CCO digital messaging in Baltimore
OAAA – State Affairs
We are very happy to have Andy McDonald join our OAAA team. Andy will handle our State Government Affairs activity and will work closely with our state outdoor advertising associations, as well as with member companies on local and state regulatory issues. Welcome Andy!
Congress – Privacy
The House of Representatives passed a bill directing social media app TikTok to sever its connection with Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a ban in the U.S. At issue is the Chinese government’s potential access to the personal data of 150M U.S. users. The bill touches on foreign policy, First Amendment, and data privacy issues, and if TikTok’s structure changes, the bill may also have advertising implications – the app generates annual U.S. ad revenue of close to $9B.
The House also passed the Protecting Americans Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, which would prevent third-party buyers and sellers of personal information from data commerce with certain foreign countries. Coupled with the TikTok bill, the House has now made two major policy advancements on data privacy, each with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Federal – Privacy
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) opened an inquiry into how airlines handle consumer information. DOT wants to examine the data policies of 10 U.S. airlines – how consumer information is secured, whether it is sold to brokers, or used for ad targeting. Following their review, DOT will consider if administrative action may be necessary to better protect traveler data.
Federal – Airports
U.S. DOT announced $20M for small, rural airports as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Act. The grants will help over 60 airports make structural and communications upgrades to control towers.
States – Emergency Service
Soon after the tragic bridge collapse in Baltimore, Clear Channel Outdoor played a critical role in emergency messaging by notifying the public of road closures. In recent congressional hearings, Members of Congress and federal emergency service leaders have acknowledged the value of our industry’s public-private partnership, the role outdoor advertising plays in emergency situations, and the utility of our industry’s digital assets.