Facebook removed 32 pages and accounts potentially linked to Russian disinformation campaigns from Facebook and Instagram, it announced Tuesday. “Whoever set up these accounts went to much greater lengths to obscure their true identities than the Russian-based Internet Research Agency has in the past,” Facebook said, suggesting the alleged bad actors have been trying to circumvent tougher platform rules. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said removal is “further evidence that the Kremlin continues to exploit platforms like Facebook to sow division and spread disinformation, and I am glad that Facebook is taking some steps to pinpoint and address this activity.” The company is “acting responsibly” by releasing its findings regarding Russia and the 2016 election Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters. “If they think there are foreign actors” who are attempting influence “our conversations about our elections, then they should do everything they can to make sure that they are policing their platforms and keeping them neutral and clear of that kind of interference.” Lawmakers are “paying very close attention” to what Russia did to influence the 2016 election and what it may do to influence the November elections, so “it's nice to have the cooperation and help of the tech companies in trying to prevent any of that untoward influence from affecting our elections,” Thune said.
“Negotiations are ongoing” for a confirmations package on “a slightly larger” number of President Donald Trump's nominees, including FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks and Commissioner Brendan Carr's full five-year term ending in 2023, but “there's not a breakthrough yet” that would allow for them to be approved this week, said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., in an interview. Thune has been hopeful that Senate leaders would agree to confirm Carr and Starks under unanimous consent before the one-week August recess, but progress on a nominations package has been elusive (see 1807100001 and 1807240056). Senate leaders at the last minute scotched a bid to clear the FCC nominees before July 4 (see 1806290037). Thune pointed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as holding up negotiations on the confirmations package, hoping Schumer will agree to a compromise given the leader's strong backing for Trump to nominate Starks (see 1803090040). “It would be nice to have a full complement of commissioners” for Senate Commerce's planned Aug. 15 FCC oversight hearing (see 1807300053), Thune said. Schumer's office didn't comment.
Senate Commerce Committee staff is eyeing ways to combine language from a set of bills on 5G and broadband deployments for potential committee action later this year, Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters after a Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing on fifth-generation. Lawmakers and industry witnesses invoked bills Wednesday they view as ways to help ensure the U.S. leads global development of 5G. Senate Communications members noted the race for U.S. dominance of the technology as a reason for the federal government to clear T-Mobile's proposed buy of Sprint and concerns that President Donald Trump's administration hasn't fully backed away from a proposal the U.S. build a nationalized fifth-gen network.
The House Communications Subcommittee's Wednesday FCC oversight hearing is expected to delve into multiple issues, including a likely partial focus by Democrats on the commission's recent adoption of the hearing designation order seen endangering Sinclair's proposed purchase of Tribune (see 1807190060), lawmakers and industry officials told us. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and the other three commissioners will testify, as expected (see 1807180043). It's looking less certain that Senate leaders will include confirmation votes on FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks and Commissioner Brendan Carr's second term in a package of nominees before the abbreviated August recess.
Several telecom and media companies that engaged in mergers and acquisitions during Q2 reported little change in lobbying expenditures compared with the year-ago quarter. The tech sector also reported mixed lobbying activity, though the Internet Association and several other groups reported major spending increases. Google remained the top overall tech and telecom sector spender at $5.8 million, down almost 2 percent from 2017.
Comcast topped the totals of Q2 tech and communications sector lobbying expenditures available at our deadline Friday, albeit with the disclosure database down at times. The filing deadline was midnight Friday. At least 36 outside lobbying firms said they lobbied on behalf of Comcast, claiming at least $1.78 million from the company. At least 25 outside firms claimed $1.08 million for lobbying on AT&T’s behalf. Twenty firms reported $631,000 from Verizon. Eleven firms reported $498,000 from Charter Communications. Eleven firms reported $380,000 from Sprint. Five firms reported $110,000 from Cox Enterprises. Outside firms reported $82,500 in from BSA|The Software Alliance. Outsiders reported $70,000 for lobbying on behalf of NetChoice. Firms reported $40,000 from the Computer and Communications Industry Association.S-3 Group reported $40,000 in lobbying for the Internet Association on intermediary liability, privacy, patent changes, copyright, human trafficking and modernization of the Copyright Office. Capitol Hill Strategies reported $30,000 via the Consumer Data Industry Association, including on the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S-2155).
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is on the cusp of refiling his Next Generation Television Marketplace Act, expected to help shape Capitol Hill’s upcoming debate on Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. The recertification process is unlikely to start in earnest until the 116th Congress convenes in 2019, but media industries affected by STELA in recent months began discussing factors that could shape debate (see 1804030061). The 2014 STELA recertification extended the statute through 2019 (see 1411200036 and 1412040067).
Capitol Hill negotiators reached a deal to modify the language from the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (HR-4311/S-2098) attached to the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5515), Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters Thursday. HR-4311/S-2098 would expand the scope of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to probe more investments, including in "critical" technology or infrastructure companies (see 1804260029). The modifications are aimed at easing critics' concerns that the CFIUS revamp would excessively restrict foreign investment in U.S. companies, Cornyn said. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, who threatened to derail inclusion of HR-4311/S-2098 in HR-5515, apparently signed off on proposed alterations to the text, two Hill aides told us. Advancement of the bill as part of HR-5515 became entangled with efforts to limit President Donald Trump's ability to lift or otherwise weaken a Department of Commerce-imposed ban on U.S. companies selling telecom software and equipment to ZTE (see 1806270066). Commerce formally lifted the ZTE ban last week (see 1807130048).
Congressional Black Caucus members Reps. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., emphasized during a Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council event they intend to continue pressuring companies at all levels in the tech sector to increase hiring of racial minorities. Butterfield launched the CBC's Tech 2020 initiative more than three years ago to improve diversity in the industry, including setting clear, public goals to measurably increase the number of African-Americans at all levels within tech companies (see 1505200007). Others from Capitol Hill and state legislatures also emphasized the importance of increasing diversity in tech, highlighting interest in Hill work on net neutrality and privacy. MMTC also heard about FCC issues (see 1807190055).
The Senate Commerce Committee plans a July 25 hearing on maintaining U.S. leadership in 5G and the technology's importance “to meet the growing consumer demand for reliable broadband services.” The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell. CTIA President Meredith Baker, Qualcomm Senior Vice President-Spectrum Strategy and Technology Dean Brenner and Charter Communications Senior Vice President-Wireless Technology Craig Cowden will testify, the committee said. Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us the hearing will also be an opportunity to examine the Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-Edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance (Streamline) Small Cell Deployment Act (S-3157), which he and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, filed in June. The bill aims to ease barriers to 5G and other broadband deployment by implementing a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local consideration of small-cell applications. Local and state governments' ongoing opposition to S-3157 remains a significant hurdle to advancing it beyond Senate Commerce (see 1710310057, 1712070075, 1804130057 and 1807050029).