Public Knowledge

From fighting for exemptions to repair McDonald's ice cream machines to championing #netneutrality rules in court, Public Knowledge is deeply committed to working tirelessly in the public interest. We hope you can join us in celebrating this #GivingTuesday on December 3 by supporting our efforts — visit the link below today to donate. publicknowledge.org/Giving

Policy Director for Public Knowledge and former marketing executive Lisa H. Macpherson describes the transformation of advertising in the digital age, its harms to publishers and the public, and how the #DOJ’s case against #Google exemplifies the company’s role in driving and sustaining the issues.

From games missing from your digital library to ebooks vanishing from your Kindle device, paying for media isn't a guarantee you'll own it in the #DigitalEra. Some lawmakers want to make that clearer for consumers. Read the latest from Public Knowledge Legal Director John Bergmayer on how a new California law could open the door for more transparency in paying for digital content online: https://lnkd.in/e_tzm3NK

Good news for fans of the McFlurry! Last week, the U.S. Copyright Office partially granted our exemption request with iFixit allowing repair of retail equipment, including McDonald's ice cream machines. Though the Office did not grant the full scope of our request, we are excited by this sweet victory for the right-to-repair movement. Read our full statement from Senior Policy Counsel Meredith Rose at the link below: https://lnkd.in/e-Nzbf9h

Australia's News Media Bargaining Code has inspired link tax legislation around the world, including the U.S. Congress' own #JCPA. But a recent report by the Joint Select Committee may be signaling a move in a different direction. Calling the News Media Bargaining Code "broken," Australia regulators have recommended a digital tax and a dedicated digital regulator to support local news. Read the breakdown of the Committee's finding in the latest article from Public Knowledge Policy Director Lisa H. Macpherson and Policy Analyst Morgan Wilsmann at the link below: https://lnkd.in/eusVZGt3

From unauthorized use of a singer's voice to #deepfake videos of elected officials, there's a wide range of potential abuses from #digitalreplicas — and a single solution is unlikely to address them all. We need a balanced and targeted multifaceted approach to effectively address the varying potential harms unauthorized uses of this technology pose to commerce, to democracy, and to the wider public. In his second blog post of a three-part series on digital replicas, Public Knowledge Senior Policy Counsel Nicholas P. Garcia establishes guidelines for policy solutions to ensure protection for all.

Breakthroughs in #genAI tools have led to a surge in various types of digital replicas, from #deepfakes to AI robocalls. There is broad consensus that federal action is needed to address new potential harms- but what comes next? In this first blog post of a three-part series, Public Knowledge Senior Policy Counsel Nicholas P. Garcia establishes a framework for considering potential harms from unauthorized AI-generated digital replicas- diving into effects on business, on democracy, and on the public at large. Read Part I at the link below: https://lnkd.in/dbPjimjH

The US presidential election is approaching quickly, and anxieties about disinformation on social media are skyrocketing. But is the focus on misleading #generativeAI content overblown? Read the latest article from Public Knowledge Policy Analyst?Morgan Wilsmann on how clear, consistent content moderation can lead to a healthier information landscape: https://lnkd.in/eudtRGtv

From Adobe Firefly to Google's Gemini, digital platforms are increasingly becoming producers of #generativeAI content. But what does this mean for competition? The merging of existing market dominance of power players in the tech industry with generative AI technology presents new challenges for maintaining a healthy, competitive internet landscape. Read the latest article from Public Knowledge Policy Counsel and competition expert Elise Phillips and Senior Policy Counsel Meredith Rose at the link below: https://lnkd.in/ebmVQdUd

The Federal Trade Commission's report on privacy practices of tech companies contains alarming results, detailing the tracking and surveillance of users and non-users alike. But none of this comes as a surprise. Consumer advocates have been ringing the alarm for years on the risk these practices pose to consumer privacy and digital equity, only to be met with promises from #BigTech companies that they will self-regulate. But as the report shows, when it comes to protecting consumers or pursuing a profit, profit often comes first. Read the breakdown in the latest article from Public Knowledge Policy Analyst Morgan Wilsmann at the link below: https://lnkd.in/ehe4tjJb