2014 In Review: Our Most Successful Year Ever / Summary

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Screen capture courtesy C-SPAN

Last Monday’s Congressional briefing on the sharing economy capped off our most productive and influential year in the 18 years since the inception of the Congressional Internet Caucus (and we said that in 2013)! We have detailed below the remarkable breadth, timeliness, and impact of Internet policy briefings and events hosted by the NetCaucus AC in 2014. Here is a summary of this remarkable accomplishment.

2014 Highlights

At the end of 2014 we have hosted 60% more programs than 2013 for a total of 16 events. This rivals the number of hearings that some committees hold. All of our events have been listed below and can be viewed on our events page here.

Video and C-SPAN Coverage:
Remarkably nearly 50% of our 2014 Congressional briefings have yielded C-SPAN coverage. That coverage exponentially increases our viewing audience not only within the Capitol Complex but also across America. The amount of C-SPAN coverage is a testament to the credibility and the content of our program (here is an example). Also, together with C-SPAN coverage we have been able to webcast over 50% of our events this year.

24 Hours / 48 Hours / 75 Hours – Breaking News Briefings
In 2014, we achieved an unprecedented level of timeliness in our Congressional briefings. For instance, we hosted a briefing within 75 hours of the DC Circuit Court’s decision to strike down much of the FCC’s Open Internet Rules. Within 48 hours, we hosted a briefing on the Supreme Court’s Aereo decision. We also hosted a briefing within 24 hours of the FCC releasing its proposed Net Neutrality rules and its Spectrum order.

Packed Attendance
Our events are extremely well attended by our target audience – Congressional and government policy staff. On Twitter, you can find photos of our event audiences and lively event hashtag conversations.

Revived Speakers Series
This year we revived the historically successful Internet Caucus Speakers Series. That program, which provided an open forum within the Capitol Complex for executives and luminaries, was halted in 2007. In 2014 we hosted two terrific speakers — famous Internet researcher danah boyd and Zillow.com CEO Spencer Rascoff. Both presentations were extremely successful and we would like to further revive this program in 2015.

2014 Events

Should Congress be Caring About Sharing? Regulation and the Future of Uber, Airbnb and the Sharing Economy
December 8, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here

Jennifer Lawrence’s Hacked Photos: A “Sex Crime?” The Legal Underpinnings of Digitally Exposed Private Images and What Congress Needs to Know
November 6, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

Does the Internet Need a Revised Communications Act?
October 16, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

The Expiration of the Internet Tax Moratorium: What New Internet & Mobile Phone Taxes Will Mean For Constituents & For The Economy
September 29, 2014 – Dirksen Senate Office Building

Can Europe Force Search Engines to Censor Information You’re Looking for on the Internet? Assessing the Right to be Forgotten
August 8, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here

The NSA Surveillance Programs: Assessing The Damage to U.S. Commerce, Confidence & Credibility
July 18, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here

What Does Aereo’s Supreme Court Death Sentence Mean for Internet Startups, Copyright & Communications Act Legislation, and The Viewing Habits of Cord-Cutting Congressional Staff?
June 27, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

New MIT-UCSD Study Measures Internet Congestion; Expert Panel Discusses Implications for Net Neutrality
June 18, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

Can You Sell Your Digital Music/Movie/eBook Collections? Congress Reviews Digital Copyright
June 13, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

The FCC’s Grand Internet Plans: “The Open Internet” and Massive Mobile Spectrum Auctions: What Do You Need to Know?
May 16, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here

Realtors Innovate Real Estate Through Technology
May 12, 2014 – Capitol Visitors Center

Revising The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA): Should Congress Require a Warrant?
April 25, 2014 – Rayburn HOBWatch
Watch C-SPAN video here

The U.S. Government Relinquishes Last Vestige of Internet Control: That’s A Good Thing, Right?
April 11, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here

Spencer Rascoff, CEO, Zillow, Speakers Series
March 27, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch YouTube video here

danahboyd: It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens
February 27, 2014 – Rayburn HOB

D.C. Circuit Decision on FCC Open Internet Rules: Net Neutrality Win or Loss?
January 17, 2014 – Rayburn HOB
Watch C-SPAN video here