Court case

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars. U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday, Feb 3. The White House had planned to start the pause as they begin an across-the-board ideological review of federal spending. The plan sparked confusion and panic among organizations that rely on Washington for their financial lifeline.

The Supreme Court ruled against TikTok rejecting the company’s First Amendment challenge to a law that effectively bans it starting on January 19. The unanimous decision may deal a death blow to the U.S.

Two Democratic members of the Federal Communications Commission believe Congress should step up and codify network neutrality rules as federal law after the Sixth Circuit shot down the FCC's latest version of the rules. Such a move would finally stop the pendulum swings of the on-again/off-again FCC rules on network neutrality.

After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit struck down the FCC’s net neutrality rules governing internet service providers, the following statements were released:

“Consumers across the country have told us again and again that they want an internet that is fast, open, and fair," said Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. "With this decision it is clear that Congress now needs to heed their call, take up the charge for net neutrality, and put open internet principles in federal law.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit struck down the Federal Communications Commission's “net neutrality” rules governing internet service providers. The Federal Communications Commission had considered the reinstatement of net neutrality a major accomplishment under the Biden administration.

Apple agreed to pay $95 million in cash to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged the company obtained private communications and shared them with third parties without consent through Siri. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that Siri was activated unintentionally and went on to share confidential or private discussions overheard by the voice-driven virtual assistant with Apple.

It seems like almost every major action taken by the Federal Communications Commission get appealed these days. In a demonstration of how slow the courts can be, in September 2024, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld the original FCC order from June 2020 that made it easier for wireless carriers to locate new towers and transmitters.

A look at some of the possible changes to the Universal Service Fund (USF):