Today's Regulatory Mix:  House Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Announces Hearing on Social Media’s Role in Online Extremism, Senator Asks AT&T to Halt Plans for Ad-subsidized Cell Phone Plans

House Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Announces Hearing on Social Media’s Role in Online Extremism

Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) announced that the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee will hold a fully remote hearing on September 24, 2020, on the growing prevalence of online extremism and social media’s role in its rapid spread.  The hearing is entitled, “Mainstreaming Extremism: Social Media’s Role in Radicalizing America.”

“Extremist online content is rapidly rising, and this extremism doesn’t just stay in the shadowy corners of the Internet – it often spreads hate and violence within our own communities,” said Pallone and Schakowsky.  “Tragically, social media companies have consistently failed to use the tools at their disposal to mitigate this problem.  That their algorithms promote extremist content in the interest of growth and advertising revenue is deeply problematic, and that most of them continue to ignore the call for meaningful action is downright reckless.  We look forward to hearing from our witnesses and learning what more Congress can do to battle this growing problem.”

Senator Asks AT&T to Halt Plans for Ad-subsidized Cell Phone Plans

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has called on AT&T to halt its recently-unveiled plans to introduce cell phone plans where consumers would receive ads in exchange for a “$5 or $10 reduction in their mobile bill” and would have their data tracked.  “Consumers expect that their phone and broadband providers are not spying on their phone calls and web browsing or using their private data for commercial gain,” wrote Blumenthal.“Now, more than ever, Americans rely on internet access for their employment, education, and entertainment – such reliance must be accompanied by strong safeguards and corporate commitments. Americans are already concerned about the use, misuse, and sharing of their personal information. They should not have to choose between signing up for a basic necessity and their right to privacy.”

The senator also expressed concern over the company’s use of its data broker service Xandr, which trades in consumer information and uses it for ad targeting, and the company’s current policy which does not require consumers’ consent before sharing their personal data with non-AT&T companies for marketing and ad purposes, writing: “The prospect of AT&T monitoring consumers’ phone and internet records, matching them across devices and data broker records, and then using that private information to manipulatively target people is outright chilling.”

The senator pressed AT&T to answer the following questions related to this announcement by October 18.  They include:

• When does AT&T expect to announce details and offer its ad-supported wireless phone plans?
• How will consumers be notified of the ad-supported features? What information would AT&T provide to subscribers, and how would it make that information available in a clear and conspicuous manner?
•   How will AT&T monitor and advertise to consumers under the ad-supported plan?
•  Will such plans include the collection of phone records or internet records; if so, what specific information (such as DNS queries, HTTP requests, and other types of application traffic)? How will those records be processed and retained?
• Please describe with technical detail AT&T’s “unified customer identifiers,” including how those identifiers are tagged to consumers, for what purposes they are used, and how users are linked between devices.
•  How will AT&T combine or compare information about consumers with data associated with its AT&T's Xandr program?
• How does AT&T believe an ad-supported plan would meet its privacy obligations under Section 222 of the Communications Act?

Recent Briefing Headlines from Inteserra:

FCC Announces Effective Date Of Call Blocking Safe Harbor And Single Point of Contact Rules

FCC Announces Fourth Quarter 2020 USF Factor

FCC RDOF Information Collections Become Effective

Nevada Seeks Comment On Late Fees Rule

Virginia Planning Letter for 826 Overlay of 540 NPA Released

___________________________

The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s 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 an Inteserra Briefing.

Easily identify what regulatory activities will impact you and your company. We have solutions to help you calendar deadlines and important dates for you and your team.

Get a FREE report from our Trac-It database!