chairman genachowski, we have seen the phone hacking scandal. are you satisfied there are safeguards to prevent similar privacy breaches or should americans be concerned? as mobile devices become integrated and consumer use them for critical functions like banking will we see an explosion of hacking incidents? >> there are several laws in place that address hacking issues. there are federal wiretapping laws that prevent unauthorized hacking. packing by definition is unauthorized. there are provisions of the communications act that criminalize interception of communications and there are state of laws that prevent any hacking of phones should be investigated. there are criminal provisions that should be addressed very seriously. there are also issues around the security devices themselves. several years ago there was an effort to improve phones including voice mail by providing password protection. many carriers automatically provide password protection for voicemail. others give consumers the choice. no question greater protection can be accompl

chairman genachowski heals the proceedings as a test case for a miss. however, i believe there were some in this proceeding. commissioner mick that will come if you believe you're able to review the record in the net neutrality docket or were their opinions late into the docket that made it very difficult to review before the vote quite >> there were about 3000 pages of documentation placed in the final two or three days. >> you an opportunity to review those click >> there is opportunity, but not enough time. >> as a commissioner, when did you see that net neutrality water you voted against on december 1st 2010 and was at the same rules proposed in october 2009 click >> there were several drafts but we got the file draft about a quarter to midnight the night before the vote. >> although the rules in december, the docket to reclassify broadband services vendor title ii remains open. i think this is surprising because we've made efforts to close other docket that the sec. do you believe this data should be closed click >> yes. >> are you worth any reason

genachowski, you want to comment on this particular matter? >> the relationship between what happens in the privacy arena and achieving economic job-creating potential of the internet really are related. being very thoughtful about that is important. i mentioned the relationship between trust of the internet and increase in broadband adoption in a world where almost all job postings are on line. you are raising an important set of sensitivities that need to be carefully considered in this area. >> thank you. an honest point i want to reiterate in terms of the extensive deliberations put into this as we move forward. the first in a series of privacy hearings we will be holding this year and i look forward to continued discussions and how to balance these needs everyone has brought up. is clear to me that personal data is the gold rush of our times. i would like to thank commissioner ramirez peters the referred to a statement by fellow commissioner rush with separate views on internet privacy and shares of minority staff and with unanimous conse

i think chairman genachowski, i don't speak for him, but i think he shares this sense of urgency. pretty much any idea that has been thought of regarding universal service has already been fully -- over the past 14 years. the staff has already thought of and written i'm sure many drafts of order. it's probably a matter of cutting and pasting some more doctors together which can probably get done by -- if we put our minds to. i understand that there are some new ideas industry wants to float, we want to get those out for public comment as quickly as possible but i'd like to see it done no later than our october meeting. if we do end up with new commissioners by then, i hope that's not used as an excuse. >> host: why no action on the funding site? >> guest: i don't know. i think should have been done comprehensively. the reason i have been given is there isn't personnel within the fcc to get it done. that was not the case in 2008. it's all related. and there are issues that touch one another. that announced has been used many times now. like fixing a watch. you can tinker with one c

i have expressed these exact concerns to chairman genachowski. i don't want to speak for him, i'm sure he doesn't want me to speak for him as well. he shares the sense of urgency. any idea that has been thought up during universal service or compensation, has fully briefed over the past 14 years. the staff has already thought of and written i'm sure many drafts and orders. it's probably a matter of cutting and pasting word documents together which we can probably get done by midnight tonight if we really put our minds to it. i understand that there are new ideas that industry wants to float and get those out for public comment as quickly as possible. but i'd like to see it done no later than our october meeting. if we end up with new commissioners by then, which would be quick, i hope it's not used an excuse. >> why no action on the funding side? >> i don't know. i've been calling for this. this should have been presence -- comprehensively. the reason is there isn't the broadband, no fun tended, within the fcc to get it done. that was not the cas

witnesses include fcc chairman julius genachowski. assistant commerce secretary for communications loren strickland. this is two-1/2 hours. >> the subcommittee will come to order. today cellphone hacking scandal in great britain consumer privacy as part of the national consciousness. we have a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of millions of americans and the look forward to welcome chairman walton and members of the committees on both challenges. privacy laws are stricter than in the u.s.. how could have gone so far out of hand? whether american consumers are as vulnerable as celebrities in london. i hope chairman genachowski will address this issue as we continue to gather facts. this morning we began an important and some say long overdue debate. how do we have congress and americans balance the need -- >> madam chair, is the microphone on? >> it is. you need to get used to a female chairman. >> how we balance the need to remain innovative with the need to remain privacy. information on sophisticated ways. s

we've been pushing hard for the last several years, um, the chairman, chairman genachowski, commissioners, the president of the united states mentioned the need to bring spectrum to market in his state of the union address, republicans and democrats in the house and in the senate all have identified the need to bring more spectrum to market. i agree with matt, i would love the opportunity for everyone to get as much spectrum as they want and allow them all just to compete without having to worry about infrastructure. so that's key from our perspective. but i think if you, if you want to pick and choose and want to find individual statistics within this report to raise concerns, that's a possibility. but i, i don't think when you look at the entirety of the report there's any way to conclude that there is not effective competition. >> host: paul kirby, next question. >> host: matt, you mentioned something called backhaul. backhaul allows cell sites to be connected, basically, back to the network. and that's a big concern of smaller carriers. their contention is that a, -- at&t and verizon

but i have been in a dialogue with chairman genachowski about making sure that we move as quickly asn on the merger review process as there are a lot of problems with how the commission under both republicans and democrats have conducted themselves in terms of taking too long or imposing conditions that have absolutely nothing to do with the substance of the merger itself. so congress could look at it and there could be a statutory provision certainly, but the best thing to do would be to honor its own 180 dÉjÀ clock. >> just to add something we from time to time work with the fcc on the merger views and from our perspective, you don't deserve a particular outcome, but to do preserve a sort of speedy resolution. sometimes it takes longer with documents but that's where you deserve, i think that's a reasonable point. >> i agree. >> most of us would agree as well. commissioner northup comedy think congressman waxman's proposed the legislation will likely ease any burdens under the consumer product safety and protect? >> no, i don't think it goes nearly far enough. in fact, you know, he