Establishing the Digital Opportunity Data Collection; Modernizing the FCC Form 477 Data Program

Fed Reg Notice 86 FR 18124

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/04/07/2021-04998/establishing-the-digital-opportunity-data-collection-modernizing-the-fcc-form-477-data-program

In this document, a Third Report and Order adopted by the Commission establishes important measures for collecting highly accurate and reliable broadband data, including requiring facilities-based fixed service providers to report broadband internet access service coverage in the Digital Opportunity Data Collection and to identify where such services are offered to residential locations as well as where they are offered to business locations; requiring the collection of speed and latency information from fixed service providers; requiring terrestrial fixed wireless services providers to report on the coordinates of their base stations; and requiring mobile providers to provide additional information reporting concerning provider networks and propagation, which will allow the Commission to verify provider data more effectively. In addition, the Third Report and Order establishes the requirements for challenges to fixed and mobile service coverage reporting and for challenges to the Fabric data. The Third Report and Order also establishes standards for identifying locations that will be included in the Fabric and establishes standards for enforcement of the requirements associated with the Digital Opportunity Data Collection.

FCC Re establishes CSRIC - Focuses on 5G Security

FCC ACTING CHAIRWOMAN ANNOUNCES COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY, RELIABILITY, AND INTEROPERABILITY COUNCIL WILL FOCUS ON 5G NETWORK SECURITY AND SOFTWARE VULNERABILITIES. The Commission will re-establish the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council with a primary focus on improving 5G network security.. by News Release. OMR OCHJR PSHSB. DOC-371641A1.docx DOC-371641A1.pdf DOC-371641A1.txt

Released: 2021-04-15. FCC ANNOUNCES INTENT TO RE-ESTABLISH THE COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY, RELIABILITY, AND INTEROPERABILITY COUNCIL AND SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP. (DA No. 21-430). The FCC announces that it intends to re-establish the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council on or before June 30, 2021, and seeks nominations for membership. PSHSB. Contact: Suzon Cameron at (202) 418-1916, Kurian Jacob at (202) 418-2040 or via the CSRIC e-mail account at CSRIC@fcc.gov. News Media Contact: Rochelle Cohen at (202) 418-1162, email: Rochelle.Cohen@fcc.gov. DA-21-430A1.docx DA-21-430A1.pdf DA-21-430A1.txt

I

      By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),^[1] announces its intent to re-establish the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC or Council) on or before June 30, 2021.  This will be the FCC's eighth charter of CSRIC.  The Commission intends to re-establish CSRIC VIII for a period of two (2) years, with an expected first meeting in September of 2021.  By this Public Notice, we also seek nominations for membership and a chairperson for the Council.

 

            CSRIC VIII will provide advice and recommendations to the Commission to improve the security, reliability, and interoperability of the nation's communications systems.  Among other issues, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will ask CSRIC VIII to identify 5G security as a primary focus.  In addition, following security breaches that have impacted the communications sector, she will ask CSRIC VIII to review risks to service provider operations from attacks in software and cloud services stacks and to develop mitigation strategies.  Finally, in seeking nominations for CSRIC VIII, Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel will seek to diversify the group's membership to include a broad variety of stakeholders, including representation from the FCC's federal government partners with similar interests.

 

            All organizational or individual members appointed to the Council or its working groups are subject to an ethics review by the Commission's Office of General Counsel.  Some applicants possessing expertise or perspectives of interest to the Council, and who have been appointed to serve on the Council  in an individual capacity (and not as the representative of a nonprofit organization, corporation, or other entity), are deemed to be Special Government Employees (SGEs).  Such individuals are ineligible to serve if they are federally registered lobbyists.  SGEs are subject to a variety of restrictions under the conflict of interest statutes, 18 U.S.C. § 203 et seq., and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 C.F.R. Part 2635.  SGEs must file confidential employee financial disclosure reports prior to beginning their service and annually thereafter.  SGEs will also be subject to ethics restrictions in section 4(b) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 154(b), and in the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Part 19 and 5 CFR Parts 3901 and 3902. 

 

            All members will have an initial and continuing obligation to disclose any interests in, or connections to, persons or entities that are, or will be, regulated by or have interests before the Commission.  Council members will not be compensated for their service.    

 

            Nominations for membership must be submitted to the FCC no later than Tuesday, June 1, 2021.  Procedures for submitting nominations are set forth below.

 

MISSION

 

            The purpose of the Council is to provide recommendations to the FCC regarding ways the FCC can strive for security, reliability, and interoperability of the nation's communications systems.  CSRIC VIII's recommendations will focus on a range of public safety- and homeland security-related communications matters, including:  (1) the security and reliability of communications systems and infrastructure; (2) 911, Enhanced 911 (E911), and Next Generation 911 (NG911); (3) emergency alerting; and (4) national security/emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications, including law enforcement access to communications.  CSRIC VIII will be organized under, and will operate in accordance with, the provisions of FACA.  As authorized by FACA, the Council is authorized to facilitate its work through informal subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Council, which shall report their activities and recommendations to the Council as a whole.

 

WHO MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP

 

            The Commission seeks applications from representatives of various sectors of the communications industry, representatives of state and local government agencies and organizations, and representatives of consumers and community organizations that wish to be considered for membership on the CSRIC.  The Commission is particularly interested in receiving nominations and expressions of interest from individuals and organizations in the following categories:

 

·       State, tribal, territorial and/or local government agencies and organizations with expertise in communications, public safety, emergency management and/or homeland security matters;

·       Federal government agencies with expertise in communications, public safety, emergency management and/or homeland security matters;

·       Communications service providers and/or industry organizations representing communications service providers (to include representation by different types of communications provider interests, e.g., wireless, wireless, broadcast radio and television, and by including representation by smaller and rural providers);

·       Developers of software applications and operating systems for mobile and desktop computing devices;

·       Developers of mobile devices;

·       Developers of new technologies;

·       Organizations and other entities representing users of communications systems, such as organizations representing the business, finance, energy, education, health care, and similar sectors;

·       Consumer or community organizations, such as those representing people with disabilities, the elderly, those living in rural areas, and those representing populations that speak, as their primary language, languages other than English; and

·       Qualified representatives of other stakeholders and interested parties with relevant expertise regarding the subject matter.

 

Members will be selected to balance the expertise and viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the issues to be considered by the Council. 

 

OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS

 

            Members will serve at the discretion of Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel of the FCC.  Members will be encouraged to participate in deliberations of at least one (1) informal subcommittee or subgroup, if any are established.  The time commitment for participation in any informal subcommittee or other subgroup may be substantial.  However, subcommittee or other subgroup meetings may be conducted informally, using suitable technology to facilitate the meetings, subject to oversight by the Designated Federal Officer of CSRIC VIII. 

 

            Meetings of the full Council shall be open to the public and timely notice of each meeting shall be published in the Federal Register and shall be further publicized through other appropriate vehicles.  All such meetings will be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE, DEADLINE, AND MEMBER APPOINTMENTS

           

Organizational Applicants 

           

            Applications from nonprofit organizations, corporations, or other entities ("organizational applicants") should include the following:

 

·       Name, title, and organization of the nominee and a description of the organization, sector or other interest the nominee will represent;

·       Nominee's mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number;

·       A statement summarizing the nominee's qualifications and reasons why the nominee should be appointed to the Council; and

·       A statement, if the nominee will represent a specific organization, describing the organization as well as the benefit of having the organization represented on the Council.

 

            For applicants seeking to represent an organization or company, the applicant's nomination to the Council must be accompanied by confirmation on the following two (2) issues:

 

1.     The nomination must be confirmed by an authorized person (e.g., organization or company official) that such organization or company supports the nominated person to represent it on the Council.  The nominating official must possess the executive authority or hold a sufficiently high-level position within the organization or company to select a representative whose actions will be legally binding on the organization or company. For example, this confirmation may be in the following format:

 

"I am [insert official's name], the [insert official's title] at the [insert name of organization - e.g., company, government entity, trade association, etc.], with responsibilities for [concise description of position]. My organization supports [insert proposed member's name], who is currently [an employee of/consultant/attorney to the company], to serve as our representative on the Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council."

2.     For applicants seeking to represent an entity that is, or who are themselves, a party to an FCC contract or subcontract or providing services for the benefit of the FCC under contract or subcontract, the nomination must include the following: 1) a general description of the contract/agreement; 2) a description of the product/services that the applicant provides pursuant to the contract/agreement; 3) a list of all parties to the contract/agreement; 4) the name of the Commission contracting officer (if known); and 5) a certification of the applicant that the applicant has provided written notice to the contracting officer and the FCC Manager, Contracts and Purchasing Center, that the applicant or representative nominee, as applicable, has applied for membership on the Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.

Individual Applicants

 

            Applications from individual applicants who would serve as SGEs, as defined above, should include the following:

 

·       Name, title, and organization of the nominee and a description of the interest the nominee will represent;

·       Nominee's mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number;

·       A statement summarizing the nominee's qualifications and reasons why the nominee should be appointed to the Council; and

·       A statement that the individual applicant is not a registered federal lobbyist (as noted above, financial and other additional disclosures may also apply to individual applicants). 

 

Please note this Public Notice is not intended to be the exclusive method by which the Commission will solicit nominations to identify qualified candidates; however, all candidates for membership on the Council will be subject to the same evaluation criteria.

 

            All nominations, including the requisite statements listed above, should be submitted by e-mail to CSRIC@fcc.gov, and should be received by the Commission as soon as possible, but no later than Tuesday, June 1, 2021.

 

                                          ACCESSIBLE FORMATS

 

To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

 

More information about the CSRIC can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/advisory-committees/communications-security-reliability-and-interoperability-council.  You may also contact Suzon Cameron, Designated Federal Official (DFO) for CSRIC VIII, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at (202) 418-1916, or Kurian Jacob, Deputy DFO, at (202) 418-2040, or via the CSRIC e-mail account at CSRIC@fcc.gov.

 

-FCC-

---

^[1]  5 U.S.C. App. 2.

Stealing Lightning from the Sky: Telegraph and Misinformation 1850s

 A story from Reid's Telegraph in America (p. 216)

Near the town of Russellville, a Baptist preacher, of Campbellite proclivities, and not without talent, held forth semi - occasionally to the denizens of the region between Russellville and Pikeville. The country was wretchedly poor. In 1854 there had been an unusually long drought. In one of his sermons, while depicting with fervid oratory the general cussedness of the race, he exclaimed: "See there, my friends, out along the road thar a set of men have dared to interfere with the Almighty's lightning, and what, my friends, is the consequence? They have robbed the atmosphere of its electricity, the rains are checked, and there has not been a good crop since the wires were put up, and what's more, I believe we never will have any until they are gone." Curiously enough, a great many intelligent people encouraged and not a few believed the preacher's philosophy. Immediately, a wild excitement spread. It was difficult, to be sure, to connect a thread of iron running through the air with the parched soil and the famished land. But the very mystery made the belief take root. The wire was the devil's turnpike, sure. And so down went the poles by the dozen, and away went the wire by the mile, dragged by an angry and excited mob through Russellville, in triumphant avengement of their wrongs. It was difficult to know what to do in such a case. Dr. Green once thought to try my powers over the people, but, as I had by this time settled at Philadelphia, he decided to go himself. His Superintendent, in 1854, was A. E. Trabue, a lively character and a genius. He is known to the craft as the author of "Short Cirkut." Picking him up at Nashville, on his way south, the first movement made was an aggressive one, and, although the telegraph protection law had been abrogated, about a dozen of the ringleaders were arrested and put in jail at Pikeville. But it did not do much good. The jail at Pikeville was a kind of chicken coup, which the imprisoned men easily lifted by the corner, upset, and escaped. Trabue now suggested a barbecue, hired a big room, bought a good - sized pig for a roast, a few turkeys and other jim - jams, which need not be mentioned, hired a couple of expert fiddlers and invited everybody to a dance. The whole population turned out, and it looked like a grand success. The mirth and fun "grew fast and furious. "Trabue, to be sure, was knocked through the back door, down the hill, by a buxom widow who had danced him blind, but the dance, even with this deduction, was a success.

 

So long, however, as the rain delayed to fall, the influence of the Baptist preacher's theology kept the hostility to the wires alive. The repairer of the region recommended war. His name was Nipe. He and Trabue concocted a scheme by which Nipe was suddenly to disappear, and his clothes were to be found, torn and bloody. On this evidence of murder, a number of arrests were to be made, and the prospect of a general hanging held out. So thoroughly in earnest was Trabue, that the project was referred to the executive at Louisville. But Nipe's murder was forbidden. It was on this trip that Dr. Green first met his future Superintendent, Van Horne, detecting, beneath his quiet exterior, the qualities which have since distinguished him as a man and officer, and led to his present elevated and responsible trust. The year following, Van Horne was Superintendent. He and Bart. Brady, my old and faithful foreman of repairs, changed the programme for the treatment of the mountaineers. George V. Rutherford, an ingenious, humorous and politic man, well - known in telegraphic circles, and who died August 28, 1876, at St. Helena, Cal., was stationed at Russellville. As soon as the circuit was found to be broken, it was quietly and quickly restored, when possible, at night, and utter silence maintained. Finally, by aid of one of those ubiquitous men, who are everywhere and know everything, Van Horne ascertained that a man of ability, and not unknown in the State Senate, had organized a kind of Ku - Klux band to keep the line down. His speech at the meeting, and the time of the proposed first raid were fully reported. Van Horne and Brady put up, near the proposed spot of the attack, provided with a quantity of small wire. At the appointed time, true to the information received, the circuit was gone, and some miles of the wire quickly removed. The leader of the movement cunningly remained at home. Allowing time for the departure of the raiders, the new wire was speedily and quietly strung. Shortly afterward, at a great sale, where a crowd of men had gathered, all, as was customary, carrying guns, Van Horne saw the leader there and had him publicly arrested. A State law, by this time, had been passed, making interference with the wires a criminal offense. At his examination, the leader was astonished at the evidence against him, and which Van Horne skillfully confirmed by his own men. This prompt and vigorous action, a politic treatment of other offenders, the coming of abundant rain and good crops, at last brought peace, the wires had rest, and were soon after removed to the railroad.

1999 :: July 12th :: The Last Morse Radio Station

The Ship-to-shore telegraph radio station, KFS, at Half Moon Bay, California, goes offline - disrupted by satellite technology.  KPH, which is currently a NPS museum, went offline June 30th, 1997.

Cybertelecom :: History Telegraph

Old School Rick Whitt

Old School Goes Online: Exploring Fiduciary Obligations of Care and Loyalty in the Platforms Era

36 Pages Posted: 1 Aug 2019

Richard S. Whitt

GLIA Foundation

Date Written: July 26, 2019

Abstract

The concept of information fiduciaries has received considerable attention in recent years, as one way to impose greater societal obligations on Web-based entities. This paper seeks to probe the information fiduciaries concept, as a useful entrée into a broader discussion of how to bring longstanding legal institutions into the online digital world.

This paper has five primary objectives. First, it will describe the information fiduciary (IF) model, as laid out by scholars Jack Balkin and Jonathan Zittrain, and criticized recently by Lina Khan and David Pozen. Second, it will undertake a deeper dive into the basics of the common law of fiduciary obligations, including the twin duties of care and of loyalty. Third, the paper will examine the information fiduciaries concept from the standpoint of traditional common law and modern-day commentary.

Fourth, the paper will explore a proposed alternative legal model, the "digital trustmediary" (or DTM), with entrusted entities voluntarily acting under a heightened fiduciary duty of loyalty to their clients. This DTM model will be posited as a viable response to the current Web ecosystem, which is presided over by online platforms extracting and analyzing end user data in the absence of express fiduciary obligations.

The paper concludes by suggesting ways to meld together the two different but complementary fiduciary approaches in the context of Web-based entities. Consistent with the author's prior written work on functional openness, the overarching intention is to breathe productive new life into old school legal doctrines.

Hedy Lamarr and the Torpedo, The History Guy, Youtube

https://youtu.be/nbZnrseHihI

The History Guy remembers how "the most beautiful woman in film," Hedy Lamarr, helped invent WiFi.

Policy Forum: Privacy in the World of Internet of Things

May 29, 2019

12:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M.

SIMMONS AUDITORIUM, TEPPER QUAD

Please join AT&T and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh for an in-depth discussion on one of the most challenging issues consumers and businesses face in a world of smartphones, wearables and other internet-connected devices—privacy.

The event will include welcome remarks from Tom Moore, Chief Privacy Officer, AT&T and a keynote presentation from Investigative Reporter and Ted Talks Award Winner, Kashmir Hill.

A privacy panel will follow and will be moderated by Courtney Linder, Business Technology Reporter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Panel participants include the following industry experts.

• Lorrie Cranor, Director and Bosch Distinguished Professor in Security and Privacy Technologies, CyLab, FORE Systems Professor of Computer Science and of Engineering & Public Policy, CMU
• Stacey Gray, Privacy Counsel, Future of Privacy Forum
• Jorge Guajardo Merchan, Principal Scientist & Manager Security and Privacy Research Group; Robert Bosch LLC - Research and Technology Center North America
• Jason Hong, Professor, School of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction Institute, CyLab Researcher, CMU
• Omar Khawaja, Vice President & CISO, Pittsburgh, Highmark Health

Be sure to visit http://policyforum.att.com for any updates.

When:	Wednesday, May 29, 2019 1:00–2:30 p.m. EST Registration and lunch begin at 12:00 p.m. EST.
Where:	Carnegie Mellon University Tepper Quad Simmons Auditorium 4765 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213

 

The event will be live streamed, details will follow by email for registrants.

 

Photographs and video may be taken by AT&T at this event. By attending, you consent to AT&T's use of any photographs or video in external and internal AT&T communications concerning this event.

https://cylab.cmu.edu/events/2019/05/29-privacy-world-iot.html?fbclid=IwAR1eRcWns1lyaXmy60PdSiuFmX8QnZDux4YXU4qhVN9j6koLENHcRkJcfOc

Broadband Pilot Program-ReConnect Program

Fed Reg Notice

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced its general policy and application procedures for funding under the eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect Program) in a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and solicitation of applications on December 14, 2018 in the Federal Register and amended the application window closing dates in a notice published on February 25, 2019 in the Federal Register. The Reconnect Program will provide loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. This Notice announces the opening date for the ReConnect Program application windows.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/04/23/2019-08176/broadband-pilot-program-reconnect-program

FCC Renews Tech Advisory Committee, Fed Reg Notice

On April 16, 2019, the General Services Administration approved renewal of the charter of the Committee pursuant to provisions of the FACA. The Commission intends to renew the charter on or before May 17, 2019 and provide the Committee with authorization to operate for two years from the effective date.

Rapid advances in technology have resulted in innovations in how telecommunications services are provided to, and are accessed by, users of those services. Many of these advances are increasing the rate of convergence among categories of services that have traditionally been viewed as distinct, such as cable television services, telephony, data services, and internet services. Regulations must be examined in light of these technology advances, and the Commission must remain abreast of new developments in technology so that it can effectively fulfill its responsibilities under the Communications Act.....

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/03/2019-09052/federal-advisory-committee-act-technological-advisory-council