Standards bodies and regulators quietly decide what becomes mandatory long before it reaches a press release. This category follows DRM and anti-piracy enforcement, codec licensing and patent pools, AI training-data copyright, and net neutrality and privacy rules shaping the industry.
GatesAir supported a three-year field trial in Delhi, India, demonstrating a hybrid ATSC 3.0 architecture for direct-to-mobile (D2M) services. The trial, conducted with Prasar Bharati and Tejas Networks, successfully showcased the potential of the standard for national D2M applications.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun enforcement of Section 3 of the "Take It Down Act," which mandates covered online platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate imagery, including deepfakes, within 48 hours of a valid request. The Act, signed into law a year prior, requires platforms to implement clear notice and removal processes and be prepared to demonstrate compliance, with violations potentially incurring civil penalties of $53,088 per infringement.
The Delhi High Court set aside a 2018 decree compelling two DVD player manufacturers to pay royalty to Philips for alleged infringement of its DVD decoding technology patent. The court determined that Philips failed to establish infringement and that the patent was not proven to be a Standard Essential Patent (SEP), additionally citing patent exhaustion as a defense.
FERA participated in the 79th Cannes Film Festival, engaging in discussions with European Commission representatives, filmmakers, and policymakers regarding the future of European audiovisual policy and funding. Key topics included advocating for direct support for creators, distinguishing journalism from documentary in funding, addressing loopholes in the AVMSD for global streaming platforms, and protecting creators' rights against generative AI. Debates also covered the sustainability crisis in the US industry and the importance of theatrical exhibition.
South Africa is progressing with legislative amendments to its communications law, aiming to facilitate the entry of Starlink into the country. This move signals a broader shift in the nation's broadband policy regarding satellite internet access.
The EU AI Act will reach full enforcement for high-risk AI systems on August 2, 2026, requiring automatic logging and retention of decision logs for a minimum of six months, among other compliance measures. Most current AI agent architectures lack the necessary infrastructure for these requirements, particularly in areas like prompt injection detection and detailed decision audit trails. The article advises implementing security scanning, structured logging, and human oversight hooks to meet the Act's obligations, noting the overlap between compliance and security infrastructure.
India's ambitions for satellite-to-smartphone (D2D) connectivity are reportedly encountering challenges related to hardware constraints and spectrum policy, according to Apple and Google. These factors are identified as crucial for the widespread implementation of D2D services in India.
Professor Diana M. Bowman will speak about Australia's pioneering efforts in Big Tech regulation, highlighting its ban on social media for under-16s, which resulted in 4.7 million account deactivations in six weeks. Australia has also implemented the News Media Bargaining Code, streaming quotas on major platforms like Netflix and Disney+, and established the eSafety Commissioner, serving as a live experiment in platform governance being studied by other nations.
A market outlook report from Virousr Dynamics projects significant growth for the global ATSC 3.0 Set-Top Box Market through 2032 due to increasing adoption of smart TVs and 4K/8K broadcasting. The report highlights trends like hybrid broadcast-broadband systems and interactive services, with key market players identified. The analysis focuses on how ATSC 3.0's next-generation digital transmission technology is transforming home entertainment.
The LPTV Broadcasters Association has formally requested that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr grant low-power television (LPTV) broadcasters regulatory adjustments similar to those given to cellular providers. They are seeking immediate action to modernize LPTV broadcasting and provide greater technological flexibility.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has introduced new guidelines for AI-generated advertising content, requiring mandatory disclosures. These norms are expected to impact campaign approvals and creative workflows across various sectors, including agencies and the DOOH industry.
HTX and Adobe are collaborating to test provenance, metadata, and watermarking tools. The objective is to improve the verification of manipulated digital content. This initiative aims to address concerns around the authenticity of digital media.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has distributed an English version of its "Guide to Fair Use for AI Training of Works." This guide aims to provide clarity on the legal framework for using copyrighted materials in AI training.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the company collects consumer data without user knowledge and employs addictive design practices to retain subscribers. The suit claims these actions are deceptive to consumers. This legal action targets Netflix's data collection and user engagement strategies.
The NFL has acknowledged reports regarding Fox's alleged involvement in a federal antitrust investigation against the league. An NFL spokesperson commented that Fox's actions were "a little bit odd" given the network's commitment to broadcast TV.
The article highlights the growing importance of media provenance and AI security in streaming, predicting the market will expand from hundreds of millions to billions within five years. It suggests that upcoming standards like Media-Over-QUIC RFC could incorporate "human guarantees" against AI-generated content, pushing content providers to adopt AI-focused DRM and authenticity solutions.
Brazilian courts, specifically the 6th Business Trial Court of Rio de Janeiro, affirmed its jurisdiction in a Standard Essential Patent (SEP) dispute involving HEVC technology between JVCKenwood and implementers Hisense and Multilaser. This ruling pushed back against alleged 'forum shopping' tactics by the implementers, upholding good faith in procedural rules and emphasizing expert analysis in infringement determinations. A preliminary injunction was granted to JVC, and Hisense eventually joined Access Advance's HEVC Advance Patent Pool following a global settlement.
Sovereign Peak Ventures (SPV), a patent assertion entity, has filed a lawsuit against ByteDance and its affiliates, TikTok and Pico, for alleged infringement of 10 patents related to HEVC/H.265 and Wi-Fi Direct/Miracast technologies. This marks SPV's first patent assertion targeting a streaming media platform, accusing ByteDance's TikTok and various BytePlus services of HEVC infringement, and Pico VR headsets of Wi-Fi Direct infringement.
The EU has delayed the compliance deadline for its AI Act, prompting Hexnode to advise companies to audit their AI systems proactively. While the specific compliance date is not mentioned, the article emphasizes that companies should use this additional time to prepare for the regulatory requirements.
The European Union (EU) has released an updated code of practice to assist companies in understanding and complying with the transparency requirements of its AI Act. The code aims to provide guidance for implementing the regulations governing artificial intelligence.
Reliance Jio has opened its low-cost 4G feature phone recharge plans to devices from rival companies. This action follows an order from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which identified device-specific tariffs as discriminatory.
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals expressed doubt regarding Standard General's lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging a racist conspiracy. The suit claims the FCC blocked its acquisition of Tegna due to racial bias.
38 Degrees, a UK-based public campaign organization, is urging Ofcom to take action against GB News for allegedly flouting broadcasting rules. The campaign was launched in response to a recent incident involving a GB News presenter's comments, highlighting concerns about the broadcaster's adherence to regulatory standards.
Litigation surrounding the HEVC Advance Patent Pool is increasing, with key industry players like ASUS, ACER, Hisense, Meta, and Disney facing infringement actions from licensors such as Nokia and Huawei. These disputes involve FRAND terms and are occurring across multiple jurisdictions, including the Unified Patent Court (UPC), Germany, the United States, Brazil, India, and the UK High Court.
Digimarc announced the release of the first digital watermarking implementation approved for use in the C2PA 2.1 standard. This integration allows digital watermarking to be applied to Content Credentials, enhancing authenticity and resistance to manipulation for digital content, especially in the context of generative AI.
China has implemented a new law, effective October 25, requiring influencers to hold formal qualifications in fields like medicine, law, education, or finance to discuss these professional topics. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) introduced this mandate to combat misinformation, with platforms like Douyin, Bilibili, and Weibo responsible for verifying influencer credentials and ensuring proper content citations. The law also bans advertising for medical services and products to curb disguised covert promotions.
The OpenMOQ Software Consortium has formed to advance the Media Over QUIC (MOQ) protocol, an open-source publish-subscribe protocol designed for tunable latency streaming. Charter members include Akamai, CDN77, Cisco, Red5, Synamedia, and YouTube, alongside other standard and academic members, collaborating on implementations based on IETF QUIC and WebTransport standards.
Adobe published a consolidated list of security bulletins and advisories for numerous products, including several directly relevant to video streaming and production such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Media Encoder, After Effects, and Content Credentials SDK. These bulletins detail security updates to address vulnerabilities across various software versions.
The UK government is considering extending the BBC license fee to households that exclusively use streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ as part of a review to modernize the public service broadcaster's funding model. This option is being discussed by the Prime Minister's office, the Treasury, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
DVB will host a workshop at the 2026 Strategies in Satellite Ground Segment (SSGS) conference in London, focusing on its DVB-S2X and DVB-RCS2 standards for Non-Geosynchronous Satellite Orbit (NGSO) constellations. The workshop will present independent simulation results confirming the standards' performance for high throughput, low latency, and robust link availability in NGSO systems. Speakers from MDA Space, Magister Solutions, EASii IC, and Rohde & Schwarz will discuss the technical specifications, on-board processing, user terminal design, and interoperability benefits.
The Canadian Digital Regulators Forum (CDRF), which includes the CRTC, will host an interactive workshop on May 21, 2026, to discuss regulatory perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI). The workshop aims to gather stakeholders to address the impact of AI on competition, privacy, copyright law, and telecommunications and broadcasting regulation in Canada.
The FCC informed a federal appeals court that it expects to vote on the Media Bureau's approval of the $6.2 billion Nexstar-TEGNA merger sometime this year. The agency requested that the court not dictate its timetable for the decision process.
The European Union has provisionally agreed to delay the implementation of certain rules within its AI Act by up to 16 months. Existing provisions on high-risk AI systems, originally set for August 2026, will now become active in December 2027 for standalone systems and August 2028 for embedded systems, aiming to streamline and harmonize implementation.
SMPTE announced the ST 2110 Boot Camp for June 2026, an intensive 13-week program with 20 modules across three courses focusing on transitioning from SDI to ST 2110 IP workflows. The program, which includes self-paced modules and live instructor-led coaching, aims to equip professionals with practical skills and an industry-recognized credential for IP-based live production.
This article details the program for the SMPTE Media Technology Conference Europe in 2026, which will be held in Europe for the first time. The conference spans two days, May 13-14, 2026, and features numerous sessions on topics including AI in media workflows, hybrid live production, remote production, cloud MCR transformation, and 5G broadcast. Various companies and academic institutions are contributing speakers and sponsors.
This article analyzes the InterDigital vs. Amazon patent dispute, leveraging InterDigital's Q1 2026 10-Q filing to update predictions on a potential settlement. Key factors influencing the outcome include a $1.05 billion Samsung ICC arbitration award, a Dolby legal challenge to InterDigital patents also asserted against Amazon, parallel German court proceedings, and the clarification that InterDigital is asserting AV1 patents against Amazon.
The U.S. government has cleared approximately 10 Chinese firms, including Alibaba and Tencent, to purchase Nvidia's H200 AI chips, but no deliveries have been made due to resistance from Beijing. This situation highlights the ongoing U.S.-China tech rivalry and China's push for domestic AI chip development, with Nvidia's CEO actively seeking a resolution.
This academic paper analyzes the emergence and function of 'digital regulators forums' in Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, the UK, and Australia. These forums, which bring together competition, privacy, and communications regulators, aim to create a coordinated approach to governing online platforms within domestic digital sectors. The paper discusses their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for success, including increased transparency and global partnerships.
The Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA) has opened speaker submissions for its SEGMENTS:2026 Atlanta conference, seeking presentations that address technical and operational challenges across the streaming workflow. The call for speakers outlines specific areas of interest including workflow, ingest, content, playback, manipulation, delivery, analytics, and operations, with a submission deadline of June 1, 2026. The SVTA emphasizes solutions to real-world problems and encourages participation from those working in streaming operations.
DECaDE, the UKRI Next Stage Centre for the Decentralised Digital Economy, researches decentralized technologies like Distributed Ledger Technology, Blockchain, and AI to address challenges in areas such as media provenance and supply chains. The center's research notably influenced a House of Lords report on AI and copyright, advocating for provenance infrastructure and open standards to support creator rights. DECaDE also plans to showcase a Decentralized Creative Content Exchange platform at CVMP 2025.
Sofia Digital has launched a production-ready DVB-I client compatible with Android Mobile, Android TV, iOS, Web browsers, and HbbTV. The client unifies broadcast and internet linear TV delivery, supporting DVB-I service discovery, adaptive streaming, and multiple tuner inputs for operators and device makers. Sofia Digital states it previously developed the official DVB-I reference client and has existing deployments with satellite operators like SES.
This article discusses the legal and competitive implications of state-level regulations targeting "addictive design" features in social media, such as infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds. It argues that these regulations face challenges under Section 230 immunity and First Amendment protections, and that they conflict with competition policy by hindering platforms' ability to differentiate through engagement-maximizing features.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez sent a letter to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, accusing the Trump administration's FCC of orchestrating a "censorship and control" campaign targeting Disney and ABC. Gomez detailed a series of FCC actions, including investigations into Disney's DEI practices, ABC's moderation of a 2024 election debate, and an early review of ABC's broadcast licenses, alleging these actions are politically motivated to pressure media into submission.
The Rio de Janeiro Appellate Court upheld Nokia's preliminary injunction against ASUS concerning a standard-essential patent (SEP) related to AVC/H.264 video coding. The court rejected ASUS's claims that Nokia's licensing terms were not fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) and dismissed part of an expert report arguing the patent was non-essential. This decision has implications for Nokia's parallel case against Acer.
The Munich Regional Court proposed a $640 million FRAND royalty rate in the ongoing SEP licensing dispute between ZTE and Samsung, covering a five-year period. This decision follows similar rulings in London and Chongqing, with the German court's proposal being closer to the Chinese finding than the UK's lower figure. Additionally, Sisvel announced five new licensors joined its Point of Sale patent pool.
Ocean Blue Software (OBS) and the Service List Registry (SLR) are collaborating to build a scalable ecosystem for the DVB-I service discovery standard. OBS's DVB-I Client software will connect with SLR's Unified Service Platform to provide reliable service discovery for smart televisions and operator platforms. This partnership aims to advance the international deployment of DVB-I.
Ocean Blue Software and Service List Registry (SLR) have partnered to deploy DVB-I at scale, combining their client software and platform infrastructure to simplify television and video viewing globally. SLR's platform supports the DVB-I service discovery specification, connecting consumer devices to registered media service providers and integrating traditional broadcast with online offerings across various networks and screens. The collaboration aims to enable a unified service platform that allows users to discover and access audiovisual media services based on location, language, and preferences, supporting free, subscription, or mixed monetization models.
SMPTE Education is launching a pilot IP networking boot camp focused on SMPTE ST 2110 standards. The program consists of three courses: "Introduction to IP Networking," "Designing an IP Network," and an updated "Understanding ST 2110" course, culminating in a final certification exam. These courses aim to equip participants with skills for creating media production and delivery systems within IP networks.
Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Netflix, alleging the company illegally collected and monetized Texans' user data, including that of children, without consent. The lawsuit claims Netflix operates a "surveillance program" by tracking viewing habits, devices, and network usage, and sharing this data with brokers and ad tech companies. Paxton seeks to stop data collection and disclosure, disable autoplay on kids' profiles by default, and secure injunctive relief and civil penalties under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Skylo has filed for FCC authorization to expand its direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity service, aiming to support millions more IoT, smartphone, and wearable devices in the US. This expansion seeks to broaden the reach of its satellite-based communication capabilities.
