November 2012 Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: FCC Punishes the Operators of an Unlicensed FM Station FCC Investigates Antenna Structure Violations Recurrent Unlicensed Operations Lead…
Comm Law Center
Reminder: FCC Form 317 Deadline is Near
Don’t forget that by December 3, 2012, all commercial and noncommercial full power television stations, as well as all digital low power, digital Class A, and digital television translator stations that are licensed, or are operating pursuant to Special Temporary Authority, must electronically file an FCC Form 317 with the…
Does Your Mobile App Provide Reasonable Access to Your Privacy Policy?
The privacy practices of mobile applications (“Apps”) have been under scrutiny from a wide variety of domestic and foreign regulatory authorities of late. Most recently, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued a press release regarding a new enforcement effort aimed at bringing mobile Apps into compliance with California’s Online…
Randall Terry Focuses His Campaign on the FCC
While most presidential candidates were concentrating yesterday on last minute campaign events aimed at swaying undecided voters, independent presidential candidate Randall Terry was instead focused on winning votes at the FCC, filing multiple election day political advertising complaints against broadcast stations. I wrote last week of an FCC decision holding…
Randall Terry Pushes the FCC’s Political Envelope
The FCC today released a political advertising decision that, while perhaps not surprising, will still alarm many broadcasters. Back in February, I wrote a pair of posts (here and here) about Randall Terry, who was then seeking airtime during the Superbowl to air ads featuring graphic footage of aborted fetuses,…
FCC Enforcement Monitor
October 2012 Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: FCC Takes Action against Illegal Jamming Devices Unlicensed Transmitter Gets Renter into Trouble FCC Goes After Marketing and…
The FCC’s Spectrum Incentive Auction NPRM: A Condensed and Abridged Version
In my last post, I discussed the FCC’s mammoth NPRM asking for public comment on an immense number of issues relating to the planned spectrum incentive auctions. In particular, I noted the challenges faced by both the FCC and commenters in trying to cover so much ground on such complex…
Drawing the Line Online: Employers’ Rights to Employees’ Social Media Accounts
With the unprecedented popularity of social media, employees have increasingly used LinkedIn and other online forums to network for business and social purposes. When the line between personal and business use is blurred, litigation may ensue. A federal court recently ruled that an employer did not violate federal computer hacking…
A Spectral Incentive Auction?
Given that the FCC adopted its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish the parameters of its much-anticipated broadcast spectrum auctions on September 28, 2012, and released the text of that NPRM on October 2, 2012, you would think that the communications industry would now be buzzing over the details of…
FCC Proposes Wholesale Examination of Satellite and Earth Station Licensing and Operating Rules
The FCC has initiated a rulemaking proceeding seeking comments on a comprehensive review of its satellite and earth station licensing and operating rules. The nearly 100-page Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is the FCC’s first broad reexamination of its Part 25 rules in over fifteen years. Among other items, the…