Upcoming event
A Preview of the FCC's July Open Meeting: Taking the "E" Out of EBS and TV
Perhaps the biggest news of the week was the agenda for the Federal Communications Commission's July 10 Open Meeting, which FCC Chairman Ajit Pai laid out in a blog post on June 18, 2019. I'm traveling to New York this week; below is a shorter-than-usual weekly that takes a look at how Chairman Pai plans to take education out of the Educational Broadband Service -- and broadcast television.
Elections Matter: Who’s Who in Telecommunications Policy in the 116th Congress
The 116th Congress is underway. In the background of a partial government shutdown, lawmakers are getting their committee assignments. At Benton, we keep a close eye on two key Congressional panels because of their jurisdiction over many telecommunications issues and oversight of the Federal Communications Commission: 1) the House Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee, and 2) the Senate Commerce Committee. Here's a look at some key telecom policymakers -- and their priorities -- in the 116th Congress.
The Future Openness of the Internet Should Not Turn on the Decision of a Particular Company
On Tuesday, April 17, the House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a hearing – entitled “From Core to Edge: Perspective on Internet Prioritization” – to better understanding of how network operators manage data flows over the Internet and how data is prioritized from the network core to the edge.
Witnesses have not been announced
Witness
Andrew Witty, CEO, UnitedHealth Group, Inc.
In March 2023, the Office of the National Cyber Director at the White House released the first National Cybersecurity Strategy, the first comprehensive vision for how to safeguard cyberspace for all Americans. After one year of implementing the strategy, among a backdrop of issues like data privacy, generative AI, and critical infrastructure security that make citizens’ digital lives more complex, what have we achieved in the first year of the strategy, and what can we do to continue the momentum?
Conversations about the safety of youth online are dominating headlines and dinner table discussions. U.S. lawmakers’ concerns about the negative impacts of unfettered access to online content and social media on young people’s mental health and safety have led to a flurry of legislative activity. In 2023, more than 60 bills were introduced at the state and federal level requiring greater parental consent, age restrictions, and/or safety-by-design measures online. One popular approach to protecting kids—mandating age verification—is poorly understood and may pose more risks than benefits.
NTIA has recently announced significant progress to remove permitting barriers to broadband deployments funded by Internet for All initiatives. The “Permitting and Environmental Information Application” is a publicly available GIS-based tool that NTIA developed to assist industry with early identification of permit requirements and NEPA considerations. NTIA will demo the application and highlight other recent developments supporting efficient broadband permitting.
Jill Springer
Senior Policy Advisor for Permitting
Chief Environmental Review and Permitting Officer
Cybersecurity is top of mind for regulators and tech companies as cyberattacks are on the rise with hackers harvesting sensitive data, attacking digital supply chains and using AI to curate advanced threats. At the same time, small and medium-sized businesses often find themselves unprepared to fend off major cybersecurity threats, putting entire systems at risk.
Conversations with policy and industry leaders about efforts in the public and private sectors to bridge the digital divide.
Speakers
Jessica Rosenworcel
Chair, Federal Communications Commission
Nicol Turner Lee
Director, Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution
Aneesh Chopra
President, CareJourney