A trio of GOP ex-officials and politicians with ties to the tech sector backed former Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the Democratic National Convention’s Monday session. Former Rep. Susan Molinari of New York, who was Google vice president-policy and government relations 2012-2018 (see 1811020020), called Biden “exactly what this nation needs at this time” and criticized President Donald Trump as “disappointing.” Quibi CEO Meg Whitman, who previously led eBay and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said Biden’s economic plan, if enacted, would “strengthen our economy for working people and small-business owners.” Whitman was the GOP’s 2010 California gubernatorial nominee. Former Trump Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff Miles Taylor, on leave from a Google security strategy role, also endorsed Biden during the Monday DNC session. Trump’s re-election campaign criticized Molinari for being “a registered lobbyist for Russia” while at the Washington Group and noted Whitman’s support for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump called Taylor a “former DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE” and said the Democrats “will take anyone against us.”
Russia export controls and sanctions
The use of export controls and sanctions on Russia has surged since the country's invasion of Crimea in 2014, and especially its invasion of Ukraine in in February 2022. Similar export controls and sanctions have been imposed by U.S. allies, including the EU, U.K. and Japan. The following is a listing of recent articles in Export Compliance Daily on export controls and sanctions imposed on Russia:
If presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wins the November election, there’s a danger “you’ll see the heavy-handedness of government” make a resurgence and stifle tech sector innovation, posing a risk the U.S. bid to dominate 5G development, House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, said on C-SPAN’s The Communicators set to be televised this weekend. The U.S. needs to prevail in the 5G race against China and Russia, but tech sector officials have repeatedly told lawmakers that can happen only if the federal government continues to emphasize “soft-touch regulation,” as it has over the course of President Donald Trump’s administration, Latta said. He noted the importance of ensuring cybersecurity “is a major priority” given national security threats posed by Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE and concerns about TikTok. Latta said consensus on appropriations via infrastructure legislation for broadband funding requires buy-in from both parties. The lawmaker pointed to an amended version of the 5G Spectrum Act (S-2881) as a potential compromise. The measure, which the Senate Commerce Committee cleared in December, would allocate 10% of proceeds from the FCC’s upcoming auction of spectrum on the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for broadband (see 1912110038). Latta believes it’s going to be tougher to include broadband money in the next COVID-19 aid bill given other priorities. A final bill is likely to be a “much more scaled-down piece of legislation,” he said. Senate Republican proposals for the next aid legislation include few telecom and tech provisions (see 2007280059). Latta believes compromise and bipartisanship are required to advance any legislation to revamp Communications Decency Act Section 230. NTIA petitioned the FCC earlier this week to clarify Section 230, as President Donald Trump directed (see 2007270070).
A bipartisan group of House Oversight Committee members urged support Wednesday for creating a White House national cyber director. Republican opponents questioned the need for creating additional bureaucracy and duplicating cyber authorities, during a virtual hearing. Proponents cited COVID-19 as an example that the federal government isn’t prepared to respond to global threats.
Spotify expanded into 13 markets, including top-20 market Russia, it said Tuesday. Other new markets are in the region, including Kazakhstan, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine. The company is in 92 markets worldwide.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act needs recalibration because Big Tech isn’t doing enough to combat disinformation, House Commerce Committee Democrats said Wednesday. Republicans suggested platforms provide more transparency about content moderation decisions, citing political bias. It was a hearing (see 2006110064) of the Communications and Consumer Protection subcommittees.
DOJ released letters detailing its rationale for requiring U.S. branches of five foreign media entities and Virginia-based Reston Translator register as foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Reston Translator, which broadcasts Russia-funded radio station Sputnik, registered in 2017 (see 1712040054). Also doing so in 2017 was RTTV America, affiliated with RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and TV-Novosti. Three media entities registered in 2018: RIA Global, affiliated with Russian government-controlled news agency Rossiya Segodnya; RM Broadcasting, also affiliated with Rossiya Segodnya; and CGTN America, the U.S. bureau of the Chinese government-controlled China Global Television Network. DOJ touted its case to compel RM Broadcasting to register under FARA as an example of “renewed” enforcement (see 1905130035). Turkish government-controlled Turkish Radio & Television registered in 2019. DOJ’s release of the letters “is another in a series of steps designed to promote transparency by providing information on how we have interpreted FARA in particular cases,” a spokesperson emailed.
Online misinformation has reached “dangerous levels” due to COVID-19, said House Homeland Security Committee Vice Chair Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., Monday during a virtual hearing. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., cited disinformation efforts by malign actors in China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela, citing evidence Chinese groups are sending disinformation texts to Americans. Domestic actors are motivated by personal gains in promoting false cures and treatments for COVID-19, said Stanford Internet Observatory Research Manager Renee DiResta. Wilson Center Disinformation Fellow Nina Jankowicz urged Congress to pass “common sense” social media regulation that “respects Democratic standards and human rights law,” increasing transparency so consumers can make informed decisions. Public Knowledge proposed developing a super fund to compel platforms like Google and Facebook to “invest in tools ... to fight misinformation online.”
Several top Senate Armed Services Committee members appeared to side Wednesday with DOD officials on the department’s concerns with FCC OK of Ligado’s L-band plan. Others voiced skepticism about some Pentagon claims. Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and others have been exploring legislative options to intervene (see 2004230001). Ligado, which wasn’t represented at the hearing, defended its plan and the approval order.
China, India, Indonesia and Chile are among the top countries the U.S. is targeting for weak intellectual property protections, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Wednesday in its annual special 301 report (see 1904250052). In a controversial move, the administration singled out Amazon. President Donald Trump and the company have been at loggerheads over some issues.
The White House space resources executive order (see 2004060065) is generally good policy but didn't need to be an EO and could get pushback, Secure World Foundation Director-Program Planning Brian Weeden tweeted Tuesday. He said it isn't a change in U.S. policy, and most space-faring countries agree with the U.S. position that using resources isn't banned under the Outer Space Treaty. An EO "unnecessarily pokes a few of our friends [like Moon Treaty signatory France] publicly in the eye and we might just need them in other space policy/diplomatic situations," he said, saying the EO's rhetoric could provide fodder for China and Russia to politically attack the U.S. The National Space Society cheered the EO. Executive Vice President Alfred Anzaldua said the U.S. "must recognize that other countries look to [it] as the leading space-faring nation and will take their cues from us" and the move "will galvanize action by the U.S.”