New York will soon require social media platforms to obtain parental consent when using algorithms to sort feeds for minors.
Windstream sought California approval of a May 3 pact with Uniti Group, in which Windstream will become the subsidiary of a new parent corporation, the telco said in a Wednesday application at the California Public Utilities Commission. “No assignment of licenses, certificates, assets, or customers by the Windstream Licensees nor the immediate parent entities of the Windstream Licensees will occur as a consequence of the proposed Transaction, which will occur at the parent holding company level.”
Google is unwilling to publicly support a kids’ social media proposal in Pennsylvania, despite the House Children and Youth Committee announcing the company’s backing Wednesday (see 2406050055).
The California Public Utilities Commission should fine AT&T for “continuing misrepresentations” about its petition for carrier of last resort (COLR) relief, the CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office said in reply comments Tuesday. AT&T last week raised legal and constitutional concerns as it protested a CPUC proposed decision that would dismiss the carrier’s application (see 2405310029). AT&T’s opening comments repeated already rejected arguments, said PAO: The commission should “conclude as a matter of law that AT&T violated” a CPUC ethics rule “and impose sanctions of $1,000 on AT&T’s signatory attorneys." Other consumer groups piled on in separate replies in docket R.23-03-003. The Center for Accessible Technology said, “AT&T’s comments are based on incorrect interpretations of Commission rules and the mistaken belief that AT&T is entitled to relinquish its COLR status.” The Utility Reform Network said the carrier’s argument for rejecting the CPUC’s draft incorrectly “rests on the proposition that the Commission misunderstands its own COLR rules.” But AT&T replied that the CPUC must accept “all of the factual allegations” in its application as true. “The opposing commenters turn that standard upside down when they attack the factual basis for this Application and propose the Commission include additional incorrect and inflammatory allegations about AT&T California and the reliability of its services,” it said.
An age-appropriate social media design bill that Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering is unenforceable because of its vague language about protecting children, House Children and Youth ranking member Barry Jozwiak (R) said Wednesday. The committee planned to vote on the Online Safety Protection Act (HB-1879) but postponed the motion over Jozwiak's technical objections. Introduced by Chair Donna Bullock (D), HB-1879 would require companies that design platforms a child will “likely" access do so with the “best interest” of children in mind. In addition, it would require age-appropriate design standards similar to provisions included in California’s enjoined social media design law (see 2311160059). Committee staff said Google supports the legislation in Pennsylvania. Google didn’t comment Wednesday. Jozwiak said he has received three pages of questions and concerns from Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry (D) about the bill’s “overly broad” terms and definitions. The measure is “essentially unenforceable” against entities that don’t gather “actual knowledge” of ages, and the AG lacks the resources to enforce it as written, he said. He formally filed to have the legislation tabled. That motion failed on a 14-11 party-line vote. Committee members had several weeks to file amendments and work with sponsors, Bullock said. Joziak argued consideration of the legislation would be out of order because a Bullock amendment was received at 1:22 p.m. Tuesday, and committee rules dictate that the deadline is 1 p.m. Bullock conferred with committee staff and ultimately tabled the bill. Her amendment would alter some language, including terms like “best interests of a child.” The amendment would extend the effective date of the legislation to December 2025.
Banning social media platforms from using algorithms to tailor content could expose children to harmful content, the Computer & Communications Industry Association said Wednesday. CCIA wrote a letter of opposition against a bill the New York State Legislature is considering. Introduced by Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D) and sponsored by Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R), the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act (S-7694A) would ban platforms from using algorithms that provide “addictive feeds” to minors. California is also looking into regulations for kids’ algorithms (see 2405210019). “These algorithms also protect teens from harmful content and help tailor online content for younger users,” CCIA said. “While the intent is to reduce the potential for excessive scrolling, eliminating algorithms could lead to a random assortment of content being delivered to users, potentially exposing them to inappropriate material.” Northeast Regional Policy Manager Alex Spyropoulos said there are “numerous tools” that prevent excessive screen time and content consumption without compromising protective measures. The New York bill’s age-verification provisions could also “increase the amount of sensitive information users must share with companies and potentially cut off users from the online communities they depend on,” CCIA said.
Cash-strapped California has many challenges ahead as it seeks to connect everyone to broadband, said state, local and industry officials Wednesday at the livestreamed California Broadband Summit. Assembly Communications Committee Chair Tasha Boerner (D) said she has several concerns with state broadband policy, including that the California Public Utilities Commission is taking too long to distribute last-mile grants.
The California Public Utilities Commission should freeze California LifeLine specific support amounts (SSA) until state regulators and stakeholders can find a better way of calculating them, a consumer group and low-income wireless service providers said in comments Monday. The CPUC is considering freezing the SSA at $19 for wireline and wireless providers (see 2405070050). Meanwhile, consumer advocates defended their petition for temporary bridge funding through LifeLine that would help cover the loss of federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) support.
Weighing changes to state video franchise rules, the California Public Utilities Commission scheduled four hearings on updating the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA) requirements. A 2021 state law required the DIVCA rulemaking (see 2306050051). A pair of in-person hearings is scheduled for Aug. 14 in Sacramento; two more will occur Sept. 5 in Monterey Park, California, the agency said Friday. Also, the CPUC will hold two virtual hearings Sept. 19, it said.
AT&T raised legal and constitutional concerns as it protested a California Public Utilities Commission proposed decision that denies it relief of carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations. But in other comments the agency received Thursday, some local representatives strongly supported the plan to dismiss AT&T’s application. “Upholding this decision is vital to ensure residents across California … continue to have access to basic telephone service,” said San Mateo County in docket R.23-03-003.