House Administration Committee ranking member Joe Morelle of New York, Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui of California and other Democrats voiced continued support Wednesday for FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s embattled AI political ad disclosures NPRM (see 2407250046). However, they suggested the agency should take further steps if Congress can agree on relevant legislation. Congressional Republicans have repeatedly criticized FCC action on the matter so near the November elections, including during a July House Communications agency oversight hearing (see 2407090049).

Forty-two attorneys general supported U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s recommendation that social media carry warnings like the labels on cigarette packages. Murthy suggested last June that social media companies display warnings about mental health risks associated with their platforms (see 2406170059). The 42 bipartisan AGs, writing Monday under National Association of Attorneys General letterhead and representing states including California, New York and Indiana, supported the idea in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “Young people are facing a mental health crisis, which is fueled in large part by social media,” wrote the AGs from 39 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “This generational harm demands immediate action. By mandating a surgeon general’s warning on algorithm-driven social media platforms, Congress can help abate this growing crisis and protect future generations of Americans.” New York AG Letitia James hopes “warning labels will be implemented swiftly to raise more awareness about this issue," the Democrat said in a news release Tuesday. Arkansas AG Tim Griffin (R) said, "A Surgeon General’s warning on social media platforms isn’t a cure-all, but it’s a step in the right direction toward keeping our kids safe in digital spaces.”

House Communications Subcommittee members traded partisan barbs about NTIA’s implementation of the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, as expected (see 2409040040). Republicans delivered most of the criticism, in part blasting NTIA for what they view as an unnecessarily long timeline for rolling out the money. House Commerce Committee panel GOP leaders launched a probe in July of NTIA’s BEAD-related communications with state broadband offices (see 2407090057). Democrats defended NTIA’s management of the program and blasted GOP lawmakers for obstructing recent broadband funding efforts.

AT&T, which is already dealing with a strike by Communications Workers of America members in the Southeast, now faces a CWA walk out in the West (see 2409050049). “Our members had a chance to review and vote on the AT&T West tentative agreement, and the majority determined that it did not meet their needs,” CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce said Friday: “We will use all the tools at our disposal to win a fair contract, including a strike if it becomes necessary.” The AT&T West agreement covers some 8,000 workers in California and Nevada whose contract expired April 6, a CWA spokesperson emailed Monday.

California should shut down AT&T’s deregulation bid, consumer groups argued in briefs to the California Public Utilities Commission Friday. After denying AT&T relief from carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations in June (2406200065), the state commission is weighing AT&T’s separate application to relinquish its eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation (docket A.23-03-002). AT&T claimed that the CPUC has no choice but to grant the application for statewide relief.

NCTA announces New Venture Fund’s Shannon Scott as CFO … Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology hires Clarence Okoh, ex-Center for Law and Social Policy, as senior associate, and announces as distinguished fellows Anton Barba-Kay, Institute for Practical Ethics at University of California, San Diego; Anil Kalhan, Drexel University; and Justin Sherman, Global Cyber Strategies … UiPath AI software company expands CFO Ashim Gupta’s role to COO and appoints Soma Somasegar, Madrona Ventures, to board.

A controversial AI safety bill in California isn't expected to have major consequences for the telecom sector, though some lawyers said last week it could have indirect effects. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto SB-1047, which the legislature passed last month (see 2408290005). The measure would require large AI developers and those providing computing power to train AI models to implement protections for preventing critical harms. Several top tech associations oppose signing the bill into law despite support for it from consumer groups and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

Verizon will purchase Frontier in a $20 billion all-cash valued transaction, the companies announced Thursday. The deal is expected to close in 18 months, subject to regulatory and Frontier shareholder approval. Verizon will gain 2.2 million fiber subscribers, extending the company's network reach to 25 million locations across 31 states and Washington, D.C., as a result. Frontier also renewed a commitment to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.

Agreeing with X’s First Amendment arguments, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supported blocking a California law requiring social media companies to provide the state with semiannual disclosures of their content-moderation policies. In a Wednesday opinion, the appeals court reversed a U.S. District Court for Eastern California decision to deny X’s request for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of AB-587. The 9th Circuit remanded to the district court with instructions to enter a preliminary injunction against the reporting requirement and to determine if other challenged provisions should also be enjoined. X is likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that the reporting requirement facially violates the First Amendment, found a 9th Circuit panel including Judges Milan Smith, Mark Bennett and Anthony Johnstone. The disclosure requirements “likely compel non-commercial speech and are subject to strict scrutiny, under which they do not survive,” Smith wrote (case 24-271). Because the court is reversing based on free-speech grounds, it needn’t address X's arguments that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act preempts the law, the judge said. X and California AG Rob Bonta (D) didn’t comment by our deadline.

New York should ban children from using cellphones during the school day, Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., said Wednesday. New York is one of several states considering legislation and policies either restricting or banning children from using cellphones in school (see 2406070065). Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed an executive order in July that would implement restrictions by January. Legislators in Utah are considering a cellphone ban proposal, and California is advancing legislation (see 2408280033). Hochul during a Semafor livestream was asked if she thinks New York should implement a ban. “I personally do,” she said, noting she will be meeting with school union officials who support the proposal in the coming weeks. Hochul said she recognizes some parents are “anxious” about the prospect, especially if it could affect communication during a school shooting or crisis. If there’s a mass shooter, students should be following instructions from teachers and staff, not texting or recording the incident, said Hochul: Their attention should be on the adults who can bring them to safety. The purpose of school is to raise adults who can interact with each other and “make eye contact,” said Hochul. This generation isn’t communicating on a “human level” because of its dependency on cellphones throughout the day, she said: Students are supposed to be “paying attention and learning in school.” FTC Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine said Hochul is correct that social media companies intentionally try to addict children. The agency welcomes states, both Democratic- and Republican-led, responding to this “real mental health crisis” for kids and teens, he said.