This week marks the 22st anniversary of the Communications Act of 1996, the law that governs the rules for how our communications networks operate, from cell phones to broadband, from wifi to email.
Of course this means America’s communications laws haven’t been updated since Bill Clinton was in the White House, when most Americans didn’t own a cell phone or have email, let alone have the amazing array of current tech gadgets that connect us instantly to oceans of information and events.
Facebook, Google, Amazon, Twitter… all weren’t even blips on the horizon. Maybe it’s time Congress updated our laws?
Of course they should. To remain a leader in developing technologies that will continue to revolutionize our economy, lifestyle and quality of life, it is crucial that we make our laws catch up to the technology they regulate. Updating our laws from the analog age to the digital will create the proper regulatory framework to spur investment and innovation to ensure America remains the world leader in technology, and that our nation stands on the forefront of the ongoing digital revolution. This regulatory upgrade is even more urgent considering the eventual arrival of 5G technology, which will bring digital information and services to us up to 100 times faster than today.
22 years is far too long to allow our laws regulating technology to wallow in obsolescence. Leaders like Sen. John Thune (R-SD) are pronouncing an upgrade to the Communications Act as a top priority, let’s hope Congress as a whole gets the signal and follows suit to ensure the continuation of digital innovation.
