Microsoft won’t sell facial recognition technology to U.S. police departments until a national law is in place, President Brad Smith said Thursday, following the lead of IBM and Amazon. IBM “no longer offers general purpose IBM facial recognition or analysis software,” CEO Arvind Krishna wrote Congress Monday, “outlining detailed policy proposals to advance racial equality.” Amazon implemented a “one-year moratorium on police use of Amazon’s facial recognition technology” Wednesday, though it will continue allowing use from organizations like Thorn, the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Marinus Analytics. “We hope this one-year moratorium might give Congress enough time to implement appropriate rules, and we stand ready to help if requested,” Amazon said. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., welcomed a “pause” on police use of the technology: “What Amazon should really do is a complete about-face and get out of the business of dangerous surveillance altogether.” It took two years, but the American Civil Liberties Union is “glad the company is finally recognizing the dangers face recognition poses to Black and Brown communities and civil rights more broadly,” said ACLU Northern California Technology and Civil Liberties Director Nicole Ozer. The group's Civil Liberties Attorney Matt Cagle urged Microsoft to halt “its current efforts to advance legislation that would legitimize and expand the police use of facial recognition in multiple states.” Electronic Frontier Foundation Policy Analyst Matthew Guariglia called Microsoft’s decision a good step, saying it “must permanently end its sale of this dangerous technology to police departments.”
The small satellite operators seeking a stay of the FCC's C-band order pending possible judicial review didn't show they will suffer irreparable harm without one, the Wireless Bureau said in a denial order in Thursday's Federal Register, as expected (see 2005180036). If petitioners turn out to be eligible for compensation under the band-clearing plan, the order makes clear new licensees are to cover any unanticipated clearing expenses, it said. Staff said the alleged irreparable harms are all economic, which aren't irreparable. Counsel for petitioners ABS Global, Empresa and Hispasat didn't comment.
Ericsson’s iconectiv asked the FCC to launch a competitive procurement process to select the toll-free numbering administrator. The company earlier won a fight with Neustar to become the local number portability administrator, a transition completed in 2018 (see 1805290021). Unlike almost any other service in telecom today, toll-free services are still based on an FCC approved tariffs. “The existing administrative structure for toll free numbering is an anachronistic accident of history,” said an iconetiv filing. “Over time, it has been stripped of the checks and balances envisioned by the Commission and it now operates as a Commission-authorized monopoly without adequate incentives for efficiency, transparency, or governance role for the intended beneficiaries.” The way the FCC approaches toll-free numbers “stands in sharp contrast to the pro-competitive, contract-based approach that the Commission has taken with respect to other numbering administrator roles,” the company said. An industry lawyer said the service costs responsible organizations, including carriers, $65 million per year. Providers file data under seal. Transparency is lacking because of the tariff-based system, iconetiv said, and its history managing databases shows “a competitive contract approach would lead to significant cost-savings to the industry and consumers, while simultaneously allowing for more modern commercial protections for the Commission and users that are not provided under the tariff arrangement.” Somos "works tirelessly to benefit the dynamic Toll-Free industry in our role as an independent” administrator, emailed Ann Berkowitz, senior vice president. Somos administers the database. “We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate the success of this relationship and the positive impact it has on the Toll-Free industry,” Berkowitz said.
ACT|The App Association will work to promote black voices and “advocate for policies that increase opportunities rather than perpetuate injustice,” said a letter about racial justice Wednesday. ACT vowed to push for regulatory changes on the availability of digital health tools, seek to close the digital divide, and to fight against efforts to weaken encryption and undermine privacy. Strong encryption “protects those who may need increased privacy due to harassment and abuse including minorities, victims of domestic violence, and the LGBTQ+ community,” ACT said. The association said it will establish an internship program with historically black colleges and universities and engage with venture capitalists about the difficulties black business owners face in attracting investors: “We have a new awareness and resolve to help bring justice for the Black community through thoughtful and effective tech policy.”
Public Knowledge and the Open Technology Institute won’t accept funding from Facebook, the groups said Tuesday evening, citing the platform’s decision not to remove controversial comments from President Donald Trump (see 2005290058). OTI cited refusal to remove a post “threatening that ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts’ in reference to nationwide demonstrations against police brutality, as well as other posts from the President that promoted disinformation about mail-in voting.” Director Sarah Morris said OTI hopes to maintain a constructive dialogue with the platform: “We must all acknowledge our own role in racist systems and make changes to ensure we are part of the solution, rather than the problem. With over 2.6 billion users, Facebook has a clear responsibility to reckon with its role in these systems or risk continuing to facilitate oppression that imperils Black lives.” PK CEO Chris Lewis said the company can do better to play a constructive role in allowing civil discourse online: “That does not include turning a blind eye to messages that intimidate or suppress voters, spread misinformation, or endanger individuals and democracy.” Facebook didn’t comment Wednesday.
The U.S. should “reaffirm its commitment to voluntary global standards that are open and that facilitate the interoperability of communications and information devices and apps,” CTA asked NTIA as the U.S. prepares for ITU’s 2020 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly. Others said the U.S. should oppose any push to expand ITU work, in comments posted Tuesday. ITU shouldn’t “duplicate, replace, or interfere with existing efforts, particularly with respect to issues outside the ITU’s core mission,” CTA said. “The consumer technology marketplace is innovative and competitive here and worldwide," the group said: “The current voluntary global standards process reflects this competitive environment by promoting innovation and flexibility while providing for interoperability and security.” Oppose a “new IP” proposal before WTSA, the Telecommunications Industry Association said. Proponents Huawei and the Chinese government say the proposal “promises to provide better support for heterogeneous networks that more efficiently combine satellite and terrestrial signals, deliver better performance, increase security, and support futuristic applications,” TIA said. The proposal duplicates work underway by standards bodies, “poses practical and technical challenges,” and “works against the multi-stakeholder approach to the Internet,” TIA said. “There is a concerning trend with respect to the ITU pursuing standards work outside of its mandate, which duplicates work being done in more appropriate fora,” Computer & Communications Industry Association commented: “Duplication can lead to fragmentation of the Internet and hinder further development of new technologies.” Streamline the number of technical ITU study groups, CCIA advised. ACT|The App Association also warned against more regulation. “While larger corporations may be more equipped to absorb the costs associated with unnecessary regulations and trade barriers to market access, small businesses that cannot afford these expenses are effectively excluded from these markets,” ACT said. Most proposals likely at WTSA aren’t “areas of expertise” and shouldn’t be on the agenda, the Information Technology Industry Council said: “ITI would not support the exploration of new study groups and instead supports the continued consolidation of study groups that are no longer relevant or duplicative.” WTSA-20 is "an opportunity for the U.S. government and our allies to ensure that the ITU does not expand its jurisdiction and remains focused on its existing mandate and core competencies,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said. NTIA sought comment in May (see 2005080023). WTSA-20 is scheduled for Hyderabad, India, Nov. 17-27.
The Senate Commerce Committee plans a June 16 confirmation hearing on FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and four others, as expected (see 2006040060). President Donald Trump renominated O’Rielly in March to a term ending June 30, 2024. O’Rielly’s current term ended last June, but he can remain on the commission until this Congress ends at the beginning of 2021. O’Rielly has a good chance of confirmation (see 2004030072). Other nominees set to testify include Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman nominee Nancy Beck, Joel Szabat for undersecretary of transportation for policy and Commerce Department acting General Counsel Michael Walsh, Senate Commerce said Tuesday evening. The hearing begins at 2:30 p.m. in G50 Dirksen.
“Inequality, unjustifiable violence against Black people, exclusion and systemic racism still exist,” blogged FCC Office of Communications Business Opportunities Director Sanford Williams in a post shared Tuesday by the FCBA. “We don’t just need diversity. We need equity and inclusion.” Listen, practice self-care, learn about American history and talk honestly to children about the protests and discrimination, Williams said. “Speak up when people say things that are blatantly racist and sexist.” Don’t tweet “with tales of looting or rioting,” he added. “The VAST and overwhelming majority of protests were peaceful.” The FCBA said: “There is much more we can do, and this must be the beginning of a new stage of the conversation about diversity, inclusion, and equity in our bar and beyond -- a conversation that does not fade away, but that leads to real, concrete change.”
Alleged robocall businesses Rising Eagle Capital and JSquared Telecom and principals of the companies were subject Tuesday to the largest fine in FCC history -- $225 million -- and litigation brought by seven states alleging Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) violations. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the fine proposal -- approved unanimously by the commissioners -- "represents a major win" for commission efforts to partner with the telecom industry on robocall issues. USTelecom's Industry Traceback Group traced the calls coming from the firms and passed that information on to the Enforcement Bureau, he said. USTelecom didn't comment. The FCC said the fine is for an estimated 1 billion spoofed robocalls made in the first four-plus months of 2019 by the health insurance telemarketers. It said the calls purported to be from such insurers as Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group but were on behalf of unaffiliated insurer clients of Rising Eagle and JSquared. It said people on the Do Not Call registry were particularly targeted. Chairman Ajit Pai said at least one of the companies that Rising Eagle and JSquared falsely claimed to represent was sued multiple times because its number was spoofed. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the fine "sounds right [for] fraud on an enormous scale" but criticized the DOJ for its largely fruitless efforts in recent years collecting FCC-levied fines. Echoing her, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said it's also difficult to get information from the Enforcement Bureau on collections efforts. DOJ and EB didn't comment. The states' litigation (docket 20-cv-02021) brought Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Houston makes allegations similar to those the FCC investigated and says the companies also would make robocalls trying to sell automobile extended service warranties. The suit asks for damages of $1,500 for each willful TCPA violation or $500 for each unknowing violation, plus a permanent enjoinder. It alleges 328 million robocalls made to seven states during the first four-plus months of 2019. Suing are the state attorneys general of Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. John Spiller, allegedly a principal of the companies and named in the states' suits, told us he was unaware of any possible fine, that he and fellow defendant Jakob Mears were unaware of an FCC investigation, and he denied the commission's robocall allegations.
Comments are due June 16 on the FCC Wireless Bureau's public notice seeking input on C-band preliminary lump sum categories and payment amounts available to fixed satellite service earth stations (see 2006040023), said Monday's Federal Register.