Digest for the Week of 13 September 2021
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Here are the issues form the past week you may have missed:
EDPB Explains Reasoning in Directing DPC To Strengthen Initial WhatsApp Decision
Following Australia, Three of the Five Eyes Consider Online Safety Legislation
Tweet of the Week
Reports
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“Fueling the Fire: How Social Media Intensifies U.S. Political Polarization — And What Can Be Done About It” — NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights
“Democracy for Sale: Examining the Effects of Concentration on Lobbying in the United States” — Economic Liberties Project
“France Doesn’t Do Public Attribution of Cyberattacks. But It Gets Close.” — Lawfare
“The Liberal Election Platform: Government Picks Internet Regulation Over Internet Affordability” — Michael Geist
“New study finds gaps in Commission’s approach to IoT cybersecurity” — Digital Europe.
“5G’s Big Equity Problem” — New America Foundation
Coming Events
Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash
§ 20 September
o The House Rules Committee will meet to consider the rules for floor consideration of continuing appropriations for FY 2022 and the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022” (H.R.4350.)
§ 21 September
o The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled “Threats to the Homeland: Evaluating the Landscape 20 Years After 9/11” with these witnesses:
§ Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas
§ Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher A. Wray
§ National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid
o The House Financial Services Committee’s Task Force on Financial Technology will hold a hearing titled “Preserving the Right of Consumers to Access Personal Financial Data”
o The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee will consider the nomination of Alan F. Estevez to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security.
o The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Big Data, Big Questions: Implications for Competition and Consumers.”
§ 22 September
o The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing titled “Threats to the Homeland: Evaluating the Landscape 20 Years After 9/11” with these witnesses:
§ Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas
§ Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher A. Wray
§ National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid
§ 23 September
o The United Kingdom’s Joint Select Committee will hold a hearing on the government’s draft “Online Safety Bill.”
o The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing titled “National Cybersecurity Strategy: Protection of Federal and Critical Infrastructure Systems,” with these witnesses:
§ National Cyber Director Chris Inglis
§ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly
§ Federal Chief Information Security Officer Christopher DeRusha
o The House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Reviving Competition, Part 4: 21st Century Antitrust Reforms and the American Worker.”
§ 28 September
o The Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board (ISPAB) will hold an open meeting and “The agenda is expected to include the following items:
§ —Board Discussion on Executive Order 14028, Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity (May 12, 2021) deliverables and impacts to date,
§ —Presentation by NIST, the Department of Homeland Security, and the General Services Administration on upcoming work specified in Executive Order 14028,
§ —Presentation by the Office of Management and Budget on Executive Order 14028 directions and memoranda to U.S. Federal Agencies,
§ —Board Discussion on recommendations and issues related to Executive Order 14028.
§ 30 September
o The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold an open meeting with this tentative agenda:
§ Promoting More Resilient Networks. The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to examine the Wireless Network Resiliency Cooperative Framework, the FCC’s network outage reporting rules, and strategies to address the effect of power outages on communications networks. (PS Docket Nos. 21-346, 15-80; ET Docket No. 04-35)
§ Reassessing 4.9 GHz Band for Public Safety. The Commission will consider an Order on Reconsideration that would vacate the 2020 Sixth Report and Order, which adopted a state-by-state leasing framework for the 4.9 GHz (4940-4900 MHz) band. The Commission also will consider an Eighth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would seek comment on a nationwide framework for the 4.9 GHz band, ways to foster greater public safety use, and ways to facilitate compatible non-public safety access to the band. (WP Docket No. 07-100)
§ Authorizing 6 GHz Band Automated Frequency Coordination Systems. The Commission will consider a Public Notice beginning the process for authorizing Automated Frequency Coordination Systems to govern the operation of standard-power devices in the 6 GHz band (5.925-7.125 GHz). (ET Docket No. 21-352)
§ Spectrum Requirements for the Internet of Things. The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on current and future spectrum needs to enable better connectivity relating to the Internet of Things (IoT). (ET Docket No. 21-353)
§ Shielding 911 Call Centers from Robocalls. The Commission will consider a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update the Commission's rules regarding the implementation of the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Do-Not-Call registry in order to protect PSAPs from unwanted robocalls. (CG Docket No. 12-129; PS Docket No. 21-343)
§ Stopping Illegal Robocalls From Entering American Phone Networks. The Commission will consider a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to impose obligations on gateway providers to help stop illegal robocalls originating abroad from reaching U.S. consumers and businesses. (CG Docket No. 17-59; WC Docket No. 17-97)
§ Supporting Broadband for Tribal Libraries Through E-Rate. The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to update sections 54.500 and 54.501(b)(1) of the Commission’s rules to amend the definition of library and to clarify Tribal libraries are eligible for support through the E-Rate Program. (CC Docket No. 02-6)
§ Strengthening Security Review of Companies with Foreign Ownership. The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that would adopt Standard Questions – a baseline set of national security and law enforcement questions – that certain applicants with reportable foreign ownership must provide to the Executive Branch prior to or at the same time they file their applications with the Commission, thus expediting the Executive Branch’s review for national security and law enforcement concerns. (IB Docket No. 16-155)