Who's Really Running Your Airwaves?

The U. S. Senate has proposed a new law called the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act. This law aims to make it easier for people to know who owns what in the world of communications. The idea is to create a public list of companies that have licenses from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and are partly owned by foreign entities that might not have the best interests of the U. S. in mind. The law defines what a "covered country" is and what a "covered entity" is. A covered country is one that the U. S. has identified as a potential threat. A covered entity is any company or subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a covered country or is controlled by such a country. The law also includes definitions for the appropriate national security agency and the FCC itself.The FCC will have 120 days to publish a list of entities that have licenses and are partly owned by covered entities. This list will include companies that have licenses under the Communications Act of 1934 and the Cable Landing Licensing Act. The FCC will also have to issue rules to identify other entities that have licenses and are partly owned by covered entities. These entities will be added to the list within a year. The law also includes a provision to exempt the FCC from the Paperwork Reduction Act. This means that the FCC won't have to follow the usual rules for collecting information from the public. The list will be updated annually to ensure it stays current. This law is important because it aims to increase transparency in the communications industry. It will help people understand who is really controlling the airwaves and ensure that national security is not compromised. However, it's important to note that the law is still a proposal and has not yet been passed into law.