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SIIA and 16 Industry Organizations Oppose AB 886 (California Journalism Preservation Act)

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The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) and 16 industry organizations oppose AB 886, the California Journalism Preservation Act. This legislation requires platforms to pay a fee or enter arbitration to access media content, seen as a tax on content linking. SIIA argues it undermines local journalism by potentially reducing audience engagement and ad revenue. They reject the bill’s premise that digital services harm news site revenue and deem it unconstitutional for interfering with commerce, violating the First Amendment, and conflicting with copyright laws. SIIA fears it favors out-of-state publications and mirrors unsuccessful laws abroad, risking reduced internet information access.
Joint Statement
Amendment Concerns
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In the News: Lawmakers Question Microsoft’s President About Its Presence in China

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The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) recently gained attention in a New York Times article focused on lawmakers questioning Microsoft’s presence in China. This spotlight comes amid heightened scrutiny of major tech companies’ international operations and their implications for national security and market competition.

In response to these concerns, SIIA, along with other trade groups supported by Microsoft’s competitors, sent letters to the Biden administration urging for a diversification of technology vendors used by the U.S. government. These groups argue that relying on a broader array of vendors would mitigate security risks and reduce dependency on any single tech company, thereby enhancing national security and fostering competitive practices within the tech industry.

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SIIA Statement on Microsoft Testimony at House Homeland Security Committee Hearing

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The following statement can be attributed to Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy & Government Affairs with the Software & Information Industry Association.

Brad Smith’s testimony today at the House Homeland Security Committee hearing – “A Cascade of Security Failures: Assessing Microsoft Corporation’s Cybersecurity Shortfalls and the Implications for Homeland Security” did nothing to allay concerns about the cybersecurity risk associated with Microsoft that led to the devastating Storm—0558 incident last summer.  SIIA has called on Executive Branch leaders to take action to protect government networks and systems and transition to a secure by design approach. We urge swift action to improve resilience by accessing software concentration risk, considering past security performance in procurement and moving towards a multi-vendor environment.

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New DOJ Rule on ADA Title II and Its Impact on EdTech Companies

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The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) today published a white paper highlighting some of the major requirements impacting education technology vendors resulting from the release of a new rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the new rule, vendors will now need to ensure that covered technology conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 standard.

The rule will have a significant financial impact on the education technology sector with the Department of Justice estimating remediation costs to conform to new requirements to be $1.134 billion for K-12 classroom courses and $5.5 billion for postsecondary courses.

The white paper provides detailed information on impacted entities, compliance dates, and exemptions. Stay tuned for more resources from SIIA in the coming months.

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SIIA Addresses AI-Driven Deceptive Media in Senate Letters

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The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has submitted three letters to the Senate Elections Committee in regards to AB 2655 (Berman), AB 2839 (Pellerin), and AB 2355 (Carrillo).

The bills cover deceptive media and advertising techniques where AI is used to create and perpetuate falsehoods related to political candidates that could bear on the outcomes of elections. These include the use of AI to manipulate the content of political ads. They also address “deepfakes” that replicate a candidate’s appearance and manner to simulate a false representation of that candidate’s words or actions.

AB 2655 (Berman)
AB 2839 (Pellerin)
AB 2355 (Carrillo)