Here are last week’s most-read stories on court proceedings affecting telecom, tech and media that were covered in-depth by our sibling publication Communications Litigation Today. Current subscribers can click the reference number hyperlink or search the story title. Nonsubscribers can gain access by signing up for a complimentary preview.
FTC Chair Lina Khan defended her record against attacks from House Judiciary Committee Republicans questioning her ethics standards Thursday. The majority repeatedly questioned Khan’s refusal to recuse herself from proceedings on Meta’s purchase of Within Unlimited (see 2210190038), despite an FTC ethics official’s recommendation that she do so (see 2306300076).
The California Public Utilities Commission denied Verizon an extension to migrate TracFone customers to its network, the carrier told the service list for docket A.20-11-001 Thursday. CPUC Executive Director Rachel Peterson denied Verizon’s June 2 request for a one-year extension, in a letter to carrier Wednesday. It’s a good decision, albeit somewhat generous to Verizon, Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT) Legal Counsel Paul Goodman said in an interview.
Broadcasters say they need to use encryption and digital rights management (DRM) on their ATSC 3.0 streams to make the service a safe place for content, but early adopters, consumers and public interest groups say doing so cuts off the only existing low-cost ways to receive ATSC 3.0 transmissions. Broadcast consortium Pearl TV told us new, working external tuners will be available in weeks, but until they hit the market, the only option is “a $600 television set,” said Tyler Kleinle, who discusses broadcast tech on YouTube as The Antenna Man. “I do not like the fact all these broadcasters are putting DRM up before there are any solutions to this issue,” said Jason Shallcross in one of hundreds of similar comments that appear to be posted by individual consumers in the past week in docket 16-142: “Its like they are trying to implement it as fast as they can before anyone can comment on it.”
Implementing proposed 988 outage reporting requirements shouldn't be very onerous, Jonathan Gilad, National Emergency Number Association government affairs director, told us, predicting 4-0 approval of the draft order on the FCC's agenda (see 2306290056). CTIA didn't comment, and there hasn't been lobbying on the docket 23-5 draft order. It will take years of 988 promotion and use before the Lifeline has the kind of recognition and automatic use that 911 does, speakers said Thursday at an event sponsored in Washington by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) marking a year since 988's official rollout. "‘911 didn't start off with instant success either; it takes a while," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. HHS said Thursday it's adding Spanish-language text and chat services to Lifeline.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel opened a Thursday FCC workshop on AI saying she sees more reason to be hopeful about what the technology can do than pessimistic about potential threats. Commissioner Nathan Simington warned against reactive regulation of AI. The National Science Foundation co-sponsored the forum.
The use of AI and other technologies in managing how spectrum is used tops the agenda for the FCC’s Aug. 3 meeting, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday (see 2307130025). The FCC also released the draft items. Commissioners will vote on proposals on power levels for digital FM radio. Also on the agenda, a draft order establishing an up to $75 monthly broadband subsidy for eligible households in high-cost areas through the affordable connectivity program.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday unanimously advanced its version of a FY 2024 federal spending bill that proposes increased annual funding for the FCC and FTC. The House Appropriations Committee voted 34-26 that afternoon to advance the Financial Services Subcommittee's FY24 spending bill, which would decrease funding for both agencies. The House Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies subcommittees plan to mark up their FY24 spending bills Friday with proposals to decrease funding to NTIA and other tech-related Commerce Department agencies and end CPB’s traditional “two-year advance funding status” altogether.
Incarcerated people's communications service (IPCS) providers and advocates continued to disagree on how the FCC should implement the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, in reply comments posted Thursday in docket 23-62 (see 2305090066). The issue remained whether the commission should allow for safety measures or site commissions in the final rate caps.
The FBI isn’t “in the business” of moderating social media content or forcing companies to limit speech, Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday.