Enabling the Digital Lifestyle: Navigating Public Policy Challenges

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Enabling the Digital Lifestyle Navigating Public
Policy Challenges

• Skip Pizzi
• Manager, Technical Policy
• Media/Entertainment Technology Convergence
• skippiz _at_ windows.microsoft.com
• Microsoft Corporation

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Session Outline

• What is Technical Public Policy?
• How does it impact the PC, the IT industry and
  our consumers?
• What impact does this have on developers?
• Current Policy issues affecting Windows and IT

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What is Technical Public Policy (TPP)? 1

• Conforming corporate processes to relevant laws,
  regulations and court decisions
• Compliant business practices
• Compliant product design
• Accommodating regional differences
• Federal, state, local and international rules may
  vary
• Providing input for development of new laws,
  regulations and industry standards
• Political analysis of all relevant activity
• Responses to calls for comment
• Court briefs and other actions
• Education for generalists

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What is Technical Public Policy (TPP)? 2

• Providing thought leadership for the industry on
  critical and emerging issues
• Creating new venues for cooperation
• Driving solutions consortia for complex problems
• Participation in standard-setting activities
• Acting as good corporate citizens
• Voluntary contribution of resources and
  information to governments and public sector
• Educational outreach and response to requests

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Why Does IT Industry Need to Consider TPP?

• Connected computing requires multiple interfaces
• Broadcast content reception (TV and radio)
• Cable and Telco interconnections
• Wireless networking
• VoIP/SoIP
• New laws, regulations and market forces are
  changing existing IT landscapes
• Cybersecurity
• Privacy
• IPv6
• Synchronization with partners actions

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Impact of TPP Issues on IT Industry

• Maintain new market opportunities
• Retain flexibility for innovative product design
• Create optimal user experience
• Minimize IPR constraints

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TPP Issues to Consider for the Industry

• Current
• Digital media content protection
• Digital television and radio broadcasting
• P2P
• Cybersecurity privacy
• VoIP/SoIP
• Upcoming
• Telecom reform (broad potential impact)
• IPv6 deployment in public sector
• RFID
• Additional wireless-networking spectrum
• Cognitive radio

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Examples of Current TPP Activity

• Digital media content protection
• WMDRM in the U.S. DTV Broadcast Flag process
• Legitimate P2P content distribution
• Digital broadcasting
• Emergency alerting
• Accessibility support (e.g., Closed Captioning)
• Parental controls support (e.g., V-chip)
• Advanced codec support
• Digital cable-ready TV
• PC as a DCR terminal
• Development of interactive DCR (bi-di) system

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Key Takeaways

• Digital media environment is a regulated world
• New players change the dynamic
• IT industry is somewhat new to this space
• Alliances can be helpful in achieving goals
• Proactive stance for IT in this space is critical

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Call to Action

• Be involved
• Invest in regulatory and legislative activity
• Participate in IT and CE industry efforts
• Pursue active membership in trade organizations
• Policymaking is impacted by strong consensus
• Preserve your right to innovate
• Telecom Reform is happening now, and it could
  dramatically impact our industry
• Do your homework

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Community Resources

• Windows Hardware Driver Central (WHDC)
• www.microsoft.com/whdc/default.mspx
• Technical Communities
• www.microsoft.com/communities/products/default.msp
  x
• Non-Microsoft Community Sites
• www.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx
  
• Microsoft Public Newsgroups
• www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups
• Technical Chats and Webcasts
• www.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx
• www.microsoft.com/webcasts
• Microsoft Blogs
• www.microsoft.com/communities/blogs

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Resources

• skippiz _at_ windows.microsoft.com
• Trade organizations representing IT onTPP issues
• Business Software Alliance (BSA)
• www.bsa.org
• Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
• www.itic.org
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
• www.ce.org