Government/ Industries

Gov't Legislation/Regulation Topic Center

News and analysis about laws and rules that affect how IT does its job

FCC ruling on 800MHz band a boon for Sprint

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved a rule change for part of the 800MHz band at a meeting on Thursday, opening the door for Sprint Nextel to use the band for its 4G LTE network.
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Google report sheds light on copyright takedown requests

Google this week received a somewhat rare accolade from a privacy rights group for publishing a detailed report on all the copyright related content removal requests it has received over the past year

FAQ: The new push in Congress to increase STEM visas

There is a bipartisan push to automatically give green cards to foreign students pursing master's degrees and above in science, technology, engineering and math. The H-1B visa hasn't disappeared, and its use will be part of the green card debate. Here's a Q&A guide to what's going on.

Lawmakers call on DOJ to reopen investigation into Google Wi-Fi spying

Two U.S. lawmakers have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen its investigation into Google's snooping on Wi-Fi networks in 2010 after recent questions about the company's level of cooperation with federal inquiries.

European privacy regulators want more detail on Google's policy changes

European privacy regulators want better answers from Google about its privacy policy and the way it informs its users about changes to it.

Google to offer mapping and other software in Syria

Google is now allowed under U.S. export control rules to offer downloads in Syria of its mapping software Google Earth, photo sharing software Picasa, and its Chrome browser, it said Wednesday.

Study: Patriot Act doesn't give feds special access to cloud data

An often-repeated concern that the U.S. Patriot Act gives the U.S. government unequaled access to personal data stored on cloud services is incorrect, with several other nations enjoying similar access to cloud data, according to a study released Wednesday.

FTC taps privacy advocate Paul Ohm as adviser

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has hired Paul Ohm, a privacy advocate and critic of current online privacy practices, as a senior privacy adviser for consumer protection and competition issues affecting the Internet and mobile services.

EU offers Google a chance to avoid fines over four antitrust concerns

Google has "a matter of weeks" to address four antitrust issues identified by European Union antitrust regulators. If Google addresses these issues the case can be solved by a so-called "commitment decision" instead of formal antitrust proceedings resulting in a fine, said JoaquAn Almunia, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Competition Policy.

Some HTC smartphones released to US carriers after passing customs

Taiwanese smartphone vendor High Tech Computer said on Sunday certain models of its newest smartphones have passed U.S. Customs and are being released to its carrier customers, after the company previously warned of a delay in product shipments because of an International Trade Commission (ITC) order.

Cloud computing: You can't outsource your compliance obligations

Even if your cloud provider is at fault should your company fall out of compliance, the law will come after you.

Court Has Compromised Software Rights

This ruling is disastrous for any company that has developed software for internal use.

Why Google should be allowed to 'harvest' your Wi-Fi data

The FCC cleared Google of wrongdoing in the so-called 'WiSpy' case. It was the right call, says columnist Mike Elgan, because Google did nothing wrong.

Grading the Tech Policy Makers: A First Quarter Recap

It's been a busy 2012 on the Hill. As legislators and policymakers grapple with an array of issues central to the policy agendas of companies in the technology industry, CIO.com takes stock of how Washington has moved on intellectual property, cybersecurity, privacy and spectrum in the first quarter of 2012.

Are Google and Apple really 'monopolies'?

Recent charges claiming that Google or Apple are monopolies, are monopolistic or wield monopoly power are simply false. And those who use the M word about these companies are misleading you, writes columnist Mike Elgan.

SOPA Controversy

Internet censorship or protecting creative work from theft? The controversy over SOPA and PIPA legislation.

15 top quotes of 2011

As another year draws to a close, we look back on the IT-related comments that stuck with us.

Has the spam problem been solved?

Microsoft founder Bill Gates said in 2004 that the problem of spam would be solved within two years. His timing was off, but I was shocked to realize this week that I really don't get much spam anymore.

Why net neutrality is better for business

President Obama threatened to veto a bill this week that overturns new FCC rules stating that Internet providers cannot limit lawful network traffic. On Thursday, the Senate voted the same bill down. Under the new FCC rules put into force last December, mobile broadband providers can't block applications that compete with their services. The administration's position on the rules and the bill introduced to overturn them is clearly stated here.

Continuing coverage: Patent wars

Tech companies are hitting the courts in droves. We track the patent madness.