Three items around legislation to update on.
The Federal Communications Commission is set to review state laws regarding artificial intelligence as part of a new action plan announced by President Donald Trump. This initiative aims to reduce federal and state regulation on AI companies, streamline the construction of data centers, and promote American AI systems internationally. The action plan tasks the Federal Communications Commission with assessing whether state regulations hinder its obligations under the Communications Act of 1934. Trump signed three executive orders focusing on AI, including one that directs the Commerce Department to support AI data center projects with financial incentives and expedited permitting processes. Critics, such as Nicholas Garcia of Public Knowledge, argue that the plan lacks a comprehensive vision for AI innovation, merely cutting regulations without addressing the underlying challenges faced by the industry.
In the UK, a court has denied WhatsApp the right to intervene in a significant legal case involving Apple and the UK government’s order requiring the company to provide access to users’ encrypted data. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal will hear challenges against this order from Apple, Privacy International, and Liberty in a public hearing scheduled for early next year. The Home Office argues that access to encrypted data is essential to combat terrorism and child abuse, while technology experts warn that weakening encryption could expose users to cybercriminal threats.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the implementation of stricter cybersecurity regulations for the state’s water and wastewater utilities, alongside a new grant program providing $2.5 million to assist in compliance costs. The proposed regulations will require utilities serving more than 3,300 people to conduct annual cybersecurity vulnerability analyses, develop incident response plans, and train staff on cybersecurity practices. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nine percent of the nation’s public drinking water systems have critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities. New York’s chief cyber officer, Colin Ahern, emphasized that the new measures are overdue, as many utilities lack basic cybersecurity protocols such as incident response plans and multifactor authentication.
Why do we care?
First, Trump’s FCC wants to bulldoze state AI laws in the name of “streamlining.” Translation? Fewer rules, faster data centers, and zero focus on AI safety. Good for Big Tech, bad for everyone else.
Second, in the UK, a court told WhatsApp to sit down and shut up while Apple fights a law demanding they break encryption. The message? Privacy’s negotiable if the government says so—and your tools might be next.
Third, New York’s finally waking up to utility cybersecurity. They’re mandating real controls—like vulnerability scans and response plans—with a tiny $2.5 million grant fund. It’s not much, but it’s a start.
The rules are fracturing. One side’s gutting guardrails. Another’s demanding more control. And local governments are scrambling to catch up. This is your cue: compliance, architecture, and trust are back on the frontlines.