Monthly Archives: February 2015

Beckerman: “It is essential that any privacy rules are finely tailored to address specific harms…”

Washington, D.C. – Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman issues the following statement on the Commerce Department’s consumer privacy legislative proposal:

“Internet companies believe in keeping user data safe and secure and providing robust controls over how data is used. Members of the Internet Association take a back seat to no one when it comes to protecting users online. It is essential that any privacy rules are finely tailored to address specific harms, so that innovation, which benefits consumers and the economy, can continue to flourish. Today’s wide-ranging legislative proposal outlined by the Commerce Department casts a needlessly imprecise net. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to ensure that this proposal does not create a drag on our economy and inadvertently mark a shift from ‘permissionless’ to ‘permission slip’ innovation.”

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Washington, D.C. – Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman issues the following statement in support of the FCC’s passage of net neutrality rules:

“Today’s FCC vote on net neutrality is a welcome step in our effort to create strong, enforceable net neutrality rules that apply to both mobile and fixed broadband — banning paid prioritization, blocking, and discrimination online. The Internet Association remains outcome-oriented, and it looks forward to seeing the full text of the order to ensure that the end user experience and the free and open Internet is fully protected by the FCC’s action. Today will not be the end of the discussion. The Internet Association is prepared to work with all stakeholders to ensure that net neutrality rules are meaningful and lasting for Internet companies and users of today and tomorrow.”

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Washington, D.C. – The Internet Association submitted a letter for the record in today’s House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing examining recent Supreme Court cases in the patent arena. The letter highlights the debilitating impact patent trolls continue to have on businesses – large and small – and impresses upon Congress that recent Supreme Court rulings, while incrementally helpful, do not solve the problem of patent trolls for our economy.

From the letter:

“While each of these cases, and some other developments outside of Congress, brought about incremental changes to patent litigation, none of them can or should be considered a silver bullet – or even a lead bullet, for that matter – when it comes to stopping abuse of the patent litigation system.”

Additionally, the letter urges Congress to pass legislation that provides the comprehensive and meaningful reform critical to protecting start ups from patent trolls’ meritless lawsuits.

From the letter:

“Patent litigation reform remains as much a problem in need of a practical solution in 2015, as it was in 2013 when the Innovation Act passed in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. The changes to the law brought about by the Supreme Court (which could be reversed or diluted in future cases) cannot be compared to the comprehensive and meaningful reform only Congress can implement.”

The full letter can be viewed here.

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Washington, D.C. – Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman issues the following statement on the introduction of the LEADS Act:

“Government surveillance laws that extend beyond U.S. borders are a significant problem for Internet companies and their global community of users, but the LEADS Act, as currently written, could incentivize data localization and therefore weaken user privacy. The Internet Association believes that an alternative approach focusing rules on a user’s citizenship – rather than where the data is stored – can address these concerns, and we look forward to working with Congress on protecting users and reforming government surveillance.”

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Washington, D.C. – Today, the Internet Association, along with seven other organizations representing the technology industry, sent a letter to Congressional leaders to urging the swift passage of a TPA bill that recognizes the importance of the digital economy.

From the letter: “…in order for America’s most cutting-edge companies to continue innovating, we need to ensure any trade agreements will allow those companies to compete on a level playing field. To do that, we need the countries involved in trade negotiations to come forward with their best offers. This can only happen if we, the United States, come to the negotiating table as one voice.”

Additionally, the letter argues: “Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) gives the U.S. one voice on trade. TPA empowers Congress to set the Administration’s negotiating objectives for trade agreements… In short: TPA strengthens our country’s negotiating position and provides our negotiating partners the confidence they need to give us their best offers – resulting in the strongest possible agreements for American businesses and workers.”

As the gold standard framework for U.S. global trade priorities, the TPA bill should be one that “recognizes the realities of the 21st century economy and provides guidance to negotiators on achieving this modern trade framework.”

Full list of signatory organizations:
BSA | The Software Alliance
Computer and Communications Industry Association Consumer Electronics Association
Information Technology Industry Council
The Internet Association
Semiconductor Industry Association
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
TechNet

Click here to read the letter.

Sacramento, CA – Internet Association California Executive Director Robert Callahan issues the following statement on the introduction of Cal-ECPA legislation:

“The Internet industry appreciates Senator Leno’s efforts to implement warrant protections for digitally stored information.  California’s Internet users expect their inbox to have the same kinds of safeguards that exist for their mailbox, and we look forward to working with policymakers in pursuit of this goal.  It is time to update these laws for the digital age.”

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Washington, D.C. – Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman issues the following statement on the re-introduction of the Innovation Act:

“The Internet industry commends Chairman Goodlatte and the bipartisan coalition of co-sponsors for re-introducing the Innovation Act. Patent trolls are responsible for widespread abuse of the patent system that costs our economy $80 billion each year. As Congress works through the process, we remain outcome oriented — focusing on protecting businesses from patent trolls. The final bill must be as strong or stronger than the Innovation Act passed by the House in 2013 with overwhelming bipartisan support, in order to bring a permanent end to the chaos caused by patent trolls.”

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Washington, D.C. – Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman issues the following statement on FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s net neutrality announcement in Wired:

“Internet companies are pleased to hear that Chairman Wheeler intends to enact strong, enforceable, and legally sustainable net neutrality rules that include bright-line rules that ban paid prioritization, blocking, and discrimination online. The details and implementation of the proposal matter, and we look forward to seeing the text of the order to ensure that a free and open Internet is fully protected. The Internet Association remains results oriented, and it is essential that the end result protect the user experience as a first priority.

“We thank Chairman Wheeler for including equal treatment of wireless and fixed broadband connections in his proposal. There is only one Internet, and users expect that they be able to access an uncensored Internet regardless of how they connect. It is also important that broadband gatekeepers not use interconnection as a chokepoint to thwart net neutrality protections by degrading consumer access and harming online services.”

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BECKERMAN: “Pandora’s perspective will add tremendous value as we educate policymakers and advocate for policies that promote innovation and growth in the Internet economy.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Internet Association is proud to announce that Pandora has joined the growing organization of Internet companies as its 29th member. Pandora is an Internet radio service that is a force for innovation in the delivery of music over the Internet.

“As an American innovator standing at the intersection of music and technology, Pandora is excited to join the Internet Association, a leading voice for the future of Internet policy,” said Steve Bené, General Counsel at Pandora. “Pandora’s platform enables unprecedented music discovery by connecting our 75 million listeners to their favorite artists and exposing them to new music through the power of the Music Genome. As the leading internet radio service, our collaboration with the Internet Association is a natural partnership and we look forward to working with IA and its members to advance a meaningful, sustainable and transparent digital music economy for the benefit of artists and listeners alike.”

Since its inception in 2000, Pandora has provided hundreds of millions of people with the music and comedy they love. Pandora uses the Music Genome Project, a deeply detailed, hand-built musical taxonomy based on listener feedback, to provide users with personalized stations based on their musical interests.

“The Internet Association welcomes Pandora to our community of Internet companies. Pandora’s inventive approach to intelligent music streaming has transformed the industry and placed a focus on user choice and taste,” said Michael Beckerman, Internet Association President and CEO. “Pandora’s perspective will add tremendous value as we educate policymakers and advocate for policies that promote innovation and growth in the Internet economy.”

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