SIIA provided feedback on the interim report of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force (the Task Force):
We congratulate the Task Force for its excellent report. The report demonstrates robust engagement with the challenges of expanding access and pathways to ensure a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible AI R&D ecosystem in the United States. We view the establishment of a NAIRR as a critical means to achieve these goals.
This statement can be attributed to Jeff Joseph, President, Software & Information Industry Association regarding the markup of the newly introduced federal privacy bill, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (H.R.8152).
We are encouraged by the accelerated bipartisan efforts to develop a federal framework for data privacy and appreciate that the legislation has been amended in the past two weeks to address several of our concerns, including:
Unfortunately, the bill is not yet ready for enactment. As the House proceeds through subcommittee and committee markup, there remain critical issues that it will need to address. Among these:
SIIA looks forward to engaging with the Congress as they work through this draft. We remain committed to working toward – and are hopeful we will soon achieve – balanced, comprehensive federal privacy legislation.
This statement can be attributed to Jeff Joseph, President, Software & Information Industry Association:
We are encouraged by press reports that House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) along with Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), reportedly have made significant progress on a federal privacy bill that includes federal preemption and a limited private right of action for substantial and individualized harm – two of our top priority concerns.
SIIA has advocated strongly for federal privacy legislation that balances legitimate concerns about individual privacy and the need for laws that support innovation and commerce. A federal privacy law that achieves this balance will ensure that consumers and companies alike do not have to navigate a patchwork of individual state privacy laws with different rights and obligations. A uniform privacy law would level the playing field for companies, no matter their size, and support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), who are the backbone of the U.S. economy.
We urge lawmakers to ensure that any federal privacy bill that moves ahead preserve the ability of American companies and consumers to make productive use of publicly-available information (PAI). As several states have already recognized in their privacy laws, preservation of the ability to use PAI is required by the First Amendment and the uniquely American values that underlie it.
Privacy is a serious issue for consumers and businesses of all sizes. The United States should serve as a global role model in supporting a free Internet. It is critical that we get this right. We look forward to reviewing the proposal and working with Congress to advance a comprehensive federal privacy bill in the near term.
For more insights from SIIA please read this blog: https://www.siia.net/act-now-on-federal-privacy-legislation/
COVID-19 Policy for In-Person Events
Vaccination policy: To attend an AM&P Network in-person event, you must show proof of full vaccination in order to enter the event space.
Mask policy:
As local mandates may change, SIIA may make changes to our own safety planning. We will keep you informed of any changes. If you test positive for COVID within 10 days prior to the event date, you can transfer your registration to a colleague, receive a credit toward a future AM&P Network event (within the calendar year), or receive a 75% refund. Find the full cancellation policy below.
CANCELLATION POLICY
SIIA Domestic (USA) Live Event and COVID -19 Policies as of June 2022
COVID Policy for In-Person Events: SIIA will follow all COVID -19 regulations and restrictions applicable at the time of the event as set by the U.S. Government (USG) and the state, locality and venue in which the event will be hosted, as well as recommended safety guidelines from the CDC. If SIIA is unable to hold the event due to pandemic-related restrictions or regulations imposed by the USG, the host state or the event venue, SIIA will credit the registration fee towards a virtual or hybrid event, or another SIIA event of the registrant’s choice.
Should the planned in-person meeting shift to a hybrid or fully virtual event due to COVID -19, registration can be transferred to another colleague at no charge. Registration fees are not refundable.
Exhibit and sponsorship fees also are not refundable. Should the planned in-person meeting shift to a hybrid event, exhibit and/or sponsorship fee agreements shall be unaffected. If the event shifts to a fully virtual event, participants will be able to transfer their sponsorship or exhibit payment to a SIIA future live or hybrid event if necessary.
*If registrant provides proof of a COVID -19 diagnosis within 10-days of the event date and can no longer travel, a substitute registrant will be permitted – or the registration can be applied to a future SIIA event within the calendar year. If a refund is requested, a 75% refund will be provided, less the 25% processing fee.
During the event, the host venue, and not SIIA, will enforce the COVID -19 guidelines. These guidelines may or may not include wearing mask indoors and in conference rooms, providing proof of vaccination or recent testing, social distancing and/or administering onsite rapid testing.
SIIA may update or otherwise modify these requirements at any time as we deem prudent to best protect the health and safety of attendees, staff and others. Attendees must comply with these policies as communicated by SIIA and the event venue.
SIIA cannot be held liable for COVID-19 cases resulting from attending SIIA’s in-person events. Attendees of SIIA in-person events must follow the stated policies, regulations and restrictions while participating in the event and related official activities. Failure to comply with all safety protocols and requirements as communicated by SIIA or an official event venue – or related directions from SIIA or the venue on-site – may result in the loss of the right to attend or participate in SIIA events, including forfeiting any registration fees paid.
*In-Person Event General Cancellation-Refund Policy:
Virtual Event General Cancellation-Refund Policy
The following statement can be attributed to Jeff Joseph, President, Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA):
“The Competition and Transparency in Digital Advertising Act (CTDA) introduced yesterday by a bipartisan group of senators on the Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust aims to prohibit companies with more than $20 billion in digital ad revenue from running a ‘digital advertising exchange.’ This would force structural and behavioral changes on large and medium-sized companies in the digital advertising space and likely require companies like Google and Meta to sell off parts of their business.
“For companies with more than $5 billion in digital ad revenue, the bill imposes requirements related to greater transparency, an obligation to act in their customers best interests, and to undergo an annual compliance test.
“This bill continues a trend seen in other recently proposed legislation, where legislators seek to use the blunt instrument of antitrust law to punish a handful of large corporations, focusing only on a company’s size, not its conduct. If there are issues that need to be addressed, this is the wrong way to do it. Not only is competition in the digital ad space dynamic, but digital advertising is also what makes the free and open internet that we all enjoy possible. Forcing these changes would give consumers fewer choices that would be more costly.
“We encourage lawmakers to consider other options to resolve conflict of interest concerns such as establishing a code of conduct to mandate individually tailored behavioral changes coupled with auditability that would be implemented across the entire industry, not just to a small group of companies that are disfavored simply because of their size. Our nation has long believed in punishing companies for bad behavior, not for their success. That principle should continue to stand in the digital age.”
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