The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 gave copyright owners the ability to remove infringing content from the Internet by sending a takedown notice to online providers. As long as the providers promptly responded, they were assured of broad safe harbor protections from prosecution. Unfortunately, these takedown notices have not functioned as intended, due to […]
Yes, the Government Still Uses Floppy Disks
As technology marches forward, the federal government not only cannot keep up, it also remains mired in the past, despite spending more than $80 billion annually on information technology (IT). A May 25, 2016, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on legacy systems in the federal government found that agencies are using decades-old technology that includes floppy disks and nearly obsolete computer languages.
Time for a Time-Out on Set-Top Box Mandates
It is doubtful the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman thought there would be much concern about his proposed mandates on set-top box standards, which would allow third parties access to program guides and video content without needing to be licensed. Obviously, he was wrong. The proposed set-top box rules would require multi-channel video programming distributors […]
Keeping Internet Governance in the U.S.
On March 14, 2014, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) would not renew its contract to oversee the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in September 2015. The announcement called into question what governing body would provide the necessary oversight of the organization in order to prevent […]
OMB Tackles Some Low-Hanging Fruit
On January 20, 2016, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) weighed in on a request for comments from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the requirements that should be included in its guidance to federal departments and agencies for improving the management and purchasing of software assets. CAGW recommended that agencies should be required […]
Spectrum Auction Moves Forward
A November 10, 2015 report from Gartner noted that the Internet of Things (IoT) will reach 6.4 billion devices in 2016. By 2020, that number will potentially reach 20.8 billion devices, all of which will need access to spectrum in order to function. However, spectrum is already limited in availability due to the use of mobile technology, digital goods, and mobile Internet.
Digital Creativity on World IP Day
As the theme for World IP Day 2016 is “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined,” it is a good time to remind everyone who loves music, particularly those who access songs online, that the royalty structure in the United States is out of balance with today’s distribution methods.
Don Quixote Alive and Well at the FCC
Rather than tilting at windmills trying to solve problems that don’t exist, government agencies should proceed with great care before imposing technical mandates on an industry. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears to be taking a “shoot from the hip” approach to regulating, and currently has its sights set on abrogating intellectual property (IP) rights.
The Perilous Journey of the Lifeline Program
There are times when the proceedings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are like watching The Perils of Pauline. Such was the case on March 31, 2016, when efforts to reform and improve the Lifeline program in a bipartisan and unanimous manner were railroaded into oblivion after numerous delays in convening a scheduled hearing.
Privacy’s Rookie Cop on the Beat
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval on February 26, 2015, of the Open Internet Order did more than just place the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. It also gave the FCC the right to regulate online consumer privacy protection, despite the fact that such power duplicates the authority long held by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Always the zealot when it comes to controlling all aspects of communications, on March 31, 2016, the FCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for consumer privacy protections solely related to Internet service providers (ISPs).