This piece originally appeared in Broadband Breakfast.
Cyber attacks on US telecommunications networks, government agencies, and western allies have been met by calls to improve security and close potential entry points for bad actors. To boost our telecommunications security, we should heed the phrase: “follow the money.”
The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, recently introduced in the House and Senate, would operationalize this adage by requiring public disclosure of ownership stakes in American telcos that could pose a threat to national security. The FACT Act is a sensible continuation of efforts to increase transparency around investment in critical infrastructure within the United States.
The FACT Act has two separate prongs to provide such information: one focused on the short term and one on the medium term. In the short term, the Federal Communications Commission would be required within 120 days of enactment to publish a list of all entities that own a license for broadcasting or common carrier services obtained through a competitive bidding process in two circumstances.
