Press Release

In the weeks ahead, we will continue to bring legislation to the Floor that puts the American people first. On March 6, we will launch the Save The Internet Act, working with Senate Democrats to introduce legislation to restore Net Neutrality at 11:15 a.m. in the Rayburn Room of the US Capitol. The text of the proposed legislation has not been released.

The European Commission published reports by Facebook, Google and Twitter covering the progress made in January 2019 on their commitments to fight disinformation. These three online platforms are signatories of the Code of Practice against disinformation and have been asked to report monthly on their actions ahead of the European Parliament elections in May 2019.

INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering announced that former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn would be leading a new campaign on behalf of the trade association to focus on boosting technology innovation and inclusion in America’s heartland. 

The operators of the video social networking app Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, have agreed to pay $5.7 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company illegally collected personal information from children. This is the largest civil penalty ever obtained by the Commission in a children’s privacy case. The Musical.ly app allowed users to create short videos lip-syncing to music and share those videos with other users.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that Alexander Sanjenis will serve as his acting media advisor. Sanjenis replaces Alison Nemeth Steger, who is departing the FCC. Sanjenis currently serves as a Legal Advisor in the front office of the Media Bureau, and previously served as a staff attorney in the Media Bureau’s Audio Division, where he focused on a wide range of broadcast policy issues including the licensing of translator, noncommercial educational and low power FM stations. Sanjenis graduated from the University of Miami School of Law.

The American Journalism Project, a new initiative to reinvigorate mission-driven local news through the power of venture philanthropy, announced its official launch with $42 million in lead funding commitments, a Board of Directors, and its first three hires. Founded by Elizabeth Green and John Thornton (founders of Chalkbeat and The Texas Tribune, respectively), the American Journalism Project is the first venture philanthropy organization dedicated to strengthening an ecosystem of civic news organizations that believe local journalism a public good.

It’s concerning when one of the nation’s largest internet and voice service providers files for bankruptcy. Windstream provides critical 9-1-1 service and I will be monitoring the situation closely to ensure that there are no disruptions. Windstream also provides broadband service to over 1 million customers across the US and it is essential that their interests are represented and protected as the company reorganizes.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition announced the creation of a task force dedicated to monitoring competition in US technology markets, investigating any potential anticompetitive conduct in those markets, and taking enforcement actions when warranted. The approximately 17 task force members, who will join the task force from divisions within the Bureau, will include attorneys with unique expertise in complex product and service markets and ecosystems, including markets for online advertising, social networking, mobile operating systems and apps, and platform businesses.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS), together with Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune (R-SD), sent a letter to Google chief executive officer Sundar Pichai seeking information about recent news that Google had not disclosed the presence of a microphone in its Nest Secure home security device.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the March Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Friday, March 15, 2019: