Court case

Developments in telecommunications policy being made in the legal system.

X, Owned by Elon Musk, Brings Antitrust Suit Accusing Advertisers of a Boycott

filed a lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, a coalition of major advertisers, claiming that it had violated antitrust laws by coordinating with brands to dissuade them from spending money on the social media platform.

6 ways the Google antitrust ruling could change the internet

A federal judge said on August 5 that Google broke the law to kneecap competition in web search in ways that entrenched the company’s power. The next steps, which involve proposing legal fixes to undo Google’s behavior, are essentially about imagining an alternative future in which Google isn’t Google as we know it. We have the internet we have, and it’s hard to imagine something different or if you’d like it more, but here are six possible alternati

The Constitution and Your Cellphone Bill

How much power may Congress hand off to the Washington bureaucracy? That’s a live question, so grab the popcorn to read a decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In a 9-7 en banc ruling, it invalidated a “universal service” surcharge added to cellphone bills.

‘Google Is a Monopolist,’ Judge Rules in Landmark Antitrust Case

Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search, Judge Amit Mehta of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled, a landmark decision that strikes at the power of tech giants in the modern internet era and that may fundamentally alter the way they do business. Judge Mehta said that Google had abused a monopoly over the search business.

Justice Department Sues TikTok and Parent Company ByteDance for Widespread Violations of Children’s Privacy Laws

The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S.

Perkins Coie Partner: Recent FCC Cases Likely Headed to Supreme Court

Perkins Coie Partner Marc Martin, a lawyer who helps companies understand Federal Communications Commission rules, expects multiple FCC cases to go before the Supreme Court. Martin called the recent Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision about the Universal Service Fund (USF)—ruling that the framework through which the FCC created the USF is unconstitutional—“a shock to the industry.” He referred to the Fifth Circuit Court as a “forum-shopping pla

Net neutrality is on ice

Net neutrality is officially on hold after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the rule from taking effect. The court granted a stay, extending an earlier temporary pause. This time, net neutrality will be blocked until the court says otherwise after reviewing the petitions from broadband providers who opposed the rule.

Net neutrality déjà vu: The fight to regulate broadband providers just won’t die

In February of 2017, Tom Rutledge, then-CEO of Charter, was asked how changes in Washington were about to impact the company.

An Open Letter to Congress on the Future of Universal Connectivity

An appeals court ruled the current structure of the Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional. This decision puts at risk the high-speed connectivity of millions of rural and low-income Americans and the future trajectory of U.S. economic growth and global competitiveness. Now it’s Congress’s duty to promptly and decisively make clear the nation’s unwavering commitment to affordable, universal connectivity. The court’s fundamentally flawed decision hands Congress an enormously important opportunity to seize the initiative and ensure our nation’s abiding commitment to universal service.

TikTok Collected U.S. Users’ Views on Gun Control, Abortion and Religion, Department of Justice Says

TikTok collected data about its users’ views on sensitive topics and censored content at the direction of its China-based parent company, the Justice Department said, making its most forceful case to date that the video-sharing app poses a national-security threat. The sensitive topics TikTok tracked included the views of its US-based users on gun control, abortion and religion, the Justice Department said. The Justice Department made the details public in court filings in response to a federal lawsuit TikTok filed in May 2024 arguing that a new