BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017

Today's Main Event -- Nomination Hearing for FCC Commissioners -- https://www.benton.org/node/261878

COMMUNICATIONS & DEMOCRACY
   Former Clinton and Romney campaign chiefs join forces to fight election hacking [links to Benton summary]
   Trump’s commission on election fraud continues to defend its request for detailed voter information in court ahead of its first meeting [links to Associated Press]
   Op-ed: The White House’s voter fraud commission has already damaged our democracy [links to Washington Post]
   The White House is trying to kill the daily press briefing - CNN [links to Benton summary]
   Ari Fleischer: White House briefing should be less of a ‘red hot TV show’ [links to Hill, The]
   Journalists fight the wrong battle on White House access [links to Columbia Journalism Review]
   Voters trust media more than President Trump: poll [links to Benton summary]

NET NEUTRALITY
   The White House Endorses the FCC’s effort to roll back its net neutrality rules
   Sen Franken Joins the Millions of Americans Who are Fighting Loudly to Preserve Net Neutrality - press release
   AT&T, Comcast and others sketch their support for lenient — or voluntary — net neutrality rules
   Comcast’s Cohen: Broadband capex has declined by $3.6B under Title II
   Comcast accuses net neutrality advocates of not “living in the real world” [links to Benton summary]
   Why is Comcast using self-driving cars to justify abolishing net neutrality? [links to Vox]
   Fight for the Future brands Congressional boogeymen as ‘Team Cable’ in net neutrality fight [links to Benton summary]
   Fight for the Future Turns Focus on the Hill [links to Benton summary]
   Internet Association blasts Fight for the Future for including Rep Scalise ad campaign [links to Benton summary]
   President Trump's FCC Chief Has Failed to Justify His Campaign Against Net Neutrality - Free Press press release [links to Benton summary]
   Consumers Union Files Comments Urging FCC to Abandon Efforts to Repeal Net Neutrality - press release [links to Benton summary]
   Why were Facebook, Google, and Amazon so quiet about net neutrality? - Medium op-ed [links to Benton summary]
   FCC refuses to release text of more than 40,000 net neutrality complaints [links to Benton summary]
   Congress Should Decide Net Neutrality. Too Bad It Doesn't Have The Bandwidth - Fast Company [links to Benton summary]
   OTI Urges FCC to Abandon “Radical” and “Extreme” Net Neutrality Plan - press release [links to Benton summary]
   NAACP, CWA Seek Strong, Enforceable Internet Rules [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
   NCTA: No Need for FCC's Internet Rules [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
   Digital media companies: net neutrality rules help us compete [links to Axios]
   ACA: Title II Classification Must Go [links to Broadcasting&Cable]
   Op-ed: Net Neutrality Supporters Should Actually Hate the Regulations They're Endorsing [links to Reason]
   LGBT Tech: Reclassify ISPs Under Title I [links to Multichannel News]
   Everyone claims to be for an open internet. So what’s the latest net neutrality fight really about? [links to Benton summary]
   Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan And Others Take On FCC [links to Benton summary]
   The Effect of Regulation on Broadband: Evaluating the Empirical Evidence in the FCC’s 2015 “Open Internet Order.” Net Neutrality Special Issue Blog #5 - Technology Policy Institute analysis [links to Benton summary]

MORE INTERNET/BROADBAND
   Don’t Make Applying for E-rate Fiber Even Harder - SHLB Coalition press release
   Program for rural internet in schools, libraries in jeopardy - Wichita Eagle op-ed [links to Benton summary]
   LEAD Commission Wants Pai E-Rate Commitment [links to Benton summary]
   Frontier Touts Early Achievement of CAF Buildout Requirements for Rural Broadband [links to telecompetitor]

SECURITY/PRIVACY
   Why tech firms are fighting California's privacy push
   California legislation to ‘protect’ privacy won’t solve privacy problems - Sacramento Bee op-ed [links to Benton summary]
   FBI: Be wary of smart toys [links to Hill, The]
   San Francisco’s biggest public radio station was forced offline by ransomware [links to Verge, The]
   Sarah Gordon: Our personal data are precious — we must take back control [links to Financial Times]

OWNERSHIP
   Sinclair executive defends company from 'biased' media in internal memo
   Don’t be fooled: Sinclair is trying to bring the Fox News model to your local news station - Media Matters for America [links to Benton summary]
   Statement of Media Matters president Angelo Carusone on Sinclair Broadcast Group internal memo [links to Media Matters for America]
   Discovery Communications and Scripps Networks in Talks to Combine [links to Wall Street Journal]
   'Chicago Sun-Times' Sold For $1 [links to Benton summary]
   The effects of M&As within the mobile ecosystem on the rival's shareholder value: The case of Google and Apple - Telecommunications Policy analysis [links to Benton summary]
   Pressure mounting for US government to examine Amazon-Whole Foods accord [links to Ars Technica]
   Tech groups voice support for tax reform [links to Hill, The]

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
   When dialing 9-1-1 doesn’t work and how Kari’s Law helps fix it - press release [links to Benton summary]
   Apple patents way to secretly call 911 using your fingerprint [links to Benton summary]
   Iowa Approves Buildout Plan for First Responder Network [links to First Responder Network Authority]

WIRELESS/SPECTRUM
   T-Mobile: Verizon, AT&T networks 'have caved' due to unlimited plans [links to Benton summary]
   When 5G is here, a wireless supercomputer will follow you around [links to CNN]
   Qualcomm CEO: 5G technology is generating worldwide interest among governments [links to Fierce]

TELEVISION
   NTIA Seeks Comment on Repeal of Regulations Governing the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program [links to National Telecommunications and Information Administration]

JOURNALISM
   Facebook Says It Will Start Testing a Subscription-Based News Product in October [links to AdWeek]
   'Chicago Sun-Times' Sold For $1 [links to Benton summary]

CHILDREN & MEDIA
   PTC Delivers Indecency Complaints to FCC about “The Mick” [links to Broadcasting&Cable]

ACCESSIBILITY
   Uber is being sued by NY disability advocates for not having accessible cars [links to Vox]

DIVERSITY
   Why diversity matters in the modern video games industry [links to Guardian, The]
   BBC admits only one-third of its stars are women [links to Financial Times]

LABOR
   Atlanta and Toronto are the new top markets for tech jobs [links to USAToday]

GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
   US Digital Services Shares First Priorities Under Trump [links to Benton summary]
   Delivering Better Services to the US People - Medium op-ed [links to Benton summary]

POLICYMAKERS
   Acting FTC Chairman Ohlhausen Appoints Neil Chilson as Acting Chief Technologist - press release
   Acting FTC Chairman Ohlhausen Announces Departure of Economics Bureau Director Ginger Zhe Jin, Appointment of Michael G. Vita as Acting Bureau Director [links to Federal Trade Commission]
   Consumer Technology Association Calls for Swift Confirmation of FCC Nominees [links to Benton summary]

COMPANY NEWS
   Netflix’s next move is to disrupt Hollywood’s biggest money maker – feature films [links to Washington Post]
   NBCUniversal launches first Snapchat news programme [links to Financial Times]
   Fox Paid Sexual Harassment Claim Against Top Murdoch Deputy David Hill [links to Benton summary]

STORIES FROM ABROAD
   China’s Censors Can Now Erase Images Mid-Transmission [links to Benton summary]
   How Badly Is China’s Great Firewall Hurting the Country’s Economy? [links to Foreign Policy]
   Net Neutrality Challenges in the World: Zero-Rating in the European Union - Public Knowledge analysis [links to Benton summary]
   State hackers 'probably compromised' energy sector, says leaked GCHQ memo [links to Guardian, The]
   Britain Cracking Down on Gender Stereotypes in Ads [links to New York Times]

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NET NEUTRALITY

WH ENDORSES FCC PLAN TO ROLLBACK NN
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR Brian Fung]
The Trump Administration has signaled that it stands behind efforts by the Federal Communications Commission and its Chairman, Ajit Pai, to roll back the agency's network neutrality regulations for Internet providers. Speaking to reporters (audio only) on July 18, administration officials said that while rules can be helpful, the Obama administration “went about this the wrong way.” “We support the FCC chair's efforts to review and consider rolling back these rules,” said deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, “and believe that the best way to get fair rules for everyone is for Congress to take action and create regulatory and economic certainty.” The administration's move recalls similar efforts by the White House, during the Obama Administration, to make its opinion known on the issue of net neutrality. “The process raises serious questions about the president's inappropriate influence over what is supposed to be an independent agency that derives its authority from Congress and not the White House,” Sen Ron Johnson (R-WI) said at the time in a letter to the FCC criticizing the matter. Still, some analysts say, any attempt by a White House to address pending FCC matters should be out of bounds. It was wrong when President Obama asserted himself, and it would be wrong for Trump to do so now, said Scott Wallsten, an economist and president of the Technology Policy Institute. “If the agency is independent, then the executive branch should stay out, plain and simple,” he said.
benton.org/headlines/white-house-endorses-fccs-effort-roll-back-its-net-neutrality-rules | Washington Post | B&C | The Hill
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SEN FRANKEN AND NN
[SOURCE: US Senate, AUTHOR: Press release]
Sen Al Franken (D-MN) joined the millions of Americans who have weighed in with the Federal Communications Commission to protect network neutrality, the long-standing principle that what you read, see, or watch on the internet shouldn't be favored, blocked, or slowed down based on where that content comes from. "Allowing giant corporations to pick and choose the content available to everyday Americans would threaten the basic principles of our democracy,"wrote Sen Franken in his public comment to the FCC. "While the FCC's vote to implement strong net neutrality rules was an important victory for American consumers and business, it also demonstrated the overwhelming power of grassroots activism and civic participation. In 2014, millions of Americans from across the political spectrum organized to ensure that their voices were heard, and-in the process-they redefined civic engagement in our country. But that kind of participation requires an open internet. Because of net neutrality, people from across the nation can connect with each other, share their ideas on the internet, and organize a community effort."
benton.org/headlines/sen-franken-joins-millions-americans-who-are-fighting-loudly-preserve-net-neutrality | US Senate
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ATT, COMCAST, AND NN
[SOURCE: Vox, AUTHOR: Tony Romm]
The Trump administration’s attempt to scrap and replace network neutrality rules could open the door for internet providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon to charge some companies for faster delivery of their web content or services. It’s not their stated goal, but these so-called online “fast lanes” can’t be completely outlawed under the more lenient approaches to net neutrality advocated by broadband providers at the Federal Communications Commission. Some telecom companies even questioned whether the FCC should play the primary role in enforcing net neutrality at all. One of the proposals: Telecom giants asked the FCC to consider relying on a different part of federal telecom law to safeguard the open internet. That might sound simple enough, but the portion of law they cite could open the legal door for ISPs to start charging companies like Google or Netflix for faster delivery of their content, a practice known as paid prioritization. They argue that fears of online fast and slow lanes are “baseless,” in the words of AT&T, which further explained that a full-on ban against paid prioritization actually makes it hard for them “to support autonomous cars, remote surgery, and a growing array of other unusually latency-sensitive applications.” Comcast similarly raised self-driving cars in its comment to the FCC.
benton.org/headlines/att-comcast-and-others-sketch-their-support-lenient-or-voluntary-net-neutrality-rules | Vox
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COMCAST SAYS CAPEX HAS DECLINED UNDER TITLE II
[SOURCE: Fierce, AUTHOR: Daniel Frankel]
Capital expenditures by US internet service providers have declined by $3.6 billion since the Federal Communications Commission adopted its Title II regime for internet regulation in 2015, Comcast regulatory chief David L. Cohen said. Cohen’s blog posting—and the associated comments made to the FCC—continued Comcast’s push to get the now-Republican-led agency to reverse its regulations. The capex figure was quoted from economist Hal Singer, who said the top 12 ISPs invested 5.6% less in 2016 vs. 2014, before Title II was enacted. “A CTIA study found that capital expenditures declined for wireless providers by 17.4% from 2015-2016,” Cohen added. “A study by Dr. George S. Ford found that the threat of Title II regulation between 2011 and 2015 reduced broadband investment by about 20% to 30%, or about $30 to $40 billion annually. That reduction amounts to "about $150-$200 billion over the five-year period," or the equivalent of losing an entire year’s worth of investment. Those who say investment isn’t impacted by the Title II regime “aren’t living in the real world,” Cohen also said.
benton.org/headlines/comcasts-cohen-broadband-capex-has-declined-36b-under-title-ii | Fierce
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INTERNET/BROADBAND

DONT MAKE APPLYING FOR E-RATE FIBER EVEN HARDER
[SOURCE: Schools Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition, AUTHOR: John Windhausen]
Applying for E-rate funding is not simple, especially for applicants seeking fiber-based services. Applicants must have an in-depth knowledge of dark vs. lit fiber, self-provisioning, and special construction, and that’s just the beginning. The vast majority of schools and libraries have to hire consultants to guide them through the labyrinth of E-rate rules and procedures. So the last thing we should want is to make the E-rate application even more difficult. Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening. E-rate fiber applications are being delayed or denied even though they follow the Federal Communications Commission’s policies, past precedent, and the Eligible Services List (ESL). As a membership organization made up of schools, libraries, associations, broadband companies and E-rate consultants, we hear these complaints constantly. The Schools Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB) will file comments later this week on the proposed ESL for Funding Year 2018 asking to maintain the existing rules and policies governing applications for fiber-based services. The rules and policies adopted in the 2014 E-rate Modernization Orders are intended to help schools and libraries increase their bandwidth and obtain low-cost fiber services, which will be especially helpful in rural markets. We will encourage the FCC to maintain the 2014 rules and policies and to provide consistent guidance to E-rate applicants.
benton.org/headlines/dont-make-applying-e-rate-fiber-even-harder | Schools Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition
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SECURITY/PRIVACY

WHY TECH FIRMS ARE FIGHTING CALIFORNIA PRIVACY PUSH
[SOURCE: Axios, AUTHOR: David McCabe]
States across the country are trying to figure how out to regulate consumer privacy in the digital ad space, but the battlefield to watch is Sacramento (CA). There, lawmakers are vetting a bill today that would require internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast to get permission from customers before sharing their data with marketers. As the lines between media, tech and telecom companies blur, Internet providers and the web companies that use their pipes have a rare alliance in opposing the bill. They all have a stake in the fight as telecommunications companies buy media companies (think Verizon buying Yahoo and AOL) and web companies are, in some cases, working on their own connectivity initiatives (think Google Fiber). A new privacy law in California would be a threat to ISPs trying to break into the digital advertising market and the start of a slippery slope for the Facebook-Google duopoly.
benton.org/headlines/why-tech-firms-are-fighting-californias-privacy-push | Axios
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OWNERSHIP

SINCLAIR EXECUTIVE DEFENDS COMPANY FROM 'BIASED' MEDIA
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Hadas Gold]
An executive at local broadcast TV giant Sinclair defended the company and lashed out against what he called "biased" news organizations that have "an agenda to destroy our reputation" in an internal memo. The memo, written by Sinclair's Vice President of News Scott Livingston and sent to Sinclair station news directors, said he wants to “dispel some of the myths” being reported about the organization. In the memo, Livingston lists out several storylines that have emerged around the Maryland-based television company and provides what he said are facts proving them false. They range from reports about their “must run” segments to morale at their Washington station WJLA. HBO late night host John Oliver also made Sinclair and its "must run" segments the focus of a 19 minute segment earlier in July.
benton.org/headlines/sinclair-executive-defends-company-biased-media-internal-memo | Politico
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POLICYMAKERS

NEW FTC CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST
[SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Acting Federal Trade Commission Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen has appointed Neil Alan Chilson as the agency’s acting Chief Technologist. Chilson will be primarily responsible for advising Acting Chairman Ohlhausen and the Commission on technology matters, including the FTC’s use of technology, technical aspects of law enforcement actions, and technology policy recommendations. His portfolio will also include managing the FTC’s effort to better understand informational harms. Chilson was previously an Attorney Advisor in the Acting Chairman’s office, serving as the Chairman’s principal advisor on technology, privacy, and data security matters. Previously, he was an attorney at the law firm of Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, where he handled a wide variety of telecommunications and privacy matters. He received his law degree from the George Washington University Law School, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Harding University.
benton.org/headlines/acting-ftc-chairman-ohlhausen-appoints-neil-chilson-acting-chief-technologist | Federal Trade Commission | The Hill | B&C
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