December 2023

Joint Statement on USF Contribution Decision

Today’s decision is a victory for the many rural and urban consumers and anchor institutions across the country who rely on the services supported by the federal Universal Service Fund. The USF has been, and continues to be, a critical tool to narrow the digital divide and help address connectivity gaps. The court’s ruling affirms that Congress’ directive to the FCC—over 25 years ago—to collect contributions in support of this vital Fund is constitutional. Other courts considering similar challenges should reach the same conclusion.

Analysis

Comcast's Legal Battle With Key ‘10G’ Tech Vendor Gets Even More Interesting

Comcast's complex legal battle with one of the technology vendors behind its current “10G” network upgrade has heated up, with California-based chipmaker MaxLinear countersuing the cable operator. MaxLinear claims in a December 1 New York federal court filing that Comcast stole trade secrets associated with Full Duplex DOCSIS 4.0 technology.

Patron Privacy Protections in Public Libraries

Public libraries are an invaluable institution in the United States, and the digital revolution has posed many challenges for them. With the American Library Association’s updated “Library Bill of Rights” and public library services increasingly moving online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the protection of patron privacy in public libraries is an important and timely topic of study.