Today, House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) announced that the House Judiciary Committee will begin a process to examine copyright law and possible reforms.
Press
Public Knowledge Brings 3D Printing to Capitol Hill
What: 3D/DC II: 3D Printing Comes to Washington
Who: More than 20 representatives from the 3Dprinting community from across the country will be in D.C. to showcase the sophistication and practicality of 3D printing
When: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 from 5: 30pm-7: 30pm
Where: Cafeteria, Basement Floor, Rayburn House Office Building
Public Knowledge Applauds the Introduction of the Broadband Affordability Act
Today, Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, along with Energy and Commerce ranking member Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo (D-CA), introduced the Broadband Affordability Act of 2013. This bill would modernize the Universal Service Fund Lifeline Assistance Program to include broadband access. By making broadband access more affordable for low income communities there is an opportunity to bridge the digital divide.
These changes to the Lifeline Program ensure low income Americans access to the communications networks of the future. As the transition to an all-IP communications infrastructure procedes, it's imperative that every American has access to affordable and dependable communications services.
Public Knowledge Statement on the Passing of Robert "Bob" Edgar
The following is Public Knowledge's statement on the untimely passing of our friend and colleague Bob Edgar:
"Bob was an inspiring person to work with and always worked for the public's best interest. His constant fight for a transparent and responsible government was exemplified in his service in the US House of Representatives for 12 years and continued when he became the president and CEO of Common Cause in 2007. Bob understood the importance of communications and worked to preserve principals of democracy therein. We'll miss Bob, and keep his family in our thoughts during this difficult time."
Internet Video Stars Ask Senate For Data Cap Leadership
Today, more than 20 members of the online video community sent a letter to Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) calling for leadership on data caps. The letter highlights the FCC’s transition to new leadership as an opportunity to talk about the impact data caps will have on the creators of some of the most watched content on the web.
“During this time of leadership transition at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), we urge you to take steps to assure the continued viability of independent online video programming. Specifically, we urge you to consider the impact of broadband data caps on the future of our industry.
These content creators are an example of how online video is being used to serve communities underserved by traditional media. With more than 3.8 billion views combined, these producers are worried that data caps may inhibit their opportunity to reach their fans.
Public Knowledge Urges FCC to Listen to the DoJ and Adopt Pro-Consumer Spectrum Policies
Yesterday, the Department of Justice filed a memorandum with the FCC outlining how the FCC should improve its spectrum policies in ways that promote competition and benefit consumers. For years, the FCC's rules have allowed a few carriers to acquire vast spectrum holdings, which limits the ability of smaller, rural, and regional carriers to provide service. This leads to high prices and limited choice for consumers, and allows the largest carriers to use their power to control handsets and the pace of wireless innovation.
The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:
Public Knowledge Files Petition to Deny Prison Phone Company Acquisition
Yesterday, Public Knowledge, The United Church of Christ Office of Communication, Inc., Free Press, and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition filed with the FCC to block the purchase of the telephone company Securus by the Hedge Fund ABRY Partners. Securus provides phone services to prisons, and its business model relies on charging usurious rates to the families of prisoners.
A single ten minute call between family members can cost upward of $20. Because the families of those in prison are often poor, these rates impose great financial hardship and discourage prisoners from maintaining family connections essential to preventing recidivism. This is one of many steps taken to ensure that families are protected from high prison phone rates.
Public Knowledge, The United Church of Christ, Free Press, and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition:
Public Knowledge Praises House on Moving Past Partisan Fights
Today the House sub committee on Communications and Technology decided to move together in good faith to work on mutually acceptable language on a bill concerning Internet freedom.
The following can be attributed to Christopher Lewis, Vice President at Public Knowledge.
"We are pleased to see that Committee Leadership has found a way to try and move together in unity. It is important that statements of policy on international agreements are not sidetracked by domestic partisan fights and Public Knowledge welcomes an effort to clarify the intent of the bill."
A link to the bill can be found here.
Public Knowledge Calls Data Caps the Fast Track to the Dial-Up Days
Today, Public Knowledge released a brief titled "The Wrong Tool for the Job: Data Caps, Price Discrimination, and Bandwidth Pricing." The brief is a follow up to the white paper "Know Your Limits" and explains why data caps are problematic way to create pricing tiers.
The paper dissects three different methods that ISP's have used to gauge and bill consumers for internet usage and highlights how data-based pricing is a move back towards the per-minute strategies of the past:
Public Knowledge Hails Victory in Aereo Decision
In a victory for consumer choice and video innovation, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the district court below and and has found that Aereo's service does not infringe copyright.
As a legal matter, the Court's analysis is correct. On the unchallenged factual record, Aereo's service operates a series of independent antennas, each of which makes a separate transmission of broadcast programming to an individual viewer.
Each of these transmissions constitutes a "performance" under the law. The Copyright Act only gives broadcasters the right to control public performances of their programming, not individual private ones. As the Court rightly held, a series of discrete public performances cannot simply be "aggregated" together to create a new form of copyright liability.
The following can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney:
preservesthe openness of the Internet and the public's access to knowledge, promotes creativity through balanced copyright, and upholds and protects the rights of consumers to use innovative technology lawfully.
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