Who's Really Running Your Airwaves?

The U.S. Senate has introduced a new law called the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act. This legislation aims to enhance transparency regarding ownership in the communications sector.

Key Objectives

• Public Disclosure: Create a public list of companies with FCC licenses partly owned by foreign entities that may pose a threat to U.S. interests.
• Definitions:
• Covered Country: Nations identified as potential threats by the U.S.
• Covered Entity: Companies or subsidiaries organized under or controlled by a covered country.
• Agency Involvement: Defines roles for the appropriate national security agency and the FCC.

FCC Responsibilities

• Timeline: The FCC has 120 days to publish a list of entities with licenses partly owned by covered entities.
• Scope: Includes companies licensed under the Communications Act of 1934 and the Cable Landing Licensing Act.
• Additional Rules: The FCC must issue rules to identify and add other relevant entities within one year.
• Exemption: The FCC is exempt from the Paperwork Reduction Act, allowing it to collect information without usual constraints.
• Updates: The list will be updated annually to ensure accuracy.

Significance

This law seeks to increase transparency in the communications industry, helping the public understand who controls the airwaves and safeguarding national security. However, it is currently a proposal and has not yet been enacted.