Overnight Tech: FCC chief dismisses Trump threat to media licenses | Google rolling out new Gmail security features | Tech group blasts EU tax push

FCC CHIEF ON TRUMP: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn’t have the authority to revoke a broadcast network’s license based on content, Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday, in response to President Trump’s remarks criticizing NBC News.

“I believe in the First Amendment. The FCC under my leadership, will stand for the First Amendment,” Pai said in response to a question at an AT&T policy event.

Pai had been asked about Trump’s threat that regulators could look into revoking the licenses of broadcasters that aired what the president called “fake news.”

But Pai rejected those calls.

“Under the law, the FCC does not have the authority does not have the power to revoke license of a broadcast station based on content of a program,” Pai, who was appointed by Trump as FCC chairman, said.

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He added that it is “not within the FCC’s jurisdiction to handle fake news.”

Trump last week hit back at NBC after a report that he had called for the nation’s nuclear stockpile to be increased. Trump denied the report and challenged the network in a series of tweets.

“With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!” Trump tweeted.

“Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!” he added.

Trump’s calls immediately drew criticism from both Democratic and Republican politicians.

“Not how it works,” Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel tweeted in response.

Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Ed Markey (Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) also blasted the president and had pressed Pai to respond.

“As FCC Chairman, sworn to uphold both the Constitution and the Communications Act, you have a duty to condemn this attack and reassure our nation and our journalists that you will stand up for them and protect and defend their fundamental freedoms,” Blumenthal wrote to the chairman Monday.

Read more here.

 

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DEM ISN’T SATISFIED WITH FCC RESPONSE: Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) blasted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman’s response to President Trump’s call for the agency to challenge NBC’s licenses.

“[Ajit Pai’s] statement is better than nothing, but it is merely a reiteration of the FCC’s authorities under the law,” Schatz said in a statement on Tuesday.

“What we needed is a full-throated defense of the independence of the FCC against political interference. When the president announced his intent to retaliate against a broadcaster based on content, the FCC should have rejected it,” the Hawaii senator said.

Read more here.

 

… AND DEMS WANT A HEARING: Senate Democrats are calling for an oversight hearing for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) following President Trump’s threats against media outlets’ broadcast licenses last week.

Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee sent a letter Tuesday to the panel’s top members, calling out FCC Chairman Ajit Pai for waiting so long to address the president’s statements.

“The FCC Chairman’s failure to quickly respond and denounce these threats is shocking and raises questions about the ability of the FCC to truly act independently under Chairman Pai’s leadership,” the letter reads.

The group was led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

Read more here.

 

GOOGLE TRYING OUT ENHANCED GMAIL SECURITY: Google announced Tuesday that it’s rolling out new, stronger security protections for a small set of users, such as journalists and government officials, who face a higher risk of being targeted by hackers.

The protections are a part of a new Advanced Protection Program, which provides what Google says are its strongest security features. Once users sign up for the program, their accounts’ security will be continuously updated by Google as it patches different vulnerabilities and beefs up its cybersecurity.

Users will also be required to use two-factor authentication to log into their accounts with a security key — usually a small USB drive or wireless device — to protect against phishing attempts.

Read more here.

 

TECH GROUP BLASTS EU TAX PUSH: The tech industry is pushing back against the European Union’s calls for higher taxes on their profits.

In a letter to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) outlined its concerns with potential tax reforms in Europe.

ITI is a trade association that lobbies on behalf interests of major technology firms like Apple, Google and Microsoft in government, both domestically and abroad.

Read more here.

 

KHANNA: TECH SHOULD ‘ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD’: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is calling for the tech industry to “advance the common good” by expanding opportunities beyond Silicon Valley and pushing for greater political transparency online.

In an op-ed for The Washington Post on Monday, Khanna laid out a broad plan for tech companies to invest in middle America and expand recruiting operations to state colleges and historically black colleges and universities.

“Tech companies must offer an aspirational vision of how all Americans, regardless of geography, can benefit from a tech-driven economy,” he wrote.

“This means making investments not just in California, Massachusetts and New York, but also in start-ups and entrepreneurs in cities and rural communities across the nation. It means offering apprenticeships to help build tech capability in the heartland.”

Read more here.

 

ON TAP:

The Patent and Trademark Office will host a roundtable on IP infringements at trade shows starting at 9 a.m.

The Consumer Technology Association will commemorate Richard Wiley’s tenure as FCC chair at 6 p.m.

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Senate Dem urges FCC chair to disavow Trump tweet

Amazon entertainment executive resigns in wake of harassment allegations

Mueller interviews cyber expert who claimed he was ‘recruited to collude’ with Russians: report

Report: Google ran hoax news ads on fact-checking sites

Microsoft kept quiet on details of 2013 cyber breach: report

The Wall Street Journal: Netflix beats subscriber growth predictions

Axios: Teens are addicted to Snapchat