OTI Legislative and Regulatory Filings 2021
Legislative and Regulatory Filings
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Jan. 4, 2021
Note: This page will be regularly updated as we file comments, sign on to coalition letters, and complete other legislative and/or regulatory filings.
November
- OTI Urges Swift Confirmation of Rosenworcel and Sohn to the FCC, Davidson to the NTIA
- OTI joined dozens of organizations in sending a letter to Senate leaders, urging them to carry out "the swift and concurrent confirmation" of Jessica Rosenworcel and Gigi Sohn for the Federal Communications Commission and Alan Davidson for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
October
- OTI Supports Civil Rights and Privacy Rulemaking
- OTI signed an open letter with more than 40 other organizations in support of the Senators' request that the FTC initiate a rulemaking “to protect consumer privacy, promote civil rights, and set clear safeguards on the collection and use of personal data in the digital economy.”
September
- OTI Urges POTUS to Restore Quorum to PCLOB
- OTI joined more than 15 other civic organizations in signing an open letter urging President Joe Biden to restore quorum to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) by appointing new Board members, as the PCLOB cannot adequately defend privacy and civil liberties with three vacant seats and no chairperson.
- 9/27 FCC Comments in Support of Affordable and Accessible Calling Services for the Incarcerated
- OTI wrote and submitted comments alongside several other civic organizations in response to the Federal Communications Commission's proposed reforms for rates, services, and practices surrounding calling services for incarcerated people, stressing the importance of affordable and accessible calling services for incarcerated people.
August
- 8/17 FCC Reply Comments in Support of Voice-Only Service in the Lifeline Program
- OTI wrote and submitted reply comments supporting a Petition for Reconsideration to retain support for voice-only service in the Lifeline program, pointing out the vast support in the record for supporting low-income consumers who want voice-only service.
- OTI, Common Cause Urge FCC to Promote Public Interest in Verizon/Tracfone Deal
- OTI and Common Cause met with FCC staff via phone to discuss Verizon's proposed acquisition of TracFone, raising concerns about the transaction’s potential to undermine the Lifeline program and raise prices for low-income consumers.
July
- The Infrastructure Bill Needs Internet Pricing Guardrails
- OTI published a one-pager supporting an infrastructure bill that expands internet access nationwide, with the condition that any broadband subsidies must include pricing guardrails. Its recommendations would ensure the infrastructure bill achieves its goals without becoming a taxpayer giveaway to AT&T, Comcast, and other large ISPs that already profit from government subsidies and monopoly rents.
- Public Comments on the Department of Treasury’s Interim Final Rule to Implement Coronavirus Relief Funding
- OTI submitted public comments along with MediaJustice and Access Humboldt on the Department of Treasury’s Interim Final Rule to implement the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act.
- OTI Urges FCC to Protect Low-Income Consumers in Emergency Broadband Benefit, Verizon/TracFone Merger
- OTI met with FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel via phone to discuss the connectivity needs of low-income consumers in the context of the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program and Verizon's proposed acquisition of TracFone.
June
- OTI Signs Letter Urging UK Parliament to Support Encryption
- OTI signed an open letter with over 30 organizations urging members of Parliament to reconsider aspects of the UK Online Safety Bill that could undermine or prohibit the use of end-to-end encryption in some cases. Curtailing the use of end-to-end encryption would reduce protections for private citizens’ and companies’ data, and the bill should avoid threatening this important security technology.
- OTI Calls on White House to Nominate Fifth FCC Commissioner
- OTI joined 56 other organizations in signing an open letter urging President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to nominate a fifth FCC commissioner, as failing to nominate one inhibits the FCC's ability to promote universally affordable access to high-speed internet.
- OTI Urges Congress to Increase FTC Funding by 50%
- OTI and 14 other organizations signed an open letter advocating for Congress to allocate the FTC at least $525 million for Fiscal Year 2022, as this funding—a 50% increase over Fiscal Year 2021—would enable the Commission to better ensure that "children and families are protected and competition is assured."
May
- 5/3 FCC Letter Urging Investigation of T-Mobile Shutdown of 3G Network
- OTI signed onto a letter along with other public interest organizations urging the FCC to investigate the potentially harmful effects of T-Mobile's decision to shut down its 3G CDMA network on the wireless market as well as for millions of prepaid consumers.
- OTI Signs Onto Letter to Administrative Conference of the United States about Mass Comments
- OTI joined over 80 organizations in sending a letter to the ACUS urging them to ensure that people have the opportunity to have their voices heard as they convene to recommend guidelines for federal agencies and how they handle mass comments.
- Amicus Brief In Support of California Net Neutrality Law
- OTI joined Access Now, Mozilla, Public Knowledge, and Free Press in filing an amicus brief in support of California's net neutrality law against an industry-backed lawsuit.
April
- Civil-rights groups letter to California State Senator Lena Gonzalez on Broadband for All legislation
- OTI joined a coalition of groups in signing a letter to California State Senator Lena Gonzalez showing support for efforts to modernize and increase the California Advanced Services Fund with the legislation, SB 4. The letter urges the legislation to include provisions like enabling local public entities to deliver 21st century infrastructure for low-income neighborhoods that lack broadband access, expanding eligibility for state support to all rural Californian communities, and more.
- Letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on federal use of Clearview AI technology
- OTI, along with other human rights organizations, signed onto a letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas requesting that the Department immediately stop using Clearview AI at its agencies on a contractual, trial, or any other basis. Clearview AI's history of working with law enforcement and violating privacy rights provides reason enough to terminate its use.
- OTI Endorses Nomination of Lina Khan as FTC Commissioner
- OTI joined a group of 10 organizations in sending a letter to Chairwoman Maria Cantwell and Ranking Member Roger F. Wicker of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation urging the confirmation of Prof. Lina Khan as an FTC commissioner. Her unique set of skills and knowledge can ensure the FTC is best positioned to face unique online challenges of communities of color and protect consumer privacy.
March
- Testimony on Behalf of New America’s Open Technology Institute before the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
- OTI senior policy counsel Lauren Sarkesian testified before the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety urging the Committee to rein in police use of surveillance technologies. These increasingly popular technologies contribute to disproportionate policing in marginalized communities and have proven to be biased toward women and people of color.
- OTI's Comments to the FCC Over Verizon's Acquisition of Tracfone
- OTI along with Public Knowledge, Access Humboldt, Benton Institute for Internet and Society, and Next Century Cities filed comments to FCC raising concerns over Verizon's acquisition of Tracfone. The Commission must request necessary documents and information to resolve the issues and ensure that their resolution serves the public interest.
- Statement for the Record at Energy & Commerce Hearing on Social Media Disinformation
- OTI submitted a statement for the record in the House Energy & Commerce Committee's hearing entitled Disinformation Nation: Social Media's Role in Promoting Extremism and Misinformation. The statement attached our recent reports Protecting the Vote and How Internet Platforms Are Combating Disinformation and Misinformation in the Age of COVID-19.
February
- OTI Petitions FCC to Restore Net Neutrality, Strengthen Lifeline
- OTI filed a petition asking the FCC to reconsider its Oct. 2020 order that reaffirmed the agency’s repeal of net neutrality, which weakened the FCC’s legal authority for the Lifeline program that helps millions of low-income people afford phone and internet service. The petition is a response to Mozilla v. FCC, a 2019 court ruling that found the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality ignored the government’s duty to protect public safety, digital equity, and broadband competition.
- OTI Reply Comments on the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
- OTI submitted reply comments to the FCC detailing recommendations for the successful implementation of the Emergency Broadband Benefit, including establishing a sound verification process for the program, broadly defining who is eligible for the EBB, prohibiting data caps and upselling, and more.
- Civil-rights group letter to President Biden calling for facial recognition ban
- OTI along with more than 40 other organizations sent a letter urging President Biden to freeze federal use of facial recognition and block federal funds from being used by state and local governments to buy or access the artificial-intelligence tools.
- OTI Statement for the Record in House Antitrust Hearing on Reviving Competition in Digital Markets
- OTI submitted a statement for the record in the House Judiciary Committee Antitrust Subcommittee's hearing on addressing gatekeeper power and reviving competition in digital markets urging the committee to create platform interoperability requirements.
January
- 156 Civil Rights Organizations Oppose a New Domestic Terrorism Charge
- OTI joined a coalition of 156 civil rights organizations in sending a letter to Congress urging them to oppose any new domestic terrorism charge, the creation of a list of designated domestic terrorist organizations, or other expansion of existing terrorism-related authorities, in order to not cause further damage to communities already disproportionately impacted by the justice system.
- OTI to FCC: Make the Emergency Broadband Benefit a ‘Rapid Success’
- OTI filed comments urging the FCC to quickly and successfully implement a new subsidy to help low-income people pay for broadband service during the pandemic. The subsidy, called the Emergency Broadband Benefit, was passed by Congress and signed into law by former President Trump in December and will provide $50 per month to qualifying low-income households and $75 in Tribal areas.
- New America’s Open Technology Institute and Education Policy Program Join Coalition Requesting Emergency E-Rate Funding and Flexibility to Close the Remote Learning Gap
- OTI, Wireless Future Project, and Education Policy program joined a coalition of national school and library associations to file an emergency Petition asking the FCC to authorize the additional E-Rate funding and flexibility needed to close the remote learning gap during the remainder of the pandemic crisis.
- OTI Urges Administration to Confirm a Fifth FCC Commissioner
- OTI signed onto a letter along with several other organizations to President Biden, Vice President Harris and Senators Schumer, McConnell, Cantwell, and Wicker urging the speedy nomination and confirmation of a fifth FCC commissioner in the new administration. The letter stresses how crucial FCC action is to close the digital divide during the pandemic.