The Declaratory Ruling, titled “In the Matter of Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet Restoring Internet Freedom,” restores the Net Neutrality rules originally approved by the Commission in 2005. During the ensuing years, the FCC’s authority to implement such rules was repeatedly challenged in the federal courts, ultimately leading the FCC to withdraw the rules in 2018.
The 700-plus page Declaratory Ruling classifies broadband internet access service (BIAS) as a telecommunications service, thereby placing the regulation of such services under the purview of the FCC, as specified in Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Further, a companion Report and Order issued by the Commission details specific rules for the “Open Internet” and a process for enforcing those rules.
According to a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture issued by the Commission, Steve Kramer was responsible for generating thousands of illegal prerecorded voice robocalls using misleading and inaccurate caller ID information, in violation of the Truth in Caller ID Act. The caller ID transmitted with the calls actually belonged to the spouse of a prominent New Hampshire Democratic political operative who had no knowledge of the calls and had not consented to its use.
Further, Kramer’s illegal robocall campaign relied on so-called deep fake generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create voice messages that imitated the voice of President Joseph Biden. Contrary to the Democratic Party’s efforts to encourage voters to write in President Biden’s name on the Primary Election ballot, the robocall message encouraged people not to vote at all in the Primary.
CBS News reports that the legislation passed by the House, titled “Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act,” will require the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish a safety standard applicable to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The legislation was originally introduced in 2023 by Congressman Ritchie Torres (D‑NY) as H.R. 1797 and passed with an overwhelming bi-partisan vote of 378-34.
The legislation now goes to the U.S. Senate where it will be reviewed by the Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
The legislation arises from the surge in fires stemming from poor-quality rechargeable batteries used in e-bikes and electric scooters. As evidence of the scope of the problem, CBS cites statistics from the New York City Fire Department, which reported more than 400 fires, 300 injuries, and 12 deaths from fires caused by defective lithium-ion batteries in New York City between 2019 and 2023.
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) reports that the largest space camera ever built is now being installed at an international space observatory site in a remote area of Chile. The 3200-megapixel Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Camera was built over a period of 20 years at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DoE’s) National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California, and is being installed at the Rubin Observatory located on Cerro Pachon in Chile.
According to the NSF, the LSST Camera will produce detailed images of space with a field of view seven times wider than the full moon. The NSF says that the camera will further advance the exploration of the nature of dark matter and dark energy, as well as aid future efforts to map the solar system and the Milky Way.
According to the FDA, the Final Guidance, titled “Remanufacturing of Medical Devices: Guidance for Industry, Entities that Perform Services or Remanufacturing,” clarifies the specific types of activities that it classifies as “remanufacturing,” as well as its current requirements applicable to remanufacturers. The Guidance also includes recommendations for information to be included in device labeling to help ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness of remanufactured devices over their anticipated useful life.
Medical devices intended for reuse play an integral part of healthcare, and include ventilators, endoscopes, and defibrillators. Proper servicing of such devices is essential in protecting the health and safety of patients and healthcare providers.