The Florida House voted 103-8 to pass a comprehensive privacy bill Wednesday with a private right of action (PRA). HB-9 sponsor Rep. Fiona McFarland (R) “stood strong against an onslaught of special interest opposition to do what is right for the people of Florida,” said Speaker Chris Sprowls (R) at the livestreamed floor session. The House bill's fate is uncertain in the Senate, which opposed including a PRA in the privacy bill that passed the House last year.
After strong Q4 and full-year comparative sales growth of 8.9% and 12.7%, Target is projecting low- to mid-single digit growth for 2022 as it laps year-ago consumer spending trends fueled by COVID-19 government stimulus programs, said Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke at the company’s Tuesday investor day, held virtually and in person in New York.
Media companies and organizations, including Google, DirecTV and the NAB, are taking action against Russian-sponsored content in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine. “The First Amendment protects freedom of speech; however, it does not prevent private actors from exercising sound, moral judgment,” said NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt in a statement Tuesday, asking all broadcasters to cease airing “state-sponsored programming with ties to the Russian government or its agents.”
HP suspended shipments to Russia “in compliance” with the Biden administration’s sanctions over the Ukraine invasion, said CEO Enrique Lores on an earnings call Monday for fiscal Q1 ended Jan. 31. “The difficult situation in Ukraine is the latest in a series of global challenges we have faced,” he said.
Lawyers on opposing sides of the July 2014 Audio Home Recording Act (AHRA) case presided over by then-U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in D.C. were effusive in their praise of Jackson's qualifications as President Joe Biden's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer (see Ref:2202280001]).
Florida House lawmakers teed up a possible Wednesday vote on comprehensive privacy legislation. Tuesday, during livestreamed floor debate, members adopted by voice an amendment by HB-9 sponsor Rep. Fiona McFarland (R) while rejecting a Democratic attempt to narrow the bill’s scope and add a right to cure to its proposed private right of action.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, is best known to consumer tech industry-watchers for her March 2018 decision in U.S. District Court in D.C. siding with Chrysler, Ford and General Motors in their defense of 2014 Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies allegations they violated the 1992 Audio Home Recording Act (see 1602220055 and 1408010063). The U.S. Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit upheld Jackson's decision in January 2020. Jackson now sits on that court.
Privacy attorneys and consumer advocates are closely watching rulemakings and possible legislative tweaks to three state laws taking effect in the next year and half, they said in interviews. The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) will become law Jan. 1, and the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) takes effect July 1, 2023. More state laws are expected soon.
The FCC’s newly reconstituted Technology Advisory Council met for the first time Monday, with a new focus on 6G, directed by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. New TAC Chairman Dean Brenner, a former Qualcomm executive, said TAC’s work is more important than ever due to the reliance on broadband since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago. The first meeting was initially expected in October (see 2107230039).
TCL unveiled 30 Series smartphones for the Europe and Asia markets at Mobile World Congress Sunday, with four models under $225 and a 5G model at about $280. Availability for the U.S. market is to be announced, it said. In January, TCL announced the TCL 30 XE 5G and TCL 30 V 5G as exclusives for the U.S. The 30 XE became the first 5G smartphone on T-Mobile when it began shipping Friday at $198 and Metro by T-Mobile at $199.