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The Federal Communications Commission has run low on time to adopt an order trimming a liability shield for social media companies, leaving the fate of a request from President Trump in doubt.
Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai let slip a Wednesday deadline for setting a vote on the proposal at the next monthly meeting of the agency, which is scheduled for Jan. 13 and is the last before he leaves the commission a week later.
“It appears he has run out of calendar,” said Michael O’Rielly, a former Republican FCC member whose nomination to another term was withdrawn by the White House after O’Rielly voiced doubts about the measure.
Report: America Needs More Open-Access, Middle-Mile Networks
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has released a policy report that breaks down why open-access, middle-mile networks can help close the digital divide in multiple geographic contexts. Shutterstock/AleksandrMorrisovich
A new report from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society argues for more federal support of open-access, middle-mile (OAMM) networks, which “can help the nation meet its deployment and competition challenges.”
By definition, an OAMM network will allow any Internet service provider (ISP) to connect to it, “on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions,” in order to provide last-mile solutions to homes and businesses. Economically, the idea is to encourage fair competition and reduce costs for companies so that credible business plans can be made for connecting unserved areas.