House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., told us he’s going to continue to press for progress on major tech and telecom legislation during the remainder of this Congress rather than coast toward retirement, after his October announcement he won’t run for re-election (see 2110180043). Doyle concedes progress on net neutrality legislation, a top issue since he became lead Communications Democrat in 2017, may not happen before he retires. Communications Vice Chair Doris Matsui of California and two other members -- Reps. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Yvette Clarke of New York -- confirmed to us they’re considering whether they would like to succeed Doyle as the subpanel’s lead Democrat.
Section 230
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us he and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., will meet soon to discuss potential updates to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. “We’re scheduled to put our heads together soon about that issue,” Wicker said last week. “I will reserve comment until after that. It may have to be after the break.”
Senate Homeland Security Committee ranking member Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Senate Privacy Subcommittee Chairman Chris Coons, D-Del., are gathering information on legislation that would require social media platforms to open their algorithms to independent research, Portman said Thursday.
YouTube, TikTok and Snap agreed to share internal research with the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee, the companies' representatives told a hearing Tuesday. Chair Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told us he’s going to hold them to that promise and use the findings to develop a full picture in pursuit of legislation.
The FCC shouldn’t act on its own to combat ransomware attacks against communications networks unless a “whole of government” approach doesn’t materialize, said Commissioner Nathan Simington Thursday in a virtual Q&A with former Commissioner Robert McDowell, now at Cooley. Combating ransomware attacks like the recent strike against Sinclair isn’t outside the agency’s authority, but might be outside its capabilities, “unless Congress gives us another thousand people to man that desk,” Simington said (see 2110210045).
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is looking to advance the discussion on a measure that would prohibit online platforms from self-preferencing their own products (see 2110140068). He told us he’s in discussions with ranking member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., about a legislative hearing for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. “I’m discussing it with both of them,” said Durbin. “We haven’t made a final decision.”
Legislation House Democrats unveiled Thursday would remove Communications Decency Act Section 230 immunity when a platform “knowingly or recklessly uses an algorithm or other technology to recommend content that materially contributes to physical or severe emotional injury.” Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, N.J., will introduce the Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act Friday with Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania, Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, and Health Subcommittee Chair Anna Eshoo of California. “Social media platforms like Facebook continue to actively amplify content that endangers our families, promotes conspiracy theories, and incites extremism to generate more clicks and ad dollars,” said Pallone.
Congress needs to identify an AI regulatory framework so companies like Facebook can be held accountable for biases and side effects associated with algorithms, said House AI Task Force Chairman Bill Foster, D-Ill., during a hearing Wednesday.
Facebook and Instagram illegally deceive users and the government by hosting murder videos violating their terms of service, gun safety advocate Andy Parker alleged in an FTC complaint Tuesday. Testimony from whistleblower Frances Haugen last week confirmed Facebook can remove videos but doesn't because it's not in the company’s financial interest, Parker told reporters at the National Press Club. He filed a similar complaint in 2020 against Google and YouTube (see 2002200049). These stem from a video of Parker’s daughter Alison, a reporter who was assassinated on live TV in 2015 (see 2002030059).
Congress will move forward with legislation to roll back Communications Decency Act Section 230 immunity and give victims of online harm legal remedies against amplified content, Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters Tuesday. Members of the subcommittee are “very engaged” on the issue, and it’s going to be a priority to find consensus, said ranking member Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., speaking to reporters after a hearing with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (see 2110010047).