House communications hearing may clarify NTIA Reauthorization Act’s prospects
R Street Institute tech policy associate Joe Kane and others also said the broadband mapping language is an important component of the NTIA draft. “I’m generally skeptical of the ability of government subsidies for rural broadband programs to yield net economic benefits, but, as long as they are going to exist, it’s good to have accurate data,” Kane said. “Coordination between the various programs should also enable funding to be allocated less wastefully.”
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Kane cited a “sense of Congress” resolution included in the draft that would urge NTIA to ensure multistakeholder internet governance “maintains the security, stability, and resiliency of the internet domain name system” and that new laws globally “do not undermine” ICANN’s Whois service (see 1805140001 and 1806060004). The language “highlights the continued clashes we can expect” as the EU’s implementation of its controversial general data protection regulation “results in far-reaching effect on the global internet ecosystem,” Kane said. “It is also a test of what role ICANN will play in either bridging that divide or taking sides.”
