New bill mandates closed captioning for Internet video

By Matthew Lasar | Published: June 26, 2008 - 06:15AM CT FCC fully plugs disabled TRS users into the phone system Congress's biggest telecom disability rights advocate has introduced new legislation that would, among other provisions, extend close captioning to some Internet video. Edward Markey's (D-MA) "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008" covers about a dozen areas. The proposed law requires hearing-aid compatibility of all broadband telephone products and mandates a certain level of ease in accessing captions on TV with remote control devices. But perhaps the most interesting and debated section of the bill will be its Internet video captioning requirements. The law says that 18 months after its enactment, the Federal Communications Commission must set up regulations that include "an... [read full story]