Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
Featured Stories
FTC to Ban Kochava and Subsidiary from Selling Sensitive Location Data to Settle Charges They Sold Location Data Linked to Millions of Mobile Devices
WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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FTC to Ban Kochava and Subsidiary from Selling Sensitive Location Data to Settle Charges They Sold Location Data Linked to Millions of Mobile Devices
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The Federal Trade Commission will prohibit data broker Kochava and its subsidiary from selling, sharing or disclosing sensitive location data without consumers' affirmative express consent to settle allegations the companies sold location data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could be used to trace the movements of individuals.
The FTC
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WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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FTC to Ban Kochava and Subsidiary from Selling Sensitive Location Data to Settle Charges They Sold Location Data Linked to Millions of Mobile Devices
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The Federal Trade Commission will prohibit data broker Kochava and its subsidiary from selling, sharing or disclosing sensitive location data without consumers' affirmative express consent to settle allegations the companies sold location data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices that could be used to trace the movements of individuals.
The FTCsued Idaho-based Kochava in August 2022 alleging that its collection, use and disclosure of precise location data invaded consumers' privacy by revealing their movements, including visits to sensitive locations such as health facilities and places of worship. The FTC alleged that because consumers were unaware of and did not consent to this data sharing, consumers had no way of avoiding the harm resulting from its collection and disclosure.
Under the proposed order resolving the FTC's litigation, Kochava and its subsidiary, Collective Data Solutions (CDS), which has taken over Kochava's data broker business, will be prohibited from selling, licensing, transferring, sharing or disclosing sensitive location data in any products or services unless they obtain a consumer's affirmative express consent and the data is used to provide a service directly requested by the consumer. The subsidiary and Kochava (if Kochava sells or uses precise location data) also are required to:
* Establish and implement a sensitive location data program to develop a comprehensive list of sensitive locations to prevent the sale, transfer or disclosure of sensitive location data;
* Implement a supplier assessment program designed to confirm that consumers have provided consent for the collection and use of all location data obtained by the subsidiary or Kochava;
* Submit incident reports to the FTC when the companies determine a third party shared consumers' precise location data in violation of contractual requirements;
* Allow consumers to request the names of any business or individual to which CDS or Kochava has knowledge that consumers' precise location data was sold, and provide consumers with an easy way to withdraw consent for the sale of their device's precise location data; and
* Create a data retention schedule that will require the deletion of data on an established timeframe.
The Commission vote approving the stipulated final order was 2-0. The FTC filed the proposed order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.
NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
The lead attorneys on this matter are Jennifer Rimm, Erik Jones, Mike Sherling, Elizabeth C. Scott, and Julia Horwitz in the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
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Original text here: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/05/ftc-ban-kochava-subsidiary-selling-sensitive-location-data-settle-charges-they-sold-location-data
CFTC Staff Issues Supplemental Letter Regarding No-Action Position on Reporting, Recordkeeping Requirements
WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Staff Issues Supplemental Letter Regarding No-Action Position on Reporting, Recordkeeping Requirements
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WASHINGTON -The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Division of Market Oversight and Division of Clearing and Risk today announced they have taken a no-action position regarding swap data reporting and recordkeeping regulations.
The divisions will not recommend the Commission initiate an enforcement action against Railbird Exchange, LLC, a designated contract market, and Bitnomial
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WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Staff Issues Supplemental Letter Regarding No-Action Position on Reporting, Recordkeeping Requirements
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WASHINGTON -The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Division of Market Oversight and Division of Clearing and Risk today announced they have taken a no-action position regarding swap data reporting and recordkeeping regulations.
The divisions will not recommend the Commission initiate an enforcement action against Railbird Exchange, LLC, a designated contract market, and BitnomialClearinghouse, LLC, a derivatives clearing organization, or their participants for failure to comply with certain swap-related recordkeeping requirements and for failure to report to swap data repositories data associated with fully collateralized event contract transactions executed on or subject to the rules of Railbird and cleared through Bitnomial.
Additionally, the supplemental letter removes the condition in CFTC Letter No. 25-26 that prohibited Railbird's participants from clearing contracts through a third-party clearing member. This no-action position is subject to the terms of the no-action letter issued today.
This position is in response to a request from Railbird and Bitnomial, to modify CFTC Letter No. 25-26 to cover transactions cleared through Bitnomial and remove the condition prohibiting third-party clearing by participants.
-CFTC-
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Original text here: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9226-26
FCC Targets 'Covered List' Entities' Blanket Sec. 214 Authorizations
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Protecting Against National Security Threats in Domestic Telecommunications Service, WC Docket No. 26-82, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Apr. 30, 2026).
Under multiple presidents and multiple FCC Chairs, the FCC has worked to counter the threats that foreign adversaries pose to our networks. From 2019 to 2023, the FCC denied or revoked the international telecommunications authority of 5 separate entities--all controlled by foreign adversaries--and added
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WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Protecting Against National Security Threats in Domestic Telecommunications Service, WC Docket No. 26-82, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Apr. 30, 2026).
Under multiple presidents and multiple FCC Chairs, the FCC has worked to counter the threats that foreign adversaries pose to our networks. From 2019 to 2023, the FCC denied or revoked the international telecommunications authority of 5 separate entities--all controlled by foreign adversaries--and addedthese services to the Covered List. These actions followed findings that their services posed unacceptable national security risks.
Nonetheless, many of these entities--and others identified on the FCC's Covered List--continue to operate or potentially operate in the United States by providing services that do not fall under the legal definition of international telecommunications authority. For years, I have referred to this evasion as an "End Run" around our Covered List rules. The very first action the FCC's Council on National Security took was to launch an investigation into Covered List entities' continued operation in the U.S.
Today's NPRM opens a comment period on a range of different measures we can take to close these loopholes. Starting from the least controversial, we have proposed that Covered List entities no longer be granted blanket authority to provide domestic telecommunications services; at the very least they should have to apply to provide such services. We also seek comment on a range of other potential measures the Commission can take to secure our networks from these bad actors, including limiting their interconnection ability.
I would like to especially thank Commissioner Trusty for her continued leadership on national security matters and her great edits to seek comment on potentially limiting Covered List entities' ability to operate RF device to provide communications services under our unlicensed wireless rules.
For their work on this item, I want to thank Joseph Calascione, Jodie Griffin, Jodie May, Melissa Kirkel, Robert Martin, Doug Klein, and Deborah Broderson.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-29A2.pdf
FCC Seeks Comment on Enhanced Know-Your-Customer Requirements
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls; Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CG Docket Nos. 17-59 and 02-278 (April 30, 2026)
Combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls remains the FCC's top consumer protection priority. And since I became Chairman, we have been tackling the problem at every point of the call path. Today's item focuses on improving
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WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls; Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CG Docket Nos. 17-59 and 02-278 (April 30, 2026)
Combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls remains the FCC's top consumer protection priority. And since I became Chairman, we have been tackling the problem at every point of the call path. Today's item focuses on improvingmeasures originating providers take before the call.
As we have continued to investigate the problem of illegal robocalls over the last year, it has become clear that some originating providers are not doing enough to vet their customers, allowing bad actors to infiltrate our U.S. phone networks. Even though originating providers are subject to "know your customer" obligations where they must take "affirmative, effective" measures to know their customers, some do the bare minimum (or worse) and have become complicit in illegal robocalling schemes.
This item would close the gaps that exist in originating providers' KYC obligations and ensures that providers cannot turn a blind eye while U.S. phone networks are exploited and Americans are defrauded. Today's item also bolsters our KYC enforcement by proposing per-call penalties. By tying fines directly to the harm caused, we are also helping to incentivize better vetting by originating providers.
For their great work on this item, I want to thank Zac Champ, Wes Platt, Richard Smith, Mark Stone, Eduard Bartholme, Richard Mallen, Derek Yeo, Jessica Kinsey, Dan Stepanicich, and Chris Laughlin.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-27A2.pdf
FCC Proposes to Amend Audible Crawl Rule to Preserve Accessibility
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 12-107 (April 30, 2026)
During my time as Chairman, I have emphasized the importance of good governance and ensuring that our rules work in practice--not just on paper. The FCC has a responsibility
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WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Accessible Emergency Information, and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 12-107 (April 30, 2026)
During my time as Chairman, I have emphasized the importance of good governance and ensuring that our rules work in practice--not just on paper. The FCC has a responsibilityto be a careful steward of its regulations, particularly when those rules affect access to critical information for millions of Americans.
When the Commission adopted the Audible Crawl Rule more than a decade ago, the goal was straightforward: ensure that individuals who are blind or visually impaired receive the same timely emergency information that appears visually during non newscast programming. But despite industry efforts over the years that the rule has been in place, no automated or technically viable solution has emerged to aurally describe visual, non textual emergency information such as maps or graphic images. As a result, that part of the rule has been waived since its inception.
Today's item takes a common sense step forward. It does two important things. First, it ensures that people who are blind or visually impaired continue to receive the emergency information they rely on. Second, it eliminates a compliance obligation that cannot be met because no technical solution exists. The record shows that the information conveyed through visual images is typically duplicative of the text crawls that are already provided aurally. Removing an unworkable requirement therefore reduces unnecessary burdens while preserving access to essential information.
I am pleased that this item proposes a practical and balanced approach. It would ease compliance burdens, align our rules with technical reality, and ensure the continued availability of visual, non textual emergency information. This is the type of regulatory modernization that strengthens the integrity and usefulness of our rules.
Thank you to the video programming providers, distributors, and the consumer advocates who contributed to the development of this proposal. And thank you to the FCC staff who worked on this item, including Virgie Ingram, Maria Mullarkey, Diana Sokolow, Hillary DeNigro, Alex Sanjenis, Suzy Rosen Singleton, Ike Ofobike, Stephen Wang, Susan Aaron, David Konczal, Michelle Schaefer, Kim Makuch, and Joycelyn James.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-31A2.pdf
FCC Modernizes Spectrum Sharing Rules to Boost Space-Based Broadband
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Modernizing Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Broadband, Report and Order, SB Docket No. 25-157 (April 30, 2026).
Americans today benefit from increased competition for their broadband dollars. Wireless carriers are now competing for in-home subscribers. Cable companies are competing for wireless customers. And satellite is competing with both cable and wireless. Today's FCC decision will help supercharge that competition while expanding our country's technological
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WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Modernizing Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Broadband, Report and Order, SB Docket No. 25-157 (April 30, 2026).
Americans today benefit from increased competition for their broadband dollars. Wireless carriers are now competing for in-home subscribers. Cable companies are competing for wireless customers. And satellite is competing with both cable and wireless. Today's FCC decision will help supercharge that competition while expanding our country's technologicalleadership.
Even though high-speed, next-generation satellite services provide essential connectivity across the country already, Americans are now about to see another big upgrade. With today's decision, consumers could now see a seven-fold increase in capacity for these high-speed, satellite offerings.
You see, the Commission has had the same technical restrictions on LEO satellite power levels going all the way back to the 1990s. But those decades-old rules no longer reflect today's offerings. In fact, they are holding them back. Modern satellite designs make it far easier to share spectrum than what yesterday's regulations assume. We can do much better.
Today, low-Earth orbit satellite providers are scaling at a rapid pace. Starlink alone now serves millions of Americans and millions more around the world. Once dismissed as a niche offering, satellite broadband is a real--and growing--competitor in the connectivity marketplace.
That should inform how we approach power levels on satellite broadband. Are our rules keeping up with this new reality? Are they holding it back? For years, our framework has relied on legacy constructs like EPFD. Those rules were designed for a different generation of satellite systems, one defined by a small number of geostationary operators and primitive networks.
That is not the world we live in anymore. Today's systems move differently. They scale differently. They compete differently. So, our rules should too.
Updating our approach--moving beyond outdated EPFD limits and toward more modern interference protections--also promotes competition. It allows satellite providers to operate with greater parity alongside terrestrial broadband offerings.
And that competition matters. Because when you increase competition, you increase consumer choice. You drive investment. You push providers across technologies to do better.
The benefits will be felt most by the Americans who need them the most. Rural communities. Hard-to-reach areas. Places where the business case for traditional deployment remains challenging. For those Americans, high-speed satellite broadband is not theoretical. It is tangible. It is available now. And it is improving rapidly.
This is also about American leadership. U.S. companies are leading the world in next-generation satellite services. We should have a regulatory framework that matches that energy, not one that slows it down. And we are not going to leave Americans waiting on the wrong side of the digital divide while other countries debate whether they want the same types of next-gen systems operating in their parts of the world. We are going to act now in the interests of the American people.
For their excellent work on this item, I thank Clay DeCell, Jennifer Gilsenan, Stephanie Neville, Sankar Persaud, and Jay Schwarz at the Space Bureau, and Mohammad Ahmad, Patrick Sun, and Aleks Yankelevich from the Office of Economics and Analytics.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-26A2.pdf
FCC Adopts Rules to Enhance the Integrity of the E-Rate Program
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Promoting Fair and Open Competitive Bidding in the E-Rate Program Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 21-455, CC Docket No. 02-6, Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, (Apr. 30, 2026).
The FCC's E-Rate program has played an important role in helping to close the digital divide by ensuring that schools and libraries have access to affordable Internet services. To ensure the program's continued success, we must
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WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on May 1, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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Re: Promoting Fair and Open Competitive Bidding in the E-Rate Program Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 21-455, CC Docket No. 02-6, Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, (Apr. 30, 2026).
The FCC's E-Rate program has played an important role in helping to close the digital divide by ensuring that schools and libraries have access to affordable Internet services. To ensure the program's continued success, we mustbe good stewards of taxpayer dollars and safeguard E-Rate from waste, fraud, and abuse.
That is why today's item is another common sense step forward. Going back to 2017, the FCC's Office of Inspector General urged the Commission to create an online competitive bid repository that requires providers to provide their bids in an open, transparent manner. The idea is straightforward. A bidding portal that facilitates open and transparent engagement will deter bad actors from engaging in misconduct during the bidding process. The Inspector General has continued to reiterate its recommendation in subsequent reports. In 2020, the Government Accountability Office also released a report finding that E-Rate participants could misrepresent compliance with the competitive bidding rules, since there was no direct access to the underlying bidding information. GAO specifically referenced the Inspector General's recommendation for a bidding repository, agreeing that a portal could strengthen program controls.
Today, we finally act on those warnings and the Inspector General's recommendation. We do so bringing much needed transparency to the E-Rate bidding process. Instead of continuing to rely on self-certifications, we can rely on verifiable data. And instead of allowing the bidding process to largely happen in the dark, we are bringing light to the back and forth engagement that happens between providers, participants, and other engaged stakeholders. This, in turn, will allow the FCC and USAC to ensure that USF funds are supporting services being provided at the lowest possible rates.
But this step shouldn't be and will not be our last. There's much more work to be done to protect the integrity of the E-Rate program and to ensure that it is carried out as envisioned by Congress.
For their great work on this item, I'd like to thank Joseph Calascione, Allison Baker, Bryan Boyle, Johnnay Schrieber, Kate Dumouchel, Gabriela L. Gross, Veronica Garcia-Ulloa, Jennifer Mensah, Dan Daly, and D'wana Terry.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-30A2.pdf
