staff.
Nicholas Degani, Senior Counsel. For the past four years, Degani has served as Commissioner Pai’s Wireline Legal Advisor.
Jay Schwarz, Acting Wireline Advisor. Dr Schwarz is an economist; previously he served in the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning, where he was as Acting Deputy Chief.
Alison Nemeth, Acting Media Advisor. Nemeth joins the office from the FCC’s Media Bureau, where she most recently served as a Legal Advisor.
Rachael Bender, Acting Wireless Advisor. Bender joins the office from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, where
she worked on competition issues and efforts to streamline infrastructure deployment.
Zenji Nakazawa, Acting Public Safety and Consumer Protection Advisor. Nakazawa joins the office from the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, where he served as chief of the Policy and Rules Division.
Lori Alexiou, Confidential Assistant. For the past four years, Alexiou has been Commissioner Pai’s confidential assistant.
Kim Mattos, Acting Executive Assistant. Mattos will assist Berry and Degani.
Deanne Erwin, Executive Assistant. Erwin will assist Dr. Schwarz, Nemeth, Bender, and Nakazawa.
benton.org/headlines/fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-announces-staff-appointments | Federal Communications Commission
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JOURNALISM
THE PRESS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: RonNell Anderson Jones, Sonja West]
[Commentary] When President Donald Trump declared that reporters are “among the most dishonest human beings on earth,” it was not the first time he had disparaged the press. Nor was it out of character when his press secretary threatened “to hold the press accountable” for reporting truthful information that was unflattering to President Trump. Episodes like these have become all too common in recent weeks. So it’s comforting to know that the Constitution serves as a reliable stronghold against Trump’s assault on the press. Except that it doesn’t. The truth is, legal protections for press freedom are far feebler than you may think. Even more worrisome, they have been weakening in recent years. Journalists have few constitutional rights when it comes to matters such as access to government sources and documents, or protection from being hounded by those in power for their news gathering and reporting. In those respects, journalists are vulnerable to the whims of society and government officials. America’s press freedom, in other words, is something of a mishmash. We cannot simply sit back and expect that the First Amendment will rush in to preserve the press, and with it our right to know. Like so much of our democracy, the freedom of the press is only as strong as we, the public, demand it to be.
[RonNell Andersen Jones is a law professor at the University of Utah. Sonja R. West is a law professor at the University of Georgia.]
benton.org/headlines/dont-expect-first-amendment-protect-media | New York Times
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INTERNET/BROADBAND
DEMOCRATS PROPOSE $20 BILLION BROADBAND SPEND
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Looking to trump President Donald Trump's trillion-dollar infrastructure spending plans, Democratic lawmakers unveiled their own plan that calls for spending big bucks to expand "high speed and affordable broadband" in both unserved and "underserved" areas, including funding for both middle-mile (backbone) and last-mile wired and wireless deployment. The Democratic plan calls for a $20 billion investment, which the Democrats say will result in 260,000 new jobs. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL) was a key co-sponsor of the spending plan. "To close the rural-urban divide, and to push toward ubiquitous access to high-speed broadband, we will invest $20 billion to fund the build out of high-speed broadband in unserved and underserved areas. This funding will be available to projects currently eligible under programs at both the Department of Commerce and the US Department of Agriculture. We also propose expanding the programs to enable grant recipients to use grant funds to deploy various types of infrastructure capable of offering, middle-mile, last-mile wired and wireless broadband access, and adding evaluation criteria in the awards process to ensure that the funding goes to the most effective and efficient uses. Finally, we propose ensuring additional funding is available to help upgrade our nation’s aging 9-1-1 system and other critical infrastructure technology."
benton.org/headlines/democratic-lawmakers-propose-20-billion-broadband-spend | Broadcasting&Cable | Morning Consult
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BILLS IN VA AND MO WOULD DOUBLE DOWN ON BANNING MUNICIPAL BROADBAND
[SOURCE: Daily Yonder, AUTHOR: Craig Settles]
Legislation proposed in Virginia and Missouri would tighten the noose that restricts local governments from creating broadband options. In Virginia, the bill comes from a state delegate with strong ties to the telecommunications industry and with ALEC, the national advocacy group that wrote similar laws for other states. Virginia’s State House Bill 2108 effectively stops cold all of the efforts the state has taken to get broadband in communities through seemingly benign definition. The bill allows municipal networks only in areas that don’t already have broadband – defined as 10 Mbps download speed and 1 Mbps upload. In Missouri, meanwhile, the state’s current anti-municipal network law, written in 1997, bans public entities from owning and providing telecom services. But it’s always been an implied or assumed ban, even though an exception for broadband was written into the bill. One Missouri city built a network without challenge, and Columbia two years ago planned to play the same “Get Out of Jail Free” card. The Missouri Legislature has been making annual efforts since 2014 to ban muni broadband. This year’s entry is SB 186, which would prohibit retail or wholesale competitive service. By banning wholesale efforts, the bill would prevent a municipality from working with private-sector companies to supply broadband.
benton.org/headlines/analysis-bills-va-and-mo-would-double-down-banning-municipal-broadband | Daily Yonder
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SECURITY/PRIVACY
GOOGLE PRIVACY-POLICY CHANGE FACES NEW SCRUTINY IN EU
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Natalia Drozdiak, Jack Nicas]
Software giant Oracle said it briefed European regulators late in 2016 on recent changes to Google’s privacy policies in hopes of compounding its rival’s already complicated regulatory challenges. In June, Google asked users to accept a new privacy policy that allowed it to combine their browsing and search data, giving the company more robust profiles of its users. Oracle said it told antitrust regulators that the policy change will make it harder for other companies to compete by enabling Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., to even more accurately target ads to users. Privacy advocates have also complained to US regulators. “‘Super profiles’ now a reality,” reads a headline on one slide of a presentation that Oracle provided to regulators. “Policy change gives Google, exclusive, unprecedented insight into users’ lives.” An EU official confirmed regulators had been briefed by Oracle on the privacy-policychange and said they were taking the allegations “seriously.”
benton.org/headlines/google-privacy-policy-change-faces-new-scrutiny-eu | Wall Street Journal
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POLICYMAKERS
CHRIS LEHANE
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Elizabeth Dwoskin]
Chris Lehane no longer plants political attacks in the news media the way he did in the Clinton White House or for Al Gore’s presidential campaign. Instead, he opts for TV spots that feature happy middle-class families promoting Airbnb, the home-sharing company where he is head of policy. Lehane is at the forefront of a war to fight fundamental threats to the company — scores of local laws that prohibit individuals from turning private homes into hotels, and the perception that Airbnb drives up housing prices by taking units off the market. He is trying to turn a cutting-edge $30 billion company into an organized political movement — one that is about helping a battered middle class earn extra money by renting out their homes.
benton.org/headlines/how-former-bill-clinton-aide-rewriting-silicon-valleys-political-playbook | Washington Post
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