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SIIA Submission to ACCC Digital Platform Services Inquiry

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The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platform Services Inquiry 2020-25 Issues Paper. Our submission focuses on international regulatory developments and emerging competition issues, particularly in cloud computing and generative AI. We emphasize the importance of competition policies that promote innovation and caution against regulations that may inadvertently stifle the competitive process.

In our analysis, we address the potential adverse impacts of recent regulatory developments, such as the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the United Kingdom’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC). We express concerns about the broad and rigid application of these regulations, which could negatively affect businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, we discuss the dynamic nature of the cloud computing industry and the potential barriers to entry in the generative AI market. SIIA believes that new regulations or increased enforcement of existing laws in these areas could be unwarranted and counterproductive. We urge the ACCC to consider these factors in its ongoing inquiry, recognizing the need for a balanced approach that supports innovation and competition while safeguarding consumer interests.

Full Letter Here
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SIIA Joins Several Organizations in Urging Congress to Pass the SAMOSA Act for Federal IT Cost Savings

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SIIA joins several organizations in urging Congressional leaders to pass the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act before the session ends. This bipartisan legislation aims to reduce wasteful spending in federal agencies by requiring independent reviews of software management practices. The letter points out that restrictive software licenses and inadequate tracking of IT purchases have led to inefficiencies, and the SAMOSA Act could save the government an estimated $750 million annually. The organizations stress the need for responsible IT spending and call for immediate legislative action.
Full Letter Here
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SIIA Statement on No Fakes

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The following statement can be attributed to Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).

SIIA shares the goal of preventing harm from deepfakes and we recognize there is a gap in current law. However, the No Fakes Act is too broad. We believe better solutions lie in targeted regulations like the Defiance Act which focuses on bad actors and harmful content. The No Fakes Act in its current form is not the answer.

We urge lawmakers to reconsider this approach and work toward more tailored proposals to address the problem of malicious deepfakes.

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SIIA Attends White House and U.S. Department of Education Summit on Digital Equity, Inclusion, and Emerging Technology

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The following can be attributed to Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).

The Software & Information Industry Association is honored to have joined leaders from across the country at the White House and U.S. Department of Education Summit on Digital Equity, Inclusion, and Emerging Technology, held on August 15. The Summit provided an opportunity to explore ways that educators, policymakers, and vendors can collaborate to improve the sustainability of and equitable access to education technology.

We congratulate Digital Promise on their new publication – Framework for Digital Equity, released to coincide with the August 15 Summit.  The Framework for Digital Equity includes a set of guidelines, principles and policy recommendations designed to address the digital divide that exists nationwide.  Focusing on the principles of innovation, improvement and sustainability, Digital Promise lays out the groundwork for addressing digital equity for state level K-12 and higher education systems.

SIIA looks forward to working with the White House, the Department of Education, and non-governmental groups like Digital Promise to further the solutions explored at the Summit. As a trade organization representing leading companies in the field of education technology, SIIA is proud to collaborate with Digital Promise and its mission to promote digital equity, while also advancing the efforts to enhance all learners’ educational experiences in the digital world.

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SIIA Statement on California SB 1047 AI Bill

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The following statement can be attributed to Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).

SIIA remains concerned about California’s SB 1047 AI bill though we recognize positive changes were made to the version that passed out of Appropriations Committee last week. Our broader concerns remain: SB 1047 will create burdens for innovators without addressing the need for a consistent approach to AI safety. Rather than rushing an approach on the state level that could fragment the AI landscape, oversight should be coordinated at the federal level. This is a concern that has also been raised by several California legislators, who are rightly concerned about the impact this will have on the state’s startup community, scientific development, and the trajectory of further protections against the potential harms posed by AI. As described in our recent piece in the Los Angeles Times, there’s an urgent need to focus efforts on building standards around AI safety and lawmakers should focus on resourcing the NIST AI Safety Institute to ensure a consistent approach to U.S. frontier model development that does not hinder continued innovation.

As California lawmakers consider numerous bills to address important issues around AI this session, we urge them to hit pause on SB 1047 to avoid unintended consequences.