The measure has six co-sponsors, including Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), but no Republican co-sponsors.

It is also supported by privacy advocates such as the Center for Democracy and Technology, as well as domestic violence prevention groups.

{mosads}But with Congress focused on the “fiscal cliff” of automatic spending cuts and tax increases in the final weeks of the year, the bill’s chances for passage this Congress look slim. An aide to Franken said the senator intends to push the measure again next Congress.

Kramer to provide update on Internet conference: U.S. Ambassador Terry Kramer is briefing the media on Thursday morning about the latest developments during the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai this week.

Member countries of the United Nations International Telecommunications Union are meeting over the next several days to update a global telecommunications treaty for the first time since 1988. U.S. officials and American companies have sounded the alarm about proposals that would expand the scope of the treaty so it shifts from regulating telecommunications networks to regulating the exchange of information on the Internet.

So far, Kramer has said that the definition of the telecommunications in the treaty was preserved and the preamble underwent only “minor changes.” He also pushed back against reports claiming that a joint U.S.-Canada proposal to keep Internet regulations out of the treaty failed to win early backing from other countries, calling them “inaccurate.”

Google foes said to approach DOJ: Google’s critics, fearing that the Federal Trade Commission will fail to aggressively crack down on the company, have met with officials at the Justice Department, The Washington Post reported.

The companies claim that Google is stifling competition by preferring its own services in search results.

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz has said he plans to close his agency’s probe by the end of the year. 

FBI said to investigate hacker attack on Adm. Mullen: The FBI is investigating an attack by foreign hackers on retired Adm. Mike Mullen’s personal computers, according to The Wall Street Journal. Mullen is the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Early evidence suggests the hacker attack stems from China, an official told the WSJ. 

Walden outlines subcommittee agenda: Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) outlined his agenda as chairman of the Communications and Technology subcommittee in a speech on Wednesday.

He said he plans to work on freeing up more government spectrum for commercial broadband and will keep a close eye on the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auctions.

Walden said he plans to renew his push for the FCC Process Reform Act, which would restrict the agency’s ability to adopt new regulations. He said he will also investigate whether the 1996 Telecommunications Act and the 1992 Cable Act need to be updated in light of new technologies.

The lawmaker said he plans to reauthorize a satellite television law before it expires at the end of 2014.

House approves resolution to keep Internet control out of UN hands: The House on Wednesday unanimously passed a Senate resolution introduced by Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that calls on the U.S. government to oppose United Nations control of the Internet.

FTC bars advertiser from collecting users’ browsing histories: An online advertising firm settled charges with the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday that it illegally collected information about Internet users’ browsing histories.

McCaul says cybersecurity is ‘top’ priority next Congress: One of the top priorities for new House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) next Congress is to bring a cybersecurity bill to the floor that has “buy-in” from industry. 

When he takes up the chairman’s gavel next month, McCaul said he plans on meeting with industry players, including tech companies and critical infrastructure operators, to get their feedback on what measures they think should be in cybersecurity legislation. McCaul said he also hopes to travel with other committee members to various sites where critical infrastructure is housed.  

Romney’s digital director talks lessons learned: President Obama’s reelection campaign ran “the greatest digital operation in the history of politics,” Zac Moffatt, digital director for Mitt Romney, said Wednesday. “I don’t begrudge them.”

In contrast, Moffatt said he thinks his team struggled the most with the rapid need to “scale out” and staff up following the extended GOP primary. “Build bigger” is his advice when it comes to digital teams for future presidential campaigns.

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