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SIIA Testifies before Delaware Legislature on the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act

by Policy

Today, SIIA’s Anton van Seventer testified before the Delaware Senate’s Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee at its hearing on HB 154, the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act. Van Seventer spoke to SIIA’s support for meaningful privacy protections for consumers and the overall intentions of HB 154. He raised concerns about the bill’s treatment of publicly available information (PAI), which would limit many societally-beneficial uses of data. He also spoke to differences between the Delaware bill and existing privacy laws in other states that are likely to create consumer confusion and impose excessive compliance costs on businesses serving Delaware residents. SIIA looks forward to continuing to work with the Delaware legislature to improve this bill.

Media Library (99)

SIIA Joins Coalition Letter Regarding FTC’s Proposed Rulemaking on Negative Option Rule

by Policy
SIIA joins multiple organizations representing various sectors have expressed their concerns regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rulemaking to amend the Negative Option Rule. While we have many concerns with the NPRM, at the forefront, the FTC has insufficient legal authority to move forward with the NPRM in in its current form. Furthermore, the cost-benefit analysis is insufficient and fails to provide commentors with sufficient information to analyze the impacts of the NPRM. Moreover, we express strong concerns that many aspects of the NPRM are ambiguous, impractical, and harmful to consumers.
Read the Full Letter Here
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AM&P Network’s Association Council Announces 2023-2024 Advisory Board

by MediaPress Release

For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, DC (June 23, 2023): The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)’s Association, Media and Publishing Network (AM&P Network) has announced the 2023-2024 leadership for the Network’s Associations Council. 

“We are the only community providing programming, networking, best practices and curated content for association media pros,” said Jen Smith, Association Council Director, “This leadership group provides the strategic direction for our community, from our steadfast editorial and content coverage to the emerging focus on marketing needs of association communicators and content creators.”

“The Associations Council Advisory Board is made up of publishing and marketing professionals, sharing their time and talent to make us all better and to build this incredible network. We are thrilled to announce this year’s Council leaders and members,” said Smith.

Associations Council Advisory Board 2023-2024

  • President: Marlene Hendrickson, American Staffing Association
  • Vice President: Thad Plumley, National Ground Water Association
  • Secretary: Alexis Redmond, National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association 
  • At Large Member: Lilia LaGesse, Heard Creative Co.
  • Immediate Past President: Stacy Brooks Whatley, American Counseling Association

In addition to the officers, the following will serve as Advisory Board Members: 

Rob Anderson, American Health Law Association

Randy Ford, First Story Strategies

Elena Loveland, National Association of Corporate Directors

James Meyers, Imagination/Mx

Nicole Racadag, American College of Radiology

Lindsay Robison, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies

Meghan Stromberg, American Planning Association

Michelle Willits, Credit Union National Association

To learn more about the benefits to joining the AM&P Network, including upcoming events, educational and other volunteer opportunities, please visit: https://www.siia.net/amp-network. 

About Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA)

SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 450 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing companies. Our diverse members provide the critical data, content, and information that drives the global economy, informs financial networks, connects learners and educators, and drives innovation. Learn more at siia.net.

About AM&P Network: 

SIIA’s Associations, Media & Publishing Network fosters collaboration, spurs innovative thinking and builds community uniting data and content providers, specialty publishers, event producers, trade association communicators and others across the information ecosystem. We focus on sharing best practices, promoting excellence and providing solutions in the areas of talent, technology, revenue and content strategies.

Media Library (98)

New Patent Reform Bills Would Hurt Innovation, Create Confusion, and Increase Costs

by Policy

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) opposes the recently introduced Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2023 (PERA) and the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership (PREVAIL) Act. Chris Mohr, SIIA President, issued the following statement on these new bills:

“PERA is a bill that would allow patents on vague ideas that stifle innovation, create confusion about patent eligibility, and increase the amount and cost of patent lawsuits.

“We’re very concerned about the introduction of this legislation.  As an organization dedicated to the business of information, our members are both massive investors in and users of patented, innovative technology. The current law on subject matter eligibility rests on a simple, easy-to-understand premise: no one owns abstract ideas.. On the other hand, if you have created a technical solution to a technical problem, you can receive a patent on that invention and stop others from using your invention. This premise has guided U.S. patent law and fostered American innovation for two centuries. It has enabled SIIA’s members to innovate in countless ways that have had enormous benefits for society and the economy. PERA would reverse that 200 year-old foundational principle. Allowing patent law to cover abstract ideas will obstruct innovation and deployment of new technologies such as artificial intelligence by ordinary businesses while contributing to the Constitution’s goal of advancing the ‘useful Arts.’

“The PREVAIL Act would turn back the U.S. patent system over a decade. In 2011, a bipartisan Congress passed the America Invents Act (AIA) by an overwhelming majority. Congress recognized that PTO was issuing too many patents that did not meet the law’s requirements, and that resulting litigation abuse was costing the public millions of dollars in bogus claims.

“The AIA has provided a procedure in which those patents could be challenged and reviewed by experts in law and science at a fraction of the cost of federal litigation. The PREVAIL Act would undo the successful steps that the PTO has made to improve  patent quality.  We are deeply concerned by the introduction of this legislation. 

“We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Tillis, Senator Coons, and other members of Congress on meaningful improvements to  the patent system that advance innovation.”

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‘What Makes the Audience Engage?’ Neal, EXCEL Awards Podcast Finalists Offer Answers

by AMPLIFY 2023Media

A question was asked after a recent Editorial Council about podcasts—how best to grow your audience. One way is to attract guests who are incredibly open about their experiences. Other ways are trailers, social media, involving sponsors and good titles. An EXCEL Awards finalist from the PTA is titled “Notes From the Backpack,” and Arizent’s Neal Awards finalist from Employee Benefits News goes by “Perk Up!”

In “My White Coat Doesn’t Fit”—an episode in the 2023 EXCEL Awards-nominated podcast series, JCO’s Cancer Stories: The Art of Oncology—host and associate editor Lidia Schapira begins the show by reading a powerful essay from guest doctor Narjust Duma before moving into their Q&A. (The EXCEL Awards take place next Tuesday evening as part of AMPLIFY 2023. Tickets to attend can still be purchased here.)

“There I was, crying once again all the way from the hospital’s parking lot to my apartment, into the shower, and while trying to fall asleep. This had become the norm during my internal medicine residency. For years, I tried hard every day to be someone else in order to fit in. It started with off-hand comments like ‘Look at her red shoes,’ ‘You are so colorful,’ and ‘You are so Latina.’

“These later escalated to being interrupted during presentations with comments about my accent, being told that my medical school training in my home country was inferior to my U.S. colleagues, and being assigned all Spanish-speaking patients because ‘They are your people.’ Some of those comments and interactions were unintentionally harmful but led to feelings of isolation, and over time, I began to feel like an outsider.”

Titles and descriptions matter in promoting your podcast. “A medical oncologist shares her story about exclusion, depression and finding her way in oncology as a Latina in medicine and oncology,” JCO’s blurb reads.

Here are more ways to grow your podcast:

Create a trailer. Coincidentally, a 2023 EXCEL Awards podcast single episode finalist also has “white coat” in the title. It’s the Association of American Medical Colleges Beyond the White Coat series and the episode, At the Crossroads: Public Health and Gun Violence. The expertly done, black-and-white video trailer is a minute long, stringing together powerful images as AAMC President and CEO David Skorton introduces Roger A. Mitchell, MD, of the Howard University School of Medicine. “We are at a crossroads surrounding gun violence in this country,” Mitchell says. For a 35-minute podcast, the trailer makes sense.

Get a good social media team in place… “Having a team of folks specifically dedicated to social media, or [at the least] to have somebody dedicated to social media has been critical” to my success, said Soyini Coke, health care transformation and culture expert and host of CEO Exclusive Radio. “I find that with all of these functions, that the person who does social media isn’t necessarily the person who should be production… or guest development.”

…Or integrate social into your routine. For Meghna Rao, senior editor of Rheumatology Advisor and host of Neal Awards finalist Rheum Advisor, it’s more all hands on deck. “Twitter and LinkedIn have been really great for engaging with the audience,” she said. “Just small things on Twitter like once you conduct an episode with a certain guest, writing out posts, tagging individuals and the respective organizations go a long way. I’ve actively taken the initiative to be more present and engage more often on social media… That’s just because we’re a small team.”

Involve your sponsors. “Having somebody that’s dedicated specifically to sponsorship or a donor/patron strategy is absolutely necessary to being successful,” Coke said. “You’re launching the podcast because you want to extend your reach, or to build deeper relationships, or get a greater share of mind or greater share of wallet from listeners.” Added Matt Ausloos, manager of publishing for the American Health Law Association: “Our sponsors actually work with us as content partners and developers. We allow them to develop what the topic is and go out and get the speakers that they want subject to our approval. I work with them to guide the process and set the standards.”

Work out the functions of your show. “Do we identify the expert [first] or identify a topic?” Rao asked in respect to creating a podcast episode. “Obviously there’s no one right way to go about that. Doing them in tandem could be beneficial. Aligning your content with your audience’s needs always has to be front and center. I keep reminding myself sometimes of this.” For Coke, that’s guest, development and content. “Those tend to go really well together because when I’m working with a guest, I can also figure out what content we’re going to create, what the theme of the show is, and what the lead story is.”

Include a transcript. “What makes the audience engage?” Rao asked. “What factors drive people to an episode on your podcast? Is it a title with good SEO value? Is it the expert? Is it the topic itself? Is it maybe the duration being aligned with your listeners’ time? Having a transcript was something that really elevated our podcasts. If people want to refer back to something that was not clearly mentioned, or the audio quality wasn’t good at that point, they can go back.” I was able to easily spotlight My White Coat Doesn’t Fit because of the transcript.