T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T dodged Sen. Ron Wyden’s request for specifics on customer location data incidents in April 5 letters to the Oregon Democrat obtained by us Thursday. Instead, companies cited the life-saving benefits of sharing data with police and specific examples of customer rescues in emergencies. Verizon and T-Mobile also described generally how companies report location data breaches to the FBI and Secret Service through the FCC.
Washington state’s controversial privacy bill is most likely dead for this session after the House missed a Wednesday deadline to vote it out of the chamber. “Without some extraordinary effort the bill will not be considered further by the WA legislature, until next year,” though no bill is truly dead until the legislature adjourns sine die April 28, wrote House Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee Chairman Zack Hudgins (D) in an email update Thursday. Consumer privacy advocates cheered demise of the bill that was backed by Microsoft and other tech companies.
The FCC’s draft order on FM translator interference would create a 45 dBu contour limit for interference complaints, establish a minimum number of such complaints based on population served, and allow translators to move channels with a minor change application, according to the version released Thursday. The FCC also posted the China Mobile and other items also set for a vote at the May 9 open meeting.
Social media companies are boosting their artificial intelligence systems to identify harmful online content, but that alone won't solve the problem, they and others said. Twitter has suspended thousands of accounts under its violent extremist groups policy, most of which were flagged by its proprietary tools, it told us. Facebook is "scrutinizing how to employ AI more effectively," Public Policy Director Neil Potts told the House Judiciary Committee April 9. Google has "invested heavily" in automated flagging technology, said Global Human Rights and Free Expression Counsel Alexandria Walden at the hearing. But AI can't replace "nuanced human review," said DigitalEurope Director-General Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, a member of the European Commission High-Level Expert Group on AI.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., shrugged off EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s suggestion that Warren’s proposal to break up big tech is “far-reaching” (see 1903180058). “It would give competition a better chance to flourish, and that’s what competition law should be all about,” Warren told us.
With a federal decision on T-Mobile/Sprint likely close, the deal's fate is anything but certain. T-Mobile/Sprint also must pass state review, which some analysts see as a potential sticking point. Both stocks were down Wednesday after The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that DOJ staffers told the two companies the deal's unlikely to be approved as structured (see 1904160036). T-Mobile closed at $72.46, down 2.2 percent; Sprint at $5.64, down 6.16 percent. Analysts said the transaction's still alive, even if it’s in trouble.
The FCC is poised to send a message on China at the commissioners’ May 9 meeting, rejecting China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in the U.S. A draft order circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai says granting China Mobile a Section 214 authorization wouldn’t be in the public interest due to national security and law enforcement risks that can’t be addressed through a mitigation agreement, a senior FCC official said Wednesday. Unlike some meetings under Pai, there isn't a broader meeting-wide theme. The FCC also will consider a previously promised FM translator interference item, revised video relay service (VRS) rules, a proposal for the 1675-1680 MHz band sought by Ligado and satellite and a toll-free number auction items.
Groups representing the deaf and hard of hearing raised concerns about FCC proposals they say could mean some who need the IP captioned telephone service (IP-CTS) will have a harder time enrolling. The FCC proposed in a Feb. 14 Further NPRM to require providers to add user account identifiers to call records submitted for compensation, and allow users to receive service for up to two weeks while their identities are verified (see 1902140032). Comments were posted Tuesday in docket 03-123.
Only two Democrats took the opportunity to question Facebook and Twitter at a recent hearing on Silicon Valley’s alleged anti-conservative political bias (see 1904100072). Senate Constitution Subcommittee ranking member Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, told us her colleagues weren’t necessarily sending a message they rejected the premise by not attending, though she considers the issue a “sham.”
Proposed California pilot programs meant to expand service for low-income households drew concerns from industry and consumer groups, in comments this week at the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC scheduled votes April 25 in its consent agenda on proposed decisions (PD) to establish a $5 million California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) line extensions program pilot and to authorize state LifeLine pilot programs by Boost Mobile and iFoster (see 1903270011 and 1903260051). The agency plans to vote the same day on proposed changes to the California Teleconnect Fund for schools and libraries that also got opposition (see 1904120037 and 1904110032).