News and Events

AT&T’s CEO has confirmed the company has decided to withdraw its plan to takeover competitor T-Mobile. The move comes after the Department of Justice sued to block the deal as it violated antitrust laws and the FCC released its findings that the deal would raise consumer mobile phone and Internet prices and reduce jobs.

Some of the biggest names in tech innovation launched an ad campaign appealing to Congress to not support Internet censorship legislation scheduled for a mark up and possible vote in the House Judiciary Committee Thursday. Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Piere Omidyar, founder of eBay are among more than a dozen innovators who urge Congress to “think hard before changing the regulation that underpins the Internet” with their Stop Online Piracy Act or the PROTECT IP Act. 

The House privacy caucus held a panel discussion today on Capitol Hill today on what is needed to better protect children’s privacy online. 

The Computer & Communications Industry Association recognizes the need for information and choice when it comes to online privacy practices. The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black:

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers is offering draft legislation as an alternative to a controversial bill to censor and regulate the Internet known as the Stopping Online Piracy Act in the House and PROTECT IP Act in the Senate. House members including Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., have released a new draft bill that would provide an expedited legal process at the International Trade Commission to designate offending foreign domains and to cut off their funding by blocking financial institutions and advertising networks from doing business with them.

The Federal Trade Commission has announced a settlement with Facebook after an investigation of its privacy practices. As part of the agreement, Facebook has agreed to various privacy measures and annual privacy audits for 20 years.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association recognizes the need for information and choice when it comes to online privacy practices. The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black:

Just before the holiday the FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski circulated an order to fellow commissioners that would refer the AT&T merger to an administrative law judge for review. The decision was based on staff recommendations after examining the consumer harm from AT&T’s proposed takeover of its competitor T-Mobile.

The FCC has taken a first step toward rejecting AT&T’s proposed takeover of its wireless competitor T-Mobile. The FCC chairman has sent a proposed order to his colleagues to refer the merger to an administrative law judge for a procedure that would require AT&T to prove the merger was in the public interest.

The following statement can be attributed to CCIA Vice President Cathy Sloan:

A joint Congressional Committee is examining Internet censorship in China at a hearing today. The Congressional Executive Committee on China is concerned about the various tools China uses to censor and filter Internet content and how this raises human rights and may violate existing trade agreements.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association said that companies for too long have been left on their own to deal negotiate with other nations, but CCIA said it appreciated the USTR’s recent formal inquiry into China’s censorship practices. Black told the committee that to those concerned about the human rights issues, tackling the trade issues may seem “akin to going after Al Capone for tax evasion.” 

The House Judiciary Committee held its first hearing on broad new Internet regulations, which have been opposed by cybersecurity experts, technology and consumer electronic business associations, law professors, free speech groups, venture capitalists and Internet users. Unfortunately none of these opponents was given a seat at the lopsided hearing today.

Much of the Twitter traffic during the hearing lamented they couldn’t even hear more about the bill to censor the Internet and make some streaming a felony because the audio stream out of the hearing room wasn’t working. 

The Computer & Communications Industry Association opposes the Marketplace Fairness Act, the latest bill seeking to impose burdensome state and local tax collecting requirements on online retailers -- regardless of physical presence.  This bill, introduced today by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., is similar to Sen. Durbin’s previous Main Street Fairness Act in that it would draft online vendors into service as remote sales tax collectors.  

A new economic study adds to evidence that more legal certainty about liability can lead to increased venture capitalist investment in a growing industry -- cloud computing.

Harvard Business School Professor Josh Lerner, whose research often focuses on venture capital investment and innovation, has examined the impact of the 2008 Cartoon Network v. Cablevision decision, which resolved uncertainty around copyright liability in favor of U.S. cloud computing companies.

Lerner is presenting the results of his study, “The Impact of Copyright Policy Changes on Venture Capital Investment in Cloud Computing Companies,” via webcast Monday in Washington DC. The Computer & Communications Industry Association commissioned the study to find out if venture capitalists actually invested more in US companies once a looming liability risk for cloud computing was resolved.

WHEN: Monday, November 7, 10:30am

WEBCAST LINK: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=376143&s=1&k=D76DD379BC29B67C1D436778451916DC

DIAL-IN INFORMATION (for audio and Q&A): 877-709-8156

                           Participant Passcode: 382698

The Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and his co-sponsors, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Sen. Mark Begich, D-AK, for introducing S. Res. 309, a bipartisan resolution opposing any Congressional legislation granting state governments authority to impose new burdensome or unfair tax collecting requirements on small Internet businesses and entrepreneurs.

Several House members have introduced a controversial bill that could interrupt access to legal websites and compromise the stability and security of the Internet itself.

This bill would allow the Justice Department to blacklist Internet sites that allegedly facilitate intellectual property rights infringement, and not only cut them off from U.S. advertisers and financial services like credit cards, but regulate ISPs and search.  This is accomplished in part through mandated manipulation of the Internet domain name addressing system (DNS).  Current law (the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) already contains an effective notice and takedown process in which U.S. search engines and websites remove massive amounts of infringing material every day.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds today’s action by the United States Trade Representative requesting detailed information regarding China’s Internet restrictions.  Using an official process provided for by the WTO treaty, the USTR asked a detailed array of questions on how Chinese information restrictions operate.  CCIA has long articulated the need to treat such restrictions as a trade barrier, most recently filing comments this month on foreign trade barriers for the National Trade Estimate.

A bipartisan group of nonprofit privacy advocates is hosting a retro tech fair and press conference today. The goal is to highlight for Congress the need to reform the nation’s surveillance laws – which are outdated in the digital age.

Modern technology exposes Americans' lives to law enforcement and governmental prying without adequate protections. Emails, location information, and personal documents are all stored today where government can access them without the judicial oversight associated with a warrant. Cloud computing will bring great benefits in portability and efficiency, but it must be protected from overreach by law enforcement.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association opposes the Marketplace Equity Act, a new bill introduced today by Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., and Rep. Jackie Speier, Calif., that would allow states that have fulfilled certain simplification requirements to require out-of-state retailers to collect sales and use taxes on purchases made to residents of their states -- regardless of physical presence.

The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black:

"We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Steve Jobs. His entrepreneurial leadership transformed Apple from an afterthought into arguably the most successful high tech company in history. He challenged the status quo, went against conventional wisdom and revived competition in a market that was leaning toward concentration. He was the personal embodiment of the ethos of Silicon Valley and he will be sincerely missed."

On October 20, join Google, Facebook, ACLU, Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), TechFreedom, and Americans for Tax Reform for a happy hour inspired by the privacy protections of ECPA -- Party Like It's 1986. 

The Computer & Communications Industry Association welcomes the news that the White House is sending the trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama to Congress for approval. 

As the leading export industry of the U.S., the high-tech sector in particular benefits greatly from expanded trade.  CCIA has continued to support these agreements, especially the Korea free trade agreement, which would become the second largest FTA (after NAFTA) implemented by the United States.

After months of investigation, the top consumer advocates for seven states have waded through vague promises and conflicting information from AT&T and decided the telecom giant’s plan to takeover its competitor would lead to higher prices and other problems for consumers and businesses in their states. This bipartisan group of attorneys general have joined the Department of Justice in its lawsuit to block the deal, and an amended complaint has been filed with the court.

This morning the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that they have filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to prevent AT&T from acquiring its competitor T-Mobile.  In response, CCIA President and CEO Ed Black issued this statement:

“We are pleased, but not surprised.  From the outset, it was clear that this merger was anticompetitive. This was a slam-dunk decision for the DOJ, as this was a textbook case of a blatantly anticompetitive horizontal merger. We are grateful that the Justice Department ignored AT&T's unprecedented political pressure and made its decision based on the clear facts gleaned from its thorough investigation...

CCIA filed Reply Comments  with the FCC Monday in support of LightSquared’s proposal to begin deployment of its nationwide wholesale 4G LTE network.  LightSquared’s wholesale wireless network, once deployed, would expand high-speed broadband access to millions of unserved Americans, make an additional 40 MHz of wireless spectrum available for mobile broadband, spur economic growth and job creation, and increase competition in the wireless marketplace.  

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) believes that the approach taken by the Main Street Fairness Act is unwise in general and untimely given the current economic situation.  The technology industry is prepared to be a constructive player in meaningful efforts at tax reform, but requiring Internet retailers, especially small ones, to collect taxes across thousands of jurisdictions is heading in the wrong direction.

Ultra-high speed computer networks are in the works for 28 university communities, according to a plan called GigU, to be announced Wednesday.

The Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust and Consumers’ Rights has sent a 7-page letter to the Justice Department and FCC asking them to block AT&T’s plans to take over the fourth largest wireless competitor.  In the letter, Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., who recently held a hearing on the acquisition, said it would dramatically reduce competition, and the elimination of the lowest priced national carrier would lead to price increases for all mobile phone users. 

The Computer & Communications Industry Association will release its paper detailing ways policymakers can enable the growth of cloud computing – and the economic benefits of doing so– at an event Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Michael Nelson, Professor of Internet studies at Georgetown University will lead a panel discussion with companies involved in cloud computing at the event for Capitol Hill staffers.

As Congress and federal agencies consider stricter copyright enforcement measures such as making streaming a felony, and government-mandated Internet blacklists, and the copryight and communications sectors devise a Copyright Alert System, a new economic report to be released Monday helps illustrate the importance of a balanced approach to copyright. 

Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney is leaving as head of the antitrust division at the Department of Justice next month to join a law firm, according to various news reports. After a decade of inaction on antitrust cases, Varney’s appointment by President Obama was seen as a sign that the government would once again take action when companies use their market power to eliminate competitors and crush competition.

As Washington debates ways to address the growing demand for broadband spectrum, an innovative company has an out of this world solution – if only it can overcome objections from other licensees to get the technology to market.  Today the Computer & Communications Industry Association called on the FCC to help seek a win-win spectrum solution that resolves interference concerns between LightSquared and the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) community.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association welcomes the news that the Senate Finance Committee will finally move forward with a mock markup on the three pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Panama and Colombia.  The markup would also include an extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), a program that has long been an important component of our trade policy.  

Today the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited decision in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, invalidating a California law which purported to restrict the sale of violent video games to minors.  Seven members of the Court voted to strike down the law. Justice Scalia wrote the opinion for the majority.   

The announcement that the FTC is seeking additional information from Google confirms various news reports that it is initiating an antitrust investigation.

Late last month, consumer groups, individuals, antitrust experts, state regulators and businesses told the FCC that AT&T’s proposal to takeover T-Mobile would hurt competition and wireless service quality and raise prices. AT&T responded, and today these groups had a chance to point out the holes in AT&T’s latest arguments in their FCC filings. 

Senator Wyden and Representatives Chaffetz and Goodlatte are introducing legislation Wednesday that would set some ground rules for when companies would be required to turn over both real time and previous data on a customer’s location. 

Today the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Circuit’s protective view of low-quality patents in Microsoft v. i4i.  Despite the limited review at the Patent and Trademark Office, the Court affirmed that once granted, a patent can only be invalidated by “clear and convincing evidence,” a strong presumption of validity that is especially helpful for marginal patents.

Several human rights associations, the Organization of American States and a UN Committee have released two landmark documents on protecting free expression and the free flow of information on the Internet . The Computer & Communications Industry Association strongly endorses both documents and urges UN member states and the world’s governments to implement their provisions in national legal and regulatory frameworks. 

Within 48 hours of French President Sarkozy proposing sweeping international regulation of the Internet at the eG-8 meeting, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill allowing the U.S. Department of Justice to blacklist Internet sites and regulate certain industries having contact with those sites.

The European Commission released a broad Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) strategy today, which defines outstanding initiatives in the areas of authors’ IPRs, trademarks, designs, and geographical indications. The preliminary Directive covering orphan works was introduced today. Other topics will be introduced in the second half of the year or next year.

The proposed takeover of T-Mobile USA’s wireless communications business by AT&T raises serious competition policy issues that require careful analysis by the Federal Communications Commission and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The proposed transaction would reduce the number of national wireless carriers from four to three, and more importantly, create an AT&T-Verizon duopoly that would dwarf all other carriers. A House Judiciary subcommittee has scheduled a hearing May 26, 2011 to examine the proposed merger. In a media briefing hosted by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), key antitrust experts will discuss the anti-competitive implications of an AT&T takeover on American investment, innovation and jobs.

What:       Media Briefing of Antitrust Experts on AT&T - T-Mobile Takeover
When:         Tuesday, May 24, 10:30 a.m. EST
Who:         Moderator:
Ed Black, President & CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA)

Panelists:
Richard Brunell, Director of Legal Advocacy at American Antitrust Institute  (AAI) and contributing editor of the Antitrust Law Journal

Allen Grunes, Chair of the Antitrust Committee of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia and Advisory Board member of the American Antitrust Institute

Senators Leahy, Hatch and Grassley are reintroducing legislation, which will impose a mandate on additional industries to enforce copyright laws. Instead of COICA, the new acronym appears to sound less controversial – PROTECT IP.

Members: Please contact mclark@ccianet.org to register

Reporters: Please contact hgreenfield@ccianet.org to register

Online registration for CCIA's 2011 Washington Caucus is now available. 

The Washington Caucus has grown over the years into a unique dialogue between technology executives and the Members of Congress and Administration officials who are grappling with today's challenging technology issues.  This year's program will cover a wide range of topics related to the future of technology and innovation policy and its role in fostering job growth and economic development. 

Senators John Kerry, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., are introducing online privacy legislation this afternoon. They say the goal is to update outdated laws to protect Americans privacy online and offline.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association recognizes the need for baseline privacy practices. The following statement can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Ed Black:

The Computer & Communications Industry Association welcomes the decision  of UN member-states participating in the development of international trademark law at the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (“WIPO”) Standing Committee on Trademarks and Industrial Designs (“SCT”). They agreed to adopt a work plan for “Trademarks and the Internet” based upon a proposal CCIA made to the Committee on April 29.

AT&T has proposed a lose-lose deal for consumers with its plans to grow even bigger with its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile for $39 billion. Consumers, industry and innovation will all lose if AT&T is allowed to amass even more power and control over our communications and Internet infrastructure.

The tremendous advances in technology and price constraint over recent decades have come because of competition following the original AT&T breakup. The market constriction that would result if the government were to allow such a merger would propel us backwards and adversely impact the type of diverse innovative players we need to grow jobs and economic expansion.

The White House’s IP czar Victoria Espinel is calling on Congress to further expand and toughen U.S. intellectual property law, which is already among the most sweeping and strictest in the world.  Copyright regulation has grown into a massive and complicated bureaucratic system, which has lost sight of it purpose and limits.  The capture of this Administration and key members of Congress by the powerful special interests called Big Content continues to grow as demonstrated by this report, which fails to address the need for a balanced reform approach.

Espinel is asking Congress to expand federal wiretapping laws to pursue those accused of infringing on copyrighted material, and to ensure that illegally streaming movies, once considered only civil infractions, be treated as felonies.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association sent a letter to senators Monday morning explaining its opposition to S. 23, the senate's latest patent reform legislation. While CCIA was an original advocate for patent reform and supports the House verison of the bill, S. 23 would be even worse for the tech industry and the real innovative sector of the economy than the current system.

CCIA asked the senate to hold hearings on S. 23 ahead of a vote so that senators can get more information on the complexities of the law as written and what it would really do to the patent back log and how it would increase patent litigation rather than innovation.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association is sending to all Members of Congress a joint letter expressing concern about the impact of renewed efforts to expand the government’s power to wiretap and electronically spy on citizens.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) applauds Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) and lead Democratic co-sponsor Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) for introducing the "Supporting the Preservation of Internet Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses" resolution (H.Res. 95), a bipartisan resolution opposing any Congressional legislation granting state governments authority to impose new burdensome or unfair tax collecting requirements on small online businesses and entrepreneurs. 

CCIA submitted comments to the Department of Commerce January 28th in response to the green paper they released in December entitled "Commercial Data Privacy and Innovation in the Internet Economy." We applaud the Department of Commerce for undertaking the large task of addressing the complex and important issues surrounding consumer privacy and innovation on the Internet. The green paper raised thought provoking questions and insights that showed the long hours that must have gone into its production. We hope that our comments, along with all the rest of those received, will help the Department of Commerce as it moves forward with its work.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association applauds Secretary Clinton's public request to a US ally to stop blocking social networking sites being used by political protesters and not to stop peaceful protesters in Egypt. After Sec. Clinton’s request, Egypt stopped blocking Twitter and Facebook for several hours, according to various news reports.