COVID-19 highlights the need for the FTC to scrutinize children's data collection, advocates repeated this week as privacy attorneys dismissed calls for industry to alter regimes. The agency should compel information from technology, media and educational tech companies collecting kids' data, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Center for Digital Democracy wrote the agency Thursday (see 2003260011). The commission received the letter.
Commissioners voiced support Tuesday for two telehealth items Chairman Ajit Pai announced Monday (see 2003300048). Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said he voted yes before Tuesday's meeting. Brendan Carr had previously said similar. To be approved, FCC actions need three votes. When a chairman circulates an item, it usually signals the chair has voted yes.
Commissioners approved secure telephone identity revisited and secure handling of asserted information using tokens call authentication rules electronically before their abbreviated meeting Tuesday (see 2003310012). No items were discussed in detail. Commissioners released statements expressing some concerns about Stir/Shaken authentication rules and urging more action in response to COVID-19. The meeting lasted about 14 minutes.
Tegna ended discussions with prospective buyers amid the ongoing pandemic (see 2003290001), the broadcaster said Sunday. The stock closed down Monday 19% to $10.68. Tegna confirmed it received "four unsolicited acquisition proposals in recent weeks," two of which led to discussions that have since ended. The other prospective buyers never provided information about financing sources, the release said. Without identifying any would-be buyers, Tegna said Sunday the two proposals it had been discussing were made shortly before the recent market dislocation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and both subsequently told Tegna they were ceasing discussions. The broadcaster's board is "willing to consider transactions that create compelling value, and our focus now is on helping management navigate through an unprecedented environment,” said Chairman Howard Elias. CEO Dave Lougee said, like other companies, his "is operating in uncharted waters due to COVID-19 as we focus on ensuring the health and safety of our employees while continuing to create and preserve value." The company's market value is more than $2 billion, it says. It declined to name the bidders and didn't comment further Monday. Its release said it doesn't "intend to update this disclosure." As part of Communications Daily putting its coronavirus coverage in front of our pay wall, you can read a news bulletin about Tegna's announcement here.
The Patent and Trademark Office waived the rule for original handwritten signatures “personally signed in permanent dark ink” where required in dealings with the agency, said Monday’s Federal Register. PTO activated waiver authority by declaring the COVID-19 pandemic an “extraordinary situation,” the agency said. The waiver will stay in effect “until further notice,” it said.
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance “urgently” asked the FCC to waive until Aug. 31 a requirement that site-based and mobile-only wireless systems meet buildout deadlines between March 15 and that date. “Granting temporary waiver relief would be consistent with other public interest actions the Commission has taken in response to the extraordinary disruption being caused by the coronavirus pandemic and would relieve the FCC of having to act on a large number of individual waiver requests that otherwise could be filed,” the alliance said in a filing posted Friday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau acted Monday to keep subscribers from being kicked out of the Lifeline program during the COVID-19 pandemic. An order waived until May 29 usage requirements and general de-enrollment procedures and recertification and reverification requirements. “Requiring Lifeline subscribers to potentially leave their homes either to gather the necessary documentation to prove their continued eligibility in the program or to re-enroll in the Lifeline program after being de-enrolled for non-usage would create a potential risk to public health and be contrary to the public interest,” the bureau said. Staff will consider further steps. The order said eligibility requirements “remain in effect, and those who are not eligible for the program may not enroll.”
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated telehealth items Monday. One would allocate the $200 million in emergency COVID-19 funding Congress appropriated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003270058). Another would direct $100 million in USF spending for a three-year Connected Care pilot (see 1906190013).
Advocates want the FCC to use emergency authority to mandate free inmate calling service phone calls and videos, for at least 60 days, they said in a petition to the agency. COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders and suspended visits make access to ICS more important, they told us. ICS providers said they're responding to inmates' needs.
OneWeb's Chapter 11 filing could result in fundraising challenges for other broadband non-geostationary orbit constellation plans, NGSO experts told us. Some said it could stoke doubts about the mega-constellation-delivered broadband business model. The company said it's using bankruptcy as a way to buy time until global markets rebound from the COVID-19 slowdown so it can then sell itself.