On February 25, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in Bradford v. Sovereign Pest Control of TX, Inc., upheld a district court summary judgment decision that effectively nullified the FCC’s “prior express written consent” requirement for autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls to mobile numbers. The Fifth Circuit found that this consent
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FCC Opens Inquiry into Sports Broadcasting Practices and Marketplace Developments
The Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC” or “Commission”) Media Bureau has launched a new Public Notice (the “Notice”) seeking public comment on sports broadcasting practices and recent marketplace developments, as the distribution of live sports programming continues to evolve across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.
For decades, live sports have been closely intertwined with broadcast television,…
European Commission Issues Guidelines on Article 18 of the European Media Freedom Act
In a recent addition to the EU’s evolving digital rulebook, the European Commission has published a set of Guidelines under the European Media Freedom Act (“EMFA”). The Guidelines advise very large online platforms, as defined under the Digital Services Act (“DSA”), on how to set up a functionality that lets media organisations identify themselves—and, in…
European Parliament Proposes Changes to Copyright Protection in the Age of Generative AI
In June 2025, the European Parliament (“EP”) published its draft report on “Copyright and generative artificial intelligence – opportunities and challenges” (available here). The draft report calls on the European Commission to make a series of changes to the way that copyright is protected in the age of generative AI (“GenAI”). The EP notes…
International AI Safety Report 2026 Examines AI Capabilities, Risks, and Safeguards
On 3 February 2026, the second International AI Safety Report (the “Report”) was published—providing a comprehensive, science-based assessment of the capabilities and risks of general-purpose AI (“GPAI”). The Report touts itself as the largest global collaboration on AI safety to date—led by Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio, backed by an Expert Advisory Panel with nominees…
FCC Seeks Comment on Petition to Update Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Part 15 Rules
As consumers have embraced “smart home” technology and specifically advanced locks and entryway security systems, some door lock companies have asked permission from the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to use ultra-wideband technology (“UWB”) in their devices. UWB technology has unique characteristics that can be used to enhance entryway security systems by working with low-power Bluetooth…
FCC “Covered List” Updated to Include Certain Drones and Related Components, Subject to an Exception
In late December 2025, the FCC updated its “Covered List” to add foreign-produced unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, and their critical components after an Executive Branch interagency body determined that they pose “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.” Subsequently,…
FCC Issues Guidance Focused on Candidate Appearances on Talk Shows
On January 21, 2026, the FCC’s Media Bureau released a Public Notice providing new guidance on how it will evaluate whether broadcast television stations have triggered an obligation to provide “equal opportunities” to political candidates under Section 315 of the Communications Act.
The FCC’s equal opportunities rule generally says that if a station gives…
Update: Supreme Court Grants Cert in Cases Involving the FCC’s Monetary Penalty Authority
On January 9, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve a circuit split over the FCC’s authority to impose monetary forfeiture penalties through its administrative process. The outcome could have significant implications for the FCC’s ability to pursue civil penalties in its enforcement cases. For more information on the issues at stake, including background…
FCC Opens Application Window for New Cyber Trust Mark Program Lead Administrator
On January 6, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (the “Bureau”) announced the application window for a new Lead Administrator for the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark Program (the “Program”). The window will be open from January 7, 2026, through January 28, 2026. The previous Lead Administrator, UL LLC (“UL…