In a decision that defines how the Fourth Amendment applies to information collected in the digital age, the Supreme Court today held that police must use a warrant to obtain from a cell phone company records that detail the location and movements of a cell phone user. The opinion in Carpenter v. United States limits … Continue Reading
Earlier this week, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the executive branch agency responsible for telecommunications and information policy, released a Notice of Inquiry requesting that any interested party—including the private sector, technical experts, academics, and civil society—help the agency determine its international internet policy priorities. In particular, NTIA is seeking comments and recommendations regarding four … Continue Reading
Two federal appellate courts are taking sharply different views on whether—and why—government agents must have some amount of suspicion to conduct forensic searches of electronic devices seized at the border. The Fourth Circuit on May 9, 2018, held that government agents must have reasonable suspicion to conduct forensic searches of cell phones seized at the … Continue Reading
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection held a hearing this week to discuss the State of Modern Application, Research, and Trends of IoT Act (SMART IoT Act). This proposed legislation would direct the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive study of the IoT industry and Federal agencies … Continue Reading
On March 8-9, 2018, a bespoke group of approximately 200 leading entrepreneurs, investors and advisors focused on deploying and commercializing cutting edge technologies gathered in Monte Carlo from across the globe for the 11th annual CleanEquity® Monaco Conference. Complementing other plenary sessions and emerging company presentations, the conference initiated a new feature — Covington CleanEquity … Continue Reading
In April 2018, China released its nationwide automatic vehicle road testing rules, the Intelligent Internet-connected Vehicles Road Test Administrative Rules (for Trial Implementation) (the “National Rules”), which took effect on May 1, 2018. “Intelligent Internet-connected vehicles,” as defined under the National Rules, are commonly referred to as “intelligent vehicles” or “autonomous vehicles,” which involve a … Continue Reading
On April 6th, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Proposed Decision authorizing pilot testing for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in California. This action follows up on the California DMV’s permitting rules for AVs in California, which would have allowed driverless testing and deployment permits to issue as early as April 2 of this year. The DMV’s … Continue Reading
As policymakers weigh the many policy implications associated with the Internet of Things (“IoT”), U.S. lawmakers have put forward a variety of proposals for studying—and regulating—IoT devices. Although the likelihood of current proposals becoming law this term remain uncertain at best, existing legislative proposals provide important context and insight into the ways that lawmakers view … Continue Reading
Mobile phone manufacturer BLU Products, Inc. entered into a settlement agreement with the FTC last week to resolve allegations that one of BLU’s China-based vendors collected personal information about its consumers without proper consent. The settlement agreement, which took the form of a consent order, applies not only to BLU but also to its CEO … Continue Reading
Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) issued a Public Notice announcing that it will be conducting a hearing on May 16, 2018 to receive information from all interested parties about potential safety issues and hazards associated with Internet-connected consumer products.… Continue Reading
As we explained in a prior post, 5G deployment will be a critical component to the ever-evolving Internet of Things (IoT). On April 17, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a Public Notice seeking comment on the competitive bidding procedures for auctions involving spectrum in the 28GHz and 24 GHz bands. The auction of 28 … Continue Reading
Updated (5/3/2018) On April 17, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) broke new ground in the agency’s role in national security policy by voting unanimously to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking captioned “Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs” (the “NPRM”). The deadline for filing comments is June 1, … Continue Reading
The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has just released a 75-page Green Paper on Modernising Consumer Markets, setting out the Government’s main priorities for the digital economy in a post-Brexit Britain. The Green Paper reflects on the current state of consumer markets and regulation, and lays down the key challenges and … Continue Reading
At the end of 2017, China’s Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council jointly circulated an Action Plan for Promoting Scale Deployment of Internet Protocol Version 6(IPv6)(“Plan”), and set detailed targets and steps for the next few years, aiming full transition to IPv6 by 2025. According to the Plan, China is aiming to establish … Continue Reading
The UK House of Lords Select Committee on Communications has recently opened a Public Consultation on ‘The Regulation of the Internet’, with submissions being accepted until Friday 11 May. The Call for Evidence can be accessed here. The nine questions posed are relatively broad in scope, including: whether there is a need to introduce specific … Continue Reading
BEREC, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, recently held its 34th public debriefing in Brussels. It confirmed, among other developments, that it has made 5G a strategic European priority for the next 3 years, and has opened a public consultation on the European Net Neutrality Rules – which will run until April 25 … Continue Reading
The “Internet of Things” (IoT)—the network of consumer devices connected to the Internet through digital connections and sensors—has dramatically grown over the past five years. A McKinsey analysis estimated that the potential annual economic impact of IoT in 2025 could be between $4 trillion and $11 trillion, with value accruing in manufacturing, urban spaces, human … Continue Reading
The UK government has published a Proposed Code of Practice for Security in Consumer IoT Products and Associated Services promoting a “secure by design” approach to designing, manufacturing and delivering internet-connected products and services. The Proposed Code forms part of the government’s National Cyber Security Strategy (2016-2021) and complements the government’s focus on making the … Continue Reading
Thermostats you control remotely with your phone. Watches that track runs and provide turn-by-turn navigation. Cars that drive themselves. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a remarkable ecosystem providing innovative and sometimes unexpected functions. But as the number and sophistication of connected devices increases, so too does the need for the infrastructure to handle increased … Continue Reading
Two hundred billion IoT devices could be in use by 2020, according to one estimate cited in the World Economic Forum’s recent report, Mitigating Risk in the Innovation Economy. This rapid integration of the digital world and the physical world presents unprecedented opportunities for businesses in a wide array of industries. But it also creates … Continue Reading
Inflection Point for IoT In a relatively short amount of time, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its applications— from smart cars to the myriad of interconnected sensors in the General Service Administration building reminiscent of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey— has rapidly proliferated, providing significant opportunities and benefits. However, … Continue Reading
In 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), China’s telecom regulator and industrial policy maker, issued the Circular on Comprehensively Advancing the Construction and Development of Mobile Internet of Things (NB-IoT) (MIIT Circular [2017] No. 351, the “Circular”), which sets out the policy goals and plans for NB-IoT development in China and concrete … Continue Reading
Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to an individual in Brooklyn, New York, alleging that a device in the individual’s residence that is being used to mine Bitcoin is generating spurious radiofrequency emissions, causing interference to a portion of T-Mobile’s mobile telephone and broadband network. The letter states that on November 30, 2017, … Continue Reading
At the start of 2018, we find ourselves in the midst of an autonomous vehicles revolution. In the private sector, leading, and some nascent, autonomous mobility innovators have forged ahead with a surge of investment. Last year, The Brookings Institution found that during a snapshot between 2014 and 2017, more than 160 investments worth more … Continue Reading
