News and Events

After investigating allegations of anti-competitive conduct for more than a year, the Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against Intel, accusing the company of using its dominant position in the chip making market to block competitors’ products.

On the occasion of the 19th session of the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) in Geneva, the Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds the parties' commitment to developing international intellectual property norms in an open and transparent manner.

Executives of content-producing companies and government officials, including Vice President Joseph Biden, met today in Washington, D.C., to discuss ongoing efforts to combat commercial content piracy. The following statements can be attributed to Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) ^® and Ed Black, President and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA):

Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra and Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra announced the launch of administration’s Open Government Plan in a live webcast today.

The Internet provides unprecedented tools for openness and transparency in a democracy and the Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds President Obama’s commitment to provide citizens with more information on their government. CCIA also appreciates being included in meetings seeking input on what this openness plan should include.

President Obama and his deputy technology officer took on Internet censorship in all forms in Washington and Shanghai last week as they spoke about the importance of Internet freedom and openness and the dangers of censorship online – in any form.

Intel and AMD have agreed to settle outstanding legal disputes. Intel will pay AMD $1.25 billion as part of the deal to end AMD’s civil lawsuit against Intel for allegedly offering rebates and other measures to ensure companies would not use AMD’s microchips.

Ed Black, CCIA's President and CEO, discusses online privacy issues in an op-ed for The Hill's Congress Blog.

As the Supreme Court heard arguments in Bilski v. Kappos (08-964) today, a case which should help answer the question, 'what is patentable?' – the Computer & Communications Industry Association urged the Court to correct a patent system that has run amok.

Today the Social Security Administration’s tech advisory board begins a two day meeting to develop a roadmap for systems technology and electronic services to better carry out the agency's mission over the next five to ten years. More babyboomers are heading into a system, which is relying on technology that was cutting edge – back when this generation was putting their children through college.

The FCC put out a request for information Thursday on the rates telecommunications carriers and companies pay each other for special access lines. The issue that has been a longstanding debate is becoming more critical as the FCC deals with increasing industry consolidation in telecommunications.

The state of New York has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Intel saying the company threatened computer makers and paid big kickbacks in exchange for not using competitors’ chips.

The FCC this morning voted to begin a proceeding designed to determine sometime late next year the basic rules necessary to preserve open access to the robust public Internet in the face of exploding bandwidth demand and severe market concentration in the broadband last mile.

“Competition Policy as Innovation Policy”
Tuesday, October 27
12 - 2 pm
The NEWSEUM, Washington, DC

The Computer & Communications Industry Association is filing an amicus brief Friday with the Supreme Court asking that the Court uphold the decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in the Bilski case, which denied a patent for a method of hedging on utility contracts.

The US Chamber of Commerce held its Intellectual Property Summit today that included a barrage of questionable numbers about "piracy" losses from the entertainment industry that cast IP theft as the most dangerous threat to our economy. Sadly, no statistics were offered on the cost of frivolous IP lawsuits or the economic contributions from industries dependent on fair use and other copyright exceptions.

International companies and the Computer & Communications Industry Association will be watching Tuesday as a privacy violation trial begins in Italy. A judge decided earlier this year to allow a court case against several Google executives who could face up to three years in prison over a YouTube video.

Washington –  Since the FCC chairman’s announcement last week that he would work to enforce network neutrality principles, some large carriers initially questioned the need for regulatory action and are now trying tactics to distract from the real debate.

The House has a hearing today and the Senate holds one tomorrow ahead of discussions to renew provisions in the Patriot Act that expire Dec. 31. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., introduced legislation this month that would repeal immunity for telecommunication companies for spying on US citizens without warrants.

Washington – FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski proposed the FCC adopt as existing principles to keep the Internet open, and he also added two additional principles to adopt – non-discrimination and transparency/disclosure of network management practices.

Washington - Today, the European Commission released a substantial portion of the evidence that it relied upon in finding that Intel violated antitrust laws with its controversial business practices.  The evidence released included  a massive amount of data, internal emails and anecdotal evidence that indicates numerous breaches of competition law.

The tech industry applauds President Obama’s call for and outline of a new generation of innovation. The President appropriately offered a strategy to develop more advanced information technology infrastructure, to promote progress in clean energy, health care and basic research and also to provide a better educated workforce. But there are other important issues related to innovation that will also need to be addressed if our national innovation policy is to be as robust as we need it to be. Competition policy and Intellectual Property issues which can either help or hinder innovation must also be properly balanced and aligned if we are to maximize the potential of innovation in our society.

The Department of Justice announced late Friday that it liked the idea of a vibrant marketplace for the electronic distribution of in print, out of print and so-called orphaned books. The DOJ also supported the creation of the independent “Book Rights Registry.” Officials expressed some concerns, but said it believed Google and its proposed partners could tweak the deal to meet those concerns.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association is a longtime advocate for fair, balanced competition within the tech sector as that leads to more innovation and more choices for consumers. CCIA appreciates that it is appropriate for the DOJ to review a deal of this size. Recognizing its importance, CCIA has also discussed several issues with parties to the settlement and others who may be impacted by it so we could best understand the issues raised, and reached our own conclusion.

Video now available

As the Obama administration takes steps to bring down health care costs, it has asked for public comments due today on the Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology. The Computer & Communications Industry Association shares the Administration’s view that HIT has the power to bring down health care costs and submitted comments today on how to best ensure the economic and productivity gains are indeed realized. The following comments can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:

“Even when our citizens receive the medical care they need, they often cannot understand what treatment they received, what they were billed, what was covered, and what they owe. A ‘cat’s cradle’ of tangled healthcare paperwork has tied the American people, medical practitioners and institutions in knots for many years and has gotten steadily worse -- significantly increasing the cost of the U.S. healthcare system in ways that are wasteful and completely non-productive.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association expressed appreciation Wednesday that two U.S. Cabinet secretaries raised the issue of Internet censorship with Chinese officials. In a joint letter submitted to Chinese officials Wednesday, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke asked the Chinese to revoke the order that all personal computers sold in China after July 1 contain Web-filtering software.

The following statement can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:

“US trade officials are right that this requirement for Web-filtering software by the Chinese could violate terms of China’s obligations under the World Trade Organization.

As Iranians demonstrate in the wake of the election, Iranian officials have tried to control access to information by kicking journalists out of the country and limiting what official news outlets can report. Now the Wall Street Journal and other publications are reporting on how Iranian officials are using the Internet to censor information and spy on citizens using deep packet inspection.

DPI allows network operators or a government to intercept data flowing over the Internet, deconstruct it to examine for particular keywords and then reconstruct it in a matter of seconds. The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black.

The following statement is in response to President Obama's nomination of David Kappos for Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It is attributed to Ed Black, the President and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association:

“We are very pleased with nomination of Dave Kappos. Kappos is widely regarded as one of the most thoughtful and creative members of the intellectual property community. He has played a leadership role in the development of the peer review experiment in patent examination ("peer-to-patent" or "community patent review"). He also has been a leader in grappling with the growing conflict between patents and standards, especially the problem of patent ambush. The patent system is facing monumental challenges today, as the growing diversity in innovation confronts an increasingly costly legal system in which one size fits all.

Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association appreciates Chairman Rush organizing today’s hearing about the relationships among online behavioral advertising, the health of e-commerce, and consumer value and privacy with respect to tracking by websites and search engines. The following statement can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:

“Online advertising helps underwrite the rich variety of online content choices and services available at little to no cost to consumers. But online advertising cannot do this unless the trust of Internet users is maintained through clear and conspicuous disclosure of how consumers’ information will be used. This way if they don’t like it, they can stop visiting that website or use another search engine.

The retrial for Jammie Thomas-Rassat begins today in Minnesota. In October 2007 she was found guilty of illegally downloading and sharing music. Thomas-Rassat was ordered to pay $222,000 to six record companies for making 24 songs available for file sharing. Last September, the judge ordered a new trial because he said his jury instructions were unclear about whether making the music available for download was infringement.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association submitted its agenda suggestions for the 2009 US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade meeting this fall. CCIA asked the JCCT to address China’s Internet censorship tactics, including the latest move to require censorship software, as a trade barrier. The following quote can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:

“The Internet can be a great tool for people to gather information, communicate and provide a more open, transparent relationship between government and its citizens. Or, the Internet can be among the greatest tools for political repression – depending on how a government uses it. Handing any government further tools to easily block information should be a concern for countries throughout the world. Countries that have supported China’s growth as a world player need to take a stand on issues like Internet censorship, which could send China backwards in its development as a nation.

Washington -- Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps has announced Friday afternoon that Blair Levin will return to the FCC to coordinate development of the new national broadband plan starting Monday. The following comments can be attributed to Ed Black, President & CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association.

“It’s a very wise decision to appoint someone with such a deep background in this area to have responsibility for integrating policy on an issue that is so critical to innovation and our economy.

The following statement is in response to President Obama's announcement of his intent to nominate Robert M. McDowell, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission. It is attributed to Ed Black, the President and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association:

"Commissioner McDowell has a very impressive combination of private sector experience and public service accomplishments in telecommunications law and policy and has demonstrated a unique ability to work collaboratively with others toward innovative solutions promoting new technologies and competitive economic opportunities in the broadband and Internet space. We look forward to continue working with Commissioner McDowell as he contributes to new leadership, accountability and transparency at the FCC."

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider what types of business methods should be patentable as it indicated it would take up the Bilski patent case today. The Computer & Communications Industry Association is pleased with the additional opportunity this provides for legal clarity. The following quotes can be attributed to Ed Black, CCIA President & CEO:

“The lack of limits on patentable subject matter as a result of the State Street decision has created chaos in the marketplace and provided fertile breeding ground for patent trolls. We have commended the federal circuit decision in Bilski as an effort to redraw the limits consistent with Supreme Court precedent.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association is issuing the following statement in response to President Obama’s statement today on the nation’s cyber security infrastructure. The following statement can be attributed to Ed Black, President & CEO of CCIA:

“President Obama announced he plans to appoint both a cyber security czar and someone who understands privacy and civil liberties to the National Security Council cyber security team. This shows the Obama Administration understands the critical balance needed to keep the Internet open and safe and to maintain the freedom and trust of those using it. We know the pressures to deviate from this balance will be strong, and we hope he can stay on course.

A shift in U.S. Department of Justice antitrust policy announced last week could blunt the expansion or merger plans of IT vendors, according to legal experts.

In speeches last week before the Center for American Progress and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Christine Varney, assistant attorney general in charge of the DOJ's antitrust division, said that the agency is repealing a policy established under George W. Bush that "raises many hurdles to government antitrust enforcement." The move signals a more aggressive approach to antitrust enforcement under President Barack Obama.

Washington -- Google has announced it would be changing its policy regarding certain uses of trademarks in the text of sponsored search results. The policy change will permit greater use of trademarked terms in advertisements by advertisers such resellers and objective review sites. In response to the announced change, the following statements may be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association counsel Matthew Schruers:

"This policy change is pro-consumer, and in fact aligns Google's policy more closely with current industry standards on sponsored search text."

Washington -- Today, CCIA ran an open letter in several Washington, DC publications highlighting yesterday’s ruling by the European Commission, which found Intel guilty of abusing its monopoly position. After years of investigating, the Commission ruled that Intel’s actions significantly harmed competition and innovation, ordered it to cease its abusive practices and issued a $1.45 billion fine.

This is the third time Intel has been found guilty by a regulatory body. The time has come for Washington to focus on Intel's illegal actions, and most importantly, the impact of its behavior on consumers and industries around the world.

Washington – The Intel decision in Europe has many in Washington wondering whether US action may soon follow, especially in light of the major policy speech Monday by Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney, which set aside a Bush administration directive that had made it tougher to police antitrust violations.

Wednesday, the European Commission announced that it is taking disciplinary action against Intel for violating European competition law. Because of the scope of the violations and Intel's size, the fine of $1.45 billion is the largest in the history of EU antitrust enforcement.

Washington – Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney announced this morning at the Center for American Progress that the Department of Justice is withdrawing a 2008 Bush administration report that made it more difficult to police anticompetitive behavior.

Ed Black, the President & CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association spoke on the antitrust panel that followed Varney's announcement. CCIA has been an advocate for strong, but fair antitrust enforcement for 36 years and was an early critic of the DOJ's Section II report.

Washington- News reports say the Obama Administration is expected to appoint former Symantec CEO John Thompson as Commerce Department Secretary. The Computer & Communications Industry Association would welcome such an announcement. The following statement can be attributed to CCIA President Ed Black:

"John Thompson has run an innovative, global company for more than a decade and that experience is just what is needed for the economic challenges our nation faces. He also seems to have the political and policy skills necessary to succeed in Washington. The country needs more innovation to grow the economy and a government that understands how to boost or at least not suppress that innovation.

Washington- Those wanting to watch a YouTube clip of Pete Seeger singing "This Land Is Your Land", at the inaugural concert this week may soon be out of luck because HBO is saying the copyright of the concert belongs to them.

According to news reports, HBO is demanding YouTube take down video postings of the concert, including those people sharing their view of the event filmed on their cellphones. HBO reportedly is claiming it has the exclusive copyright for the video of this event because it purchased a six months license from the inaugural committee, which owns the license.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association issuing the following statement in response to the House Appropriations Committee announcement that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill will contain $6 billion to expand broadband access to rural and underserved areas. The statement can be attributed to Ed Black, President & CEO of CCIA:

CCIA supports this effort to bring high speed, affordable broadband to unserved areas and underserved communities.

The following statement is in response to news reports that President-elect Obama is naming Julius Genachowski to the post of FCC chairman. It can be attributed to Ed Black, the President and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association.

“CCIA applauds the naming of Julius Genachowski as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Mr. Genachowski’s multifaceted background as FCC policy advisor, senior business executive, Supreme Court clerk, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist affords him a panoramic view of the modern communications landscape shared by few. The challenges and opportunities confronting the next chairman are neither partisan nor ideological, but it will take the policy, political and business acumen he has acquired in his many roles to strike the right balance between regulation and free-market deference. He will need to successfully utilize the FCC powers to guide policy for the communications industry and related sectors. The high quality of the other mentioned candidates for the position serves as evidence of both the importance of the appointment and of his outstanding qualifications

CCIA joins other tech trade associations in supporting principles outlined in House Speaker Pelosi’s Innovation Agenda, but we also want to stress our support for policies that keep an open Internet, balanced patent and copyright reform, broadband competition, net neutrality, and freedom from government censorship and Internet spying in any country. We offer these recommendations because they support the principles of Internet freedom and a climate of innovation, which CCIA has long advocated. We believe they uphold principles President-elect Obama outlined in his own Technology and Innovation agenda. We look forward to working with the administration on these matters and other areas where we can be helpful.