Today:  US House Hearings on Consumer Privacy, US House Hearings on Antitrust and Open Internet, NCSAM: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats. Colorado Opens High Cost Support Proceeding 

US House Hearings On Consumer Privacy

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) published an op-ed announcing a series of hearings surrounding tech business practices and their impact on consumers.  In the op-ed, Walden raises questions about how actions taken by tech companies and online businesses affect consumer privacy and choice.  He said the committee will hold a separate hearing “to assess identity verification practices, and determine whether they can be improved to protect personal data on the web even after a consumer’s information has been breached.”  He said the planned hearings are “just the start of a long-term, thoughtful, and research-focused approach to better illuminate how Americans’ data is being used online, how to ensure that data is safe, and how information is being filtered to consumers over the web. While technology is responsible for a lot of positive change in our world, malignant behavior online can have consequences that are not fully disclosed to the American people. It’s our job to shine a light on these practices for consumers and ensure transparency in the marketplace so they can make informed decisions.”

US House Hearings On Antitrust and Open Internet

The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law will hold a hearing entitled “Net Neutrality and the Role of Antitrust on November 1, 2017.  The hearing will allow lawmakers to evaluate the role of antitrust law to ensure a competitive and open Internet marketplace. Witnesses at the hearing will include:

• Hon. Maureen K. Ohlhausen, Acting Chairman, Federal Trade Commission
• Mr. Michael Romano, Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs & Business Development, NTCA (The Rural Broadband Association)
• Hon. Terrell McSweeny, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
• Hon. Robert M. McDowell, Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) has issued the following statement ahead of the hearing: “The success of the Internet as a marketplace and a means of exchanging ideas and information is unparalleled. And we owe this success, in large part, because the Internet has remained relatively free from regulations that would stifle innovation and drive up costs. Antitrust laws encourage competition, and should continue to be used to ensure competition and empower consumers to choose the services that best fit their needs, including on the Internet. One-size-fits-all regulations from government bureaucrats inhibit innovation and should be avoided.  I look forward to this hearing that will provide policy makers with expert opinions on how antitrust law can be used to oversee competition on the Internet and protect consumers’ best interests.”

NCSAM: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats

October is National Cyber Security Awareness (NCSAM), the annual campaign and combined efforts between private industry and public agencies, was created to enable companies and individuals to make better, smarter cybersecurity choices. For a listing the weekly events planned for October 2017, see The Department of Homeland Security.

Week 5: October 30-31 – Theme: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats

The essential systems that support our daily lives – such as electricity, financial institutions, and transportation – are all dependent upon the Internet. Building resilience in critical infrastructure is crucial to our national security.  Week 5 will look at cybersecurity in relation to keeping our traffic lights, running water, phone lines, and other critical infrastructure secure. It also facilitates the transition to November’s Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month (CISR), highlighting the tie between cybersecurity and our nation’s critical infrastructure.

Colorado Opens High Cost Support Proceeding

The PUC opened a proceeding to serve as a repository for presentations and other materials relating to the High Cost Support Mechanism (HCSM) and the funding to telecommunications providers for the provision of basic voice service in high cost areas.  A Commissioners’ Information Meeting (CIM) is scheduled for November 9, 2017, starting at 10:00 a.m.  Staff is directed to work with interested stakeholders to finalize an agenda for the CIM. 

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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.