Facebook Pushes for Data Portability Legislation Ahead of FTC Hearing

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Facebook Pushes for Data Portability Legislation Ahead of FTC Hearing

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Facebook Inc on Friday pushed for legislation that makes it easier for users to transfer photos and videos to a rival tech platform, in comments it sent to the Federal Trade Commission ahead of a hearing on the topic on Sept. 22.

Data portability has become a key part of the antitrust debate in the US and Europe.

In April, Facebook allowed users in the US and Canada to transfer photos and videos to Alphabet-owned Google Photos for the first time - a move that is likely to help the company respond to US regulators and lawmakers, who are investigating its competitive practices and allegations it has stifled competition.

“The FTC often issues reports following these workshops ... I think their recommendations should include dedicated portability legislation,” Bijan Madhani, privacy and public policy manager at Facebook told Reuters.

Facebook supports a portability bill already doing the rounds in Congress called the Access Act from Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Mark Warner, and Republican senator Josh Hawley. It would require large tech platforms to let their users easily move their data to other services.

The bill is a good first step, Madhani said. Facebook has engaged with the lawmakers on it and will continue working with them, he added.

Facebook is also seeking regulatory guidance, in the form of an independent body or regulator, in answering policy questions and helping them address liability issues tied to portability, Madhani said.

The social media platform is also pressing for more clarity on what kinds of data should be portable and who is responsible for protecting such information as it moves to different services, he noted.



US Auto Safety Agency Reviewing Tesla Answers on Robotaxi Deployment Plans

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
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US Auto Safety Agency Reviewing Tesla Answers on Robotaxi Deployment Plans

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Tesla is seen on a store in Paris, France, October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

US highway safety regulators are reviewing answers Tesla gave in response to the agency's questions about the safety of its self-driving robotaxi in poor weather, the agency said on Friday, ahead of plans to deploy the vehicles as soon as this weekend.

Tesla has sent invitations to a small group of people to join in a limited test of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, which is tentatively set to start on Sunday, according to posts and email screenshots on social media.

In a letter last month, NHTSA asked Tesla to answer detailed questions by June 19 on its plans to launch paid robotaxi service in Austin, to assess how the electric vehicle maker's cars with full self-driving technology will perform in poor weather, Reuters said.

The agency said it has received Tesla's response "and is in the process of reviewing it. Once our review has been completed the public file will be updated."

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The invitations said a Tesla employee will accompany riders in the front passenger seat, the posts showed. NHTSA asked Tesla if vehicles "will be supervised or otherwise monitored by Tesla in real time."

NHTSA has been investigating Tesla full self-driving collisions in reduced roadway visibility conditions since October. The probe covers 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with full self-driving technology after four reported collisions, including a 2023 fatal crash.

The agency said in May it was seeking additional information about Tesla's development of robotaxis "to assess the ability of Tesla's system to react appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions" as well details on robotaxi deployment plans and the technology being used.

NHTSA said in May it wants to know how many vehicles will be used as robotaxis and the expected timetable for availability of robotaxi technology for vehicles controlled by people other than Tesla.

NHTSA's letter asked Tesla to describe how it intends to ensure the safety of robotaxi operations in reduced roadway visibility conditions such as sun glare, fog, airborne dust, rain, or snow. It also wants to know what happens if poor visibility is encountered during a ride.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he will focus on safety in the trial, with humans remotely monitoring the vehicles.