Sen. Orrin Hatch will look to move the Music Modernization Act (S-2823) in the “next few weeks,” an aide for the Utah Republican told us Wednesday. His push will likely come after Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (see 1808280054), which begin Tuesday, the aide said. Nashville Songwriters Association International Executive Director Bart Herbison expects the Senate to focus on Kavanaugh proceedings the next two weeks. He anticipates a vote on the music copyright legislation (see 1808170046) in late September or early October.
Karl Herchenroeder
Karl Herchenroeder, Associate Editor, is a technology policy journalist for publications including Communications Daily. Born in Rockville, Maryland, he joined the Warren Communications News staff in 2018. He began his journalism career in 2012 at the Aspen Times in Aspen, Colorado, where he covered city government. After that, he covered the nuclear industry for ExchangeMonitor in Washington. You can follow Herchenroeder on Twitter: @karlherk
Sen. Richard Blumenthal will introduce an “expanded version” of his online privacy bill with Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the Connecticut Democrat told us Monday. Blumenthal said it’s an extension of the Customer Online Notification for Stopping Edge-provider Network Transgressions (Consent) Act (S-2639) and will be unveiled “shortly.”
Congress needs a formal position from law enforcement on whether to let the private sector hack back, a controversial concept exempting companies from prosecution in cyber self-defense, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told us. Though law enforcement mightn't have an appetite for this, Whitehouse said he heard from internet security companies and groups that depend on their services about the benefits of hack-back authority. “I’m sold on the notion that there should be some place that they can go to get a straight answer,” he said. “If the answer ends up being no, so be it. But I think it’s a mistake to answer serious questions by default without giving someone the chance to make their case.”
The Internet Association is committed to working with Congress as Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., looks to introduce privacy legislation (see 1808230046), Senior Vice President-Global Government Affairs Melika Carroll said Friday. The committee has been in discussions with Twitter, a member of IA, which also represents Google and Facebook, about testifying at a hearing in late September on the topic.
Facebook and Twitter removal of nearly 1,000 suspicious accounts this week signals social media platforms are making progress combating malicious content (see 1808220032), Senate Intelligence Committee leadership told us Wednesday. Ranking member Mark Warner, D-Va., said the committee’s Sept. 5 hearing with Facebook, Twitter and Google will let lawmakers determine what additional “guardrails” are needed from Congress.
Despite consumer groups clamoring for the FTC to conclude its Facebook-Cambridge Analytica probe (see 1808160075), Senators and ex-commission officials told us the agency is taking an acceptable amount of time. “I’d rather them do it sooner rather than later, but I want them to be thorough,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. He acknowledged officials in the EU and globally are waiting to see what kind of authority the agency has for regulating privacy. “That’s probably why it’s taking a while,” Kennedy said, noting that when the agency reaches a conclusion, privacy will remain an issue for social media platforms.
The private sector might benefit from hack-back authority, a controversial concept exempting the private sector from cyber prosecution when it acts in self-defense, said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. Tuesday. His comments came the day after Microsoft announced action taken against Russia-linked hackers attempting to exploit visitors to websites of the Senate and conservative think tanks.
The FTC should require edge and core internet providers to offer uniform protections for online consumers, telecom trade groups told the agency Monday. Organizations from across the economy made policy suggestions by the Monday deadline for public comment on upcoming hearings on consumer protection and competition (see 1808200045).
More than half the Senate supports the Music Modernization Act, with five lawmakers signing onto the legislation last week, bringing sponsorship to 51. An aide for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the bill's author, told us his office is continuing to push for floor action. Hatch is hopeful for passage this year, given the last-minute compromise on an initially controversial amendment from Texas Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn (see 1808030044).
Republican senators distanced themselves from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who's the subject of widespread social media censorship and an FCC lawsuit (see 1808100025) and 1808150047). Some lawmakers said Thursday they don’t pay any attention to the InfoWars creator or were unfamiliar with his work.