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The Senate is considering extending EV tax credits
As US senate majority leader Mitch McConnell debates making cuts to social security and medicare, Senator Dean Heller (R) of Nevada is hoping to keep electric car sales zipping forward with a new bill that would extend tax credits until 2022.
Congress seeks more information on the Google+ data exposure
Since the Google+ data exposure came to light earlier this week, European regulatory authorities have announced investigations into the matter and a US Senator has called for an FTC probe. Now, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has sent the company a letter requesting more information about the incident and Google's decision to keep it under wraps.
Senator calls for FTC investigation into Google+ data exposure
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said during a Congressional hearing today on consumer data privacy that he's calling for an investigation into Google's latest data exposure. During his questioning of those testifying before the committee -- which included Andrea Jelinek, chair of the European Data Protection Board, and Alastair Mactaggart, the real estate developer who introduced a consumer privacy ballot measure in California -- he called the Google+ data exposure "the elephant in the room" and emphasized the need for greater consumer privacy protections in the US.
Senators demand answers over Chinese 'spy chip' fears (updated)
Apple may have tried to reassure Congress that there's no evidence of China tampering with servers to spy on data traffic, but it didn't do much to quell doubts. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marco Rubio have sent a letter to Super Micro demanding answers around allegations of Chinese spy chips. The duo wants to know if Super Micro has monitored and investigated its supply chain for signs of tampering, and is particularly interested in February 2017 statements to The Information that it had independent auditors look over its "process" and make changes following Apple's claims of security holes. If Super Micro conducted an investigation, the senators asked, what were the results?
Senate bill would boost AI adoption in federal government
The US government is only dabbling in artificial intelligence at the moment. It might make a larger commitment before long, however. A bipartisan group of senators (Brian Schatz, Cory Gardner and Rob Portman) have introduced an AI in Government Act that would increase federal AI adoption by both including AI in data-related plans and supplying the resources to make those plans a reality. Thankfully, this isn't just a question of throwing money at the problem -- it would have multiple government organizations shift more attention to the emerging technology.
Google confirms secret Dragonfly project, but won’t say what it is
Representatives from a number of major tech companies appeared before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Energy and Transportation today, discussing data privacy and concerns over consumer protection. Google sent its new chief privacy officer, Keith Enright, to the hearing, who was questioned multiple times over rumors that Google is working on a censored search engine for China. VentureBeat reports that Enright confirmed a project codenamed Dragonfly, though he stopped short of discussing what that project entailed. "I am not clear on the contours of what is in scope or out of scope for that project," Enright told Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Google discusses privacy regulation ahead of Senate hearing
On Wednesday, a number of tech companies, including Apple, AT&T, Amazon, Twitter and Charter, will discuss data privacy before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Google will be there as well, represented by its new chief privacy officer, Keith Enright. In a blog post, Enright, who previously led Google's privacy legal team, discussed his new role and shared the company's thoughts on what data protection regulation should look like in the US.
Lawmakers want to expand AMBER Alerts to US territories
Two US lawmakers have introduced legislation that would help expand the AMBER Alert system to all territories, which include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Established nationally in 2003, the system sends alerts over TV, radio, digital billboards and cellphones and has helped find more than 900 missing children across the US. "AMBER Alerts have helped save hundreds of children. There's no good reason for US territories to be excluded from this system," said Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), who introduced the bill along with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). "With this bill, we can help children and their families quickly end the nightmare that is child abduction."
Google responds to lawmaker concerns over Gmail scanning
In July, Senators John Thune (R-SD), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent Google a letter that sought information on Google's practice of allowing third-party app developers access to its users' emails. While Google stopped scanning Gmail messages for ad-targeting purposes earlier this year, it still offers access to others if users give their consent. Now, Google has replied to the lawmakers' letter.
US Senate passes bill modernizing music licensing and payouts
The US Senate has unanimously passed the Music Modernization Act, which aims to bring the way the music business works in line with the digital age. Providing the bill is met with approval from the House, and is subsequently signed by President Donald Trump, the legislation -- renamed the Orrin G Hatch Music Modernization Act in honour of the Republican senior senator responsible for introducing the bill -- will finally be enshrined into law. It's not expected to meet any opposition.
Apple and Google will testify to Senate on data privacy September 26th
More tech companies are about to face congressional scrutiny. Leaders from Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter and Google are scheduled to testify before a US Senate panel at a data privacy hearing on September 26th. Senators will grill the companies on their existing approaches to privacy, how Congress can press for "clear privacy expectations" and how firms will adapt to stricter requirements like the European Union's GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Bernie Sanders bill would tax Amazon and others over low wages
Critics have frequently accused Amazon of underpaying warehouse employees to the point where staff must live on food stamps and other government subsidies, and there's now a Senate bill that puts some added weight behind that criticism. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act (aka the not-so-subtle Stop BEZOS Act), a measure that would place a 100 percent tax on the government assistance workers receive at companies with over 500 employees. If an Amazon staffer had to live in public housing, for instance, the internet giant would have to either foot the bill or pay the person well enough that they didn't need help.
Lawmakers demand answers after Verizon throttled firefighter data
Lawmakers have asked Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai to investigate after Verizon throttled the data of firefighters who were tackling wildfires in California. The company was criticized this month for throttling Santa Clara County Fire's unlimited data plan to the point that it made the service essentially useless, hampering the department's response to the Mendocino Complex Fire. Verizon later removed speed caps for first responders on the West Coast and in Hawaii.
Senators grill Google over rumored China search engine
Google refused to confirm if it's truly been developing a censored search engine for China after reports about the project's existence came out, but it might soon have no choice but to come clean. A group of six Democratic and Republican Senators led by Marco Rubio has penned a letter addressed to Google chief Sundar Pichai demanding concrete answers. They want to know once and for all whether the tech giant is conjuring up a version of its search engine that'll work behind the Great Firewall. The Senators called the move "deeply troubling" if true, pointing out that that it "risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses related to China's rigorous censorship regime."
Congress passes data security bill for small businesses
The US government doesn't have the strongest cybersecurity policy right now, but there's at least some progress on that front beyond what's happening at security agencies. The US Senate has passed its version of the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act, clearing the way for the bill to become law if and when the President signs it. The bipartisan measure promises smaller companies a consistent, relevant and universal set of NIST-based guidance and resources for protecting their data against online threats.
Senate sets election hearing with Twitter, Facebook and Google execs
Today, Mark Warner (D-VA) announced that the Senate Intelligence Committee will hear testimony from Facebook, Google and Twitter executives on September 5th. The committee wants to hear about what these companies are doing to prevent foreign influence over and meddling in the 2018 US midterm elections.
The US is not prepared to shape global internet policy
This is a critical moment in global internet policy. The world is awake to the power of connected online systems, and the United Nations agrees that access to the internet is a human right, tied irrevocably to the tenets of free thought and expression. The European Union has just implemented strict data-protection policies under the GDPR, influencing businesses around the world in the process. Russia has been caught hacking into critical US systems, including utility companies, nuclear facilities and routers, and using social media to undermine the 2016 presidential election. Just this week, Facebook announced it had discovered another, similar influence campaign aimed at continually disrupting American democracy. As leaders around the world turn their attention to cybersecurity, the US lacks the resources and reputation to properly lead the conversation. That's the message out of Tuesday's Senate hearing, The Internet and Digital Communications: Examining the Impact of Global Internet Governance.
Russian hackers targeted Democratic senator ahead of midterms
Russian hackers targeted the campaign of Sen. Claire McCaskill in the Kremlin's first identified attempt at interference this midterm election season, The Daily Beast reports. "While this attack was not successful, it is outrageous that [Russia thinks it] can get away with this. I will not be intimidated. I've said it before and I will say it again, Putin is a thug and a bully," Missouri Democrat McCaskill said in a statement.
Bipartisan bill aims to study how tech is affecting kids
A bipartisan group of senators and representatives has introduced legislation that would fund research into the effects technology and media have on infants, children and adolescents. The funding would support research into the use of mobile devices, computers, social media, apps, websites, TV, films, AI, video games, VR and AR with a focus on cognitive, physical and socio-emotional development. "While technology educates and entertains our children every day, we need a better understanding of how it impacts their social, psychological and physical well-being," Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) said in a statement. "This bill will enable experts to conduct critical research that will inform parents and policymakers about how best to protect American children's bodies and minds from issues such as tech addiction, bullying and depression in the digital age."
Senate gives up on ZTE sanctions
Though a number of US senators have been seeking to block President Trump's deal with ZTE that lets the Chinese firm circumvent sanctions put into place by US officials earlier this year, they have now backed off on that effort. In June, the Senate passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act that reinstated sanctions against ZTE and would effectively nullify the president's and Commerce Department's deal with the firm. However, the House of Representatives passed a version of the bill without such language and the two chambers have been working on a compromise bill that marries each of their versions. Senators have now decided to abandon the ZTE sanctions in exchange for more oversight for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS).
