OVERNIGHT TECH: US wants details on Chinese Web bans

By Gautham Nagesh - 10/19/11 06:45 PM ET

THE LEDE: U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk requested more information from the Chinese government under the rules of the World Trade Organization about how and why it blocks the websites of certain U.S. businesses. A release from the USTR notes access to the Chinese market via the Internet is increasingly crucial for American service firms, and argues the censorship creates commercial trade barriers that hurt U.S. companies. USTR cites WTO rules that each member must respond promptly to requests for information from one another, but the U.S. has not yet filed a complaint regarding China's firewall.

FCC creates spectrum graphic: The Federal Communications Commission posted a graphic on its website Wednesday to illustrate the looming shortage of spectrum for mobile devices. The graphic explains that the growing number of cellphones and other wireless devices could lead to a "spectrum crunch."

The agency uses an image of a highway traffic jam to show that a lack of spectrum could lead to delays or dropped calls. The graphic also explains the FCC's proposed incentive auctions that would encourage television broadcasters to give up their spectrum so the FCC could auction the spectrum to wireless companies. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski calls the spectrum crunch "the single biggest threat to one of the most promising parts of our economy."

Obama < BlackBerry: From Wednesday's White House pool report in Hampton, Va.: "As POTUS left Anna's pizzeria, he hit a small handshake line near The Bus. It was a grip-and-go, polite but brisk, until the leader of the free world extended his hand to a middle-aged fellow at the end of the row. The guy was texting. He looked up for an instant, shook Obama's hand, and returned to his smartphone."

ON TAP THURSDAY:

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis will host a press conference with Facebook to announce an innovative partnership and resource to help Americans find jobs, featuring Facebook vice president of global public policy Marne Levine.

The General Services Administration will donate a truckload of computers and equipment to Suitland High School in Forestville, Md., on Thursday morning, with Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) among those in attendance. Federal agencies donate hundreds of thousands of pieces of computer equipment to local schools and eligible community groups through the Computers for Learning Program every year.

House takes first step toward legalizing online gambling: Supporters of legalizing online betting cheered Wednesday after an announcement late Tuesday that the House Energy and Commerce Manufacturing subpanel, under the leadership of Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), will hold a hearing on Internet gambling next Tuesday. The hearing will be on the issue of online gambling as a whole, but online poker supporters are particularly hopeful that the game will be legalized via legislation introduced in July by committee member Joe Barton (R-Texas).

ICYMI:

Legislation from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) that would punish users for posting unlicensed copyrighted content online repeatedly could land pop singer Justin Bieber in jail, according to a group opposed to the bill.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) asked the Federal Trade Commission to probe the privacy risks of facial recognition technology.

The Department of Justice has reportedly brought in some hired guns to help with the AT&T/T-Mobile lawsuit, indicating the government is gearing up for a trial.