1. Monthly archive
  2. August 2017

August 2017

Trump TV Goes Local?

[Commentary] Sinclair provided pro-Trump coverage throughout the presidential campaign, and continues to employ surrogates like its chief political strategist Boris Epshteyn, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign whose pro-White House commentaries air regularly. Sinclair is reaping the rewards for its service to President Trump — and preparing to blanket the country with coverage promoting his agenda.

While Sinclair bills itself as a “local” news company, the organization actually is known for sending “must-run” segments out to affiliates, requiring them to air pieces that are far-right leaning and completely unrelated to local communities. And yet the silencing of local issues and dismantling of local news production isn’t even the worst of Sinclair’s authoritarian practices. Every night Sinclair affiliates are forced to run a segment called the “Terrorism Alert Desk.” One recent report focused on French legislation against burkinis, a type of modesty swimsuit worn by some Muslim women. What does swimwear have to do with terrorism? This isn’t news. It’s propaganda designed to incite fear and hatred — the same kind that Donald Trump and others like him regularly peddle to amass power and wealth while destroying Black, Brown, LGBTQ and Muslim lives. What can we do? Speak up now: Tell the FCC to keep current rules in place and keep Sinclair’s racist, Islamophobic trash off the local news.

FCC Proposes $82 Million Fine For Spoofed Robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission proposed an $82,106,000 fine against an individual who apparently made more than 21 million illegally spoofed robocalls in violation of the Truth in Caller ID Act. The law prohibits callers from deliberately falsifying caller ID information – a practice called “spoofing” – to disguise their identity with the intent to harm, defraud consumers, or wrongfully obtain anything of value. The FCC found that Best Insurance Contracts and its owner/operator, Mr. Philip Roesel (doing business as Wilmington Insurance Quotes) apparently made millions of illegally spoofed robocalls consumers around the country. Roesel of Wilmington (NC) displayed inaccurate caller ID information when making robocalls in an effort to sell health insurance, which especially targeted vulnerable consumers, including the elderly, the infirm, and low-income families.

Information Security: OPM Has Improved Controls, but Further Efforts Are Needed

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) collects and maintains personal data on millions of individuals, including data related to security clearance investigations. In 2015, OPM reported significant breaches of personal information that affected 21.5 million individuals. The Senate report accompanying the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2016 included a provision for GAO to review information security at OPM. GAO evaluated OPM's (1) actions since the 2015 reported data breaches to prevent, mitigate, and respond to data breaches involving sensitive personnel records and information; (2) information security policies and practices for implementing selected government-wide initiatives and requirements; and (3) procedures for overseeing the security of OPM information maintained by contractors providing IT services. To do so, GAO examined policies, plans, and procedures and other documents; tested controls for selected systems; and interviewed officials. This is a public version of a sensitive report being issued concurrently. GAO omitted certain specific examples due to the sensitive nature of the information.

GAO is making five recommendations to improve OPM's security. OPM concurred with four of these and partially concurred with the one on validating its corrective actions. GAO continues to believe that implementation of this recommendation is warranted. In GAO's limited distribution report, GAO made nine additional recommendations.

FCC Takes Next Step Toward $2 Billion Rural Broadband Expansion

The Federal Communications Commission took the next step toward launching an auction that will provide nearly $2 billion over ten years to expand high-speed Internet access to consumers and businesses in rural areas that are currently unserved by fixed broadband. This proceeding represents the first use of an auction by the FCC to allocate ongoing Connect America Fund support for fixed broadband and voice services in rural areas.

Use of this market-based “reverse auction” mechanism will enable the FCC to expand and support high-quality rural fixed broadband and voice services at a lower cost and to maximize the value of its investment. The auction will commence in 2018. The Public Notice seeks comment on the proposed application and bidding procedures for the auction, including how interested parties can qualify to participate in the auction, how bidders will submit their bids, and how the FCC will process bids to determine the winners and support amounts. This first-of-its-kind auction of support for fixed broadband and voice service is expected to attract parties that have never participated in an FCC auction. Recognizing that, the FCC’s Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force, along with the Wireline Competition Bureau and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, plan to provide detailed educational materials and hands-on practice opportunities in advance of the auction.

FCC Proposes Improvements to Broadband/Voice Services Data Collection

The Federal Communications Commission is exploring ways to improve the quality, accuracy, and usefulness of the data it collects on fixed and mobile voice and broadband service. At the same time, the FCC is examining how it can reduce burdens on industry by eliminating unnecessary or onerous data filing requirements. A Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on proposals to accomplish both these goals as part of the FCC’s ongoing efforts to improve the value of the data it collects.

FCC Establishes Challenge Process for Mobility Fund Phase II

The Federal Communications Commission established the procedures for a robust challenge process to ensure that the FCC targets Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) support to primarily rural areas that lack unsubsidized 4G LTE service. Establishing the challenge process will enable the FCC to resolve eligible area disputes quickly and expeditiously.

In February, the FCC established the framework for the MF-II, $4.53 billion of funding over ten years, and sought comment on the process under which interested parties could challenge the eligibility of areas for MF-II support. This action establishes a challenge process that will be administratively efficient and fiscally responsible. This item adopts parameters for a one-time collection of 4G LTE coverage data tailored to MF-II. The FCC will use this coverage data, in conjunction with subsidy data, to establish the map of presumptively eligible areas. Interested parties will have a window after the release of this map to file challenges to areas deemed presumptively ineligible, and providers will have an opportunity to respond to those challenges. This item also includes an Order on Reconsideration, which resolves certain issues raised in petitions for reconsideration of the Mobility Fund II Report and Order adopted in February.

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