Public Knowledge Celebrates FCC Action To Connect the Vulnerable With New $50 Broadband Subsidy
Targeted News Service (Press Releases)
WASHINGTON,
Feb. 26, 2021:
Yesterday, the
Federal Communications Commission voted on circulation to approve a Report and Order to establish the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, a
$3.2 billion federal initiative to provide qualifying households discounts on their internet service bills and an opportunity to receive a discount on a computer, laptop, or tablet. The program created by
Congress subsidizes broadband and device payments for low-income consumers or families hit hard by the pandemic, including students and the unemployed.
The program follows several months of advocacy from Public Knowledge, including an early proposal for an emergency broadband subsidy by Senior Vice President
Access Now 24 February 2021 | 8:03 am
February 23, California District Judge Mendez ruled in
American Cable Association v. Becerra that he would not prevent the state from enforcing its net neutrality law (SB 822) in large part because plaintiff internet service providers (ISPs) are unlikely to succeed in their challenge. The ruling was on the ISPs’ motion for preliminary injunction to prevent the state from enforcing SB 822 during the pendency of the full litigation. The judge’s decision, however, is not final ISPs can still appeal the decision to the 9th Circuit, further delaying enforcement.
Access Now supports the California law, and authored an
Proposed emergency public health bills COVID-19 Tech Privacy By Jessica Davis
February 2, 2021 – A group of Democratic senators and congressmensuggested legislation designed to address the privacy and security issues associated with technologies used for the COVID-19 response, including contact tracking apps, digital monitoring tools, and vaccine appointment scheduling apps.
The Public Health Emergency Privacy Act was introduced end of Thursday January 28, by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Virginia and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, apart from Reps. Anna Eshoo, California D, Jan Schakelowsky, Illinois D, and Suzan DelBene, Washington D.
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The bill aims to address a major issue posed by many of these third-party apps – the majority are not covered by HIPAA. The Office for Civil Rights also recently applied enforcement discretion for non-HIPAA web scheduling apps to accelerate adoption and support vaccine rollout.