US News and World Report

The mounting school closures amid the coronavirus outbreak in the US are exposing major equity gaps in access to technology and the internet, and the Federal Communications Commission needs to step in, according to FCC commissioners. "Now is absolutely the time to talk about the coronavirus disruption and how technology can help," FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel told a Senate hearing.

Walking through the display floor aisles at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the surrounding hotels and casinos, it's easy to get swept up in the sheer number of companies that have made the pilgrimage to Sin City to provide attendees of the Consumer Electronics Show a glimpse into the future.

[Commentary] With the understandable focus on the will-they-or-won't-they of congressional tax reform, one of the most important tasks facing Congress before year's end has garnered little national attention: reauthorization of the law that governs foreign intelligence surveillance on U.S. soil.  There is a growing sense in Congress that changes are needed to better protect Americans' privacy. One of the leading reform proposals is the USA Liberty Act, a bill introduced by a bipartisan group of House Judiciary Committee members that will be marked up in committee this week.

The Parents Television Council has become known for blasting individual shows, episodes and live events for airing what the nonprofit advocacy organization deems inappropriate for television’s younger audiences.

Now it is taking on the TV ratings system itself, starting with a letter it sent to Michael Powell, president and CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, who also serves as the chair of the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board.

Among other things, the letter asks the board to be more open about its membership, more communicative as to how it determines the ratings, and to institute policies that will allow for public input to improve the rating systems. According Timothy Winter, president of the PTC, his organization agrees with what most in the entertainment industry say: that parents are ultimately in charge of what their children are exposed to on TV and elsewhere in the media. However, Winter adds, “If a parent is supposed to rely on a ratings system, it has to be accurate, it has to be consistent, it has to be transparent, and there should be some level of accountability.”