Jonathan Make

Virginia looks set to become the second state, after California, with a comprehensive privacy law. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed the Consumer Data Protection Act into law, the legislature's website showed Tuesday evening. The action was widely expected but the governor's office hadn't commented on whether he would give his OK. The bill is SB-1392.

FCC members unanimously approved an emergency broadband benefit program order earlier Thursday, the agency announced tonight. This paves the way for the $3.2 billion program to give "qualifying households discounts on their internet service bills and an opportunity to receive a discount on a computer or tablet."

FCC members approved an emergency broadband benefit program order 4-0 earlier Thursday, the agency announced tonight. In their statements about the item, commissioners revealed some of the document's details.

The new administration told a court overseeing the federal government's challenge to California net neutrality rules that the government wants to dismiss that case. As expected, DOJ notified U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of California Monday "of its voluntary dismissal of this case," No. 2:18-cv-2660-JAM-DB. See here in Pacer.

Consumers are benefiting from some tech trends the pandemic accelerated, and while the impact on movie theaters may reduce that sector's societal influence, it could still mean higher prices to go to the movies. Those were among predictions from MoffettNathanson's Michael Nathanson, speaking with us on C-SPAN Wednesday. The analyst noted many can save money by cutting the cord while watching new films at home rather than in theaters, a trend he expects to continue post-coronavirus crisis. The traditional pay-TV bundle "will serve sports, news, live event customers," he said on a Communicators episode to be televised later and posted online here. "If you're a fan of the NFL, the bundle brings all to you," Nathanson said: "It’s the only option for people who are passionate sports fans," though some sports are moving over the top. Older viewers haven't "pivoted away" from MVPDs "as quickly as you might think," while younger people moved to virtual MVPDs for good in a "faster erosion" of traditional subscription video, the analyst said. NCTA declined to comment. Amid new streaming products from companies that also own studios like AT&T, Comcast and Disney, "you’re seeing a real collapse" in some film revenue, Nathanson noted. "There’s going to be less movie theaters in the world." The likes of Netflix and AT&T's HBO Max bring "better and better quality films through streaming," so theaters may need to improve service and raise prices to pay for the better features, Nathanson said: If theaters raise prices and don’t innovate quickly enough, they could face consumer backlash, like MVPDs have over high prices. "Consumers seem to really, really value the optionality of watching a premiere in the living room." Nathanson foresees ‘"generations of people down the road" who "won't experience the joy" of seeing a film on a big screen with an audience. The National Association of Theatre Owners didn't comment. Meanwhile, platform usage keeps rising, even as lawmakers increasingly scrutinize the sector, indicating consumers aren't much worried about content moderation, privacy, election meddling and other hot-button policy issues, Nathanson noted. "I don’t think the average consumer is as concerned" about such topics "as people might think."

The Trump administration's outgoing antitrust head said he won't act to change consent decrees governing performing rights organizations' licensing of public performance of music. After a two-year DOJ Antitrust Division investigation into the pacts with ASCAP and BMI, division chief Makan Delrahim laid out principles to keep in mind. But he said he's not acting now.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai slammed Donald Trump over the outgoing president's rhetoric against the Nov. 3 election results, which led protesters to storm the Capitol Wednesday and turn violent. Pai also confirmed he won't propose changes to how the FCC interprets a tech liability shield law, conforming with expectations (see here and here).

Making good on a threat Wednesday when protesters turned violent at the Capitol after the president encouraged them to go there during the Electoral College ratification (see here), Twitter said Friday it permanently suspended the account of Donald Trump. The social media platform said this followed the company's "close review" of recent @realDonaldTrump tweets "and the context around them -- specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter." The platform cited "the risk of further incitement of violence."

Commissioner Brendan Carr, among those in the communications sector condemning an outbreak of violence Wednesday afternoon in the Capitol, became one of the first FCC Republicans to say he believes Joe Biden is the next president. In an interview, Carr agreed with the statement that President-elect Biden will take office Jan. 20.

The chief of the nation's capital city 911 system, Karima Holmes, has resigned and will stay on until after the inauguration of Joe Biden as president. Office of Unified Communications Director Holmes several days ago gave her resignation to District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and it was accepted, said OUC's spokesperson.