On 26 September 2018, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee of the US Senate hosted a hearing with representatives of ISPs (AT&T, Spectrum) and tech companies (Amazon, Apple, Google, Twitter). The hearing examined privacy policies of those companies and reviewed the current state of consumer data privacy regulation in the US.
Tech companies face greater scrutiny under EU Consumer Protection rules
The EC Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourova, has made statements welcoming Airbnb’s effort to comply with EU consumer protection rules, particularly on the front of price transparency and recognition of users’ rights. Jourova also took the chance to criticise Facebook and Twitter, which are yet to implement some changes requested by the EC earlier this year.
Vodafone’s Future Ready Event saw a confident operator return to the stage
After a troublesome few years with customer service woes and the slipping from the top spot in terms of network leadership, Vodafone marked a confident return to the stage on Thursday with an impressive 5G demonstration at their ‘Future Ready’ analyst and media event.
Amendments to the EC Copyright Directive will not end controversy
On 12 September 2018, the EU Parliament has passed its negotiating position on the proposal for a New Copyright Directive. The new text follows the demise of the initial one in July, and means the trialogue negotiations between Parliament, Council, and Commission can now begin.
New York shows the pivotal role of cities in regulating online platforms
Two recent decisions of New York City’s Council have imposed stringent rules on platforms in the vehicle hire and in the short-term rentals markets (in short, this means Uber and Airbnb, respectively). The rulings create significant obstacles to the current business models of both companies, and show how the impact of these platforms on the life of cities is still, at best, unclear.
Far-reaching regulation of social media in the UK draws closer
The interim report published by the DCMS committee of the UK parliament has cast a light not only on the role of social media platforms in spreading disinformation, but more importantly on the willingness of policymakers to take the matter into their own hands. The report issues a set of recommendations which would result in strong regulatory safeguards around platforms’ activity. If the UK government takes the committee’s recommendations on board, the self-regulatory approach could be off the table, in the UK at least.
Ofcom answers calls for predictability and certainty when it comes to full fibre
Ofcom's announcement is part of the wider narrative and background work which has been taking place between government, regulator and industry lately. Many will be encouraged to finally see a more joined-up and collaborative approach emerge. This announcement though should be seen as a directional document, the detail of which will follow in the relevant market reviews Ofcom carries out. This note considers the steps Ofcom have outlined and the subsequent reaction and follow-up by key industry stakeholders.
UK Government unveils long-awaited Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review
In publishing the review, the Government has set a clear course to accelerate improvements to the UK’s digital infrastructure. While many recommendations have been presented, it’s clear this is only the beginning of change. The suggestion is that much of this will fall to Ofcom to refine, implement and enforce. In this note we look at the main recommendations coming out of the FTIR and consider how they are likely to be met by the industry.
The debate around the use of the term ‘fibre’ in broadband advertising heats up
The ability to use the term ‘fibre’ in broadband advertising has been subject to debate in several countries recently. In France and Italy regulators have recognised the need to distinguish FTTH or FTTB from FTTC, and to make sure customers are adequately informed on the type of service they are purchasing. The discussion is also lively in the UK, where advertising authorities have recently taken a different stance. However, it is not yet clear whether technology differences matter to customers as much as performance.
Why the ICO’s Facebook investigation demonstrates the power regulators now have
On 10 July 2018, the UK Information Commissioner Office (ICO) published an update on its investigation into data analytics in political campaigns i.e. the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal. The ICO has decided to fine Facebook £500k – the maximum possible amount under pre-GDPR data protection rules. The fine would have been much higher had GDPR applied. It also sent warning letters to 11 political parties, requiring them to accept audits of their data protection practices, among other actions.
