Good morning tech: TV impasse hits FCC deadline, Upton critiques Pelosi, Waxman on NPR issue

Hill notes

Markey ‘disturbed’ by Google ‘spi-fi.’ Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) took Google to task on Friday after it admitted collecting private user data running over public Wi-Fi networks, including passwords and entire e-mails. Markey said he is “deeply disturbed” by this development. “This is unacceptable,” Markey said. “Consumers should never have to fear that their Wi-Fi could morph into ‘Spy-Fi.’ ” http://bit.ly/cupduC

D.C. Tea Party candidate’s ads too gross for YouTube, not TV. A graphic anti-abortion ad by a Washington, D.C., candidate has been deemed too inappropriate for YouTube. The ads, however, will air on local television stations. Missy Reilly Smith is the candidate behind the ads. http://bit.ly/cFKghZ

Issa suggests new show for NPR: ‘Dancing with the Czars.’ As House Republicans on Friday continued to call for NPR to be defunded, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) drew attention to a large grant the company received this month from the left-leaning philanthropist George Soros. He also suggested some new shows for National Public Radio: “Dancing with the Czars” and “Lost: the Obama Presidency,” to name a few. http://bit.ly/9goiQT

In a reversal, Google money goes to GOP over Democrats. Google’s PAC sent 55 percent of its contributions to Republicans between July and October. Google’s political action committee gave more contributions to Republican candidates than to Democrats, according to an analysis by Consumer Watchdog, a staunch critic of the company. http://bit.ly/cYHN77

Industry notes

Google faces landmark fine for ‘gross invasion of privacy’. The Independent reports Google faces being the first company to incur heavy fines under British privacy laws after admitting to downloading private e-mails and passwords. Britain’s Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, announced Sunday that he is launching a new investigation into the Street View project, in which Google sent cars around to photograph residential streets. http://ind.pn/adwgfz

Texas says Amazon owes $269 million in sales tax. Amazon.com Inc. said it received an assessment of $269 million for uncollected sales tax from the state of Texas, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Seattle-based online retailer received the assessment in September for uncollected taxes, interest and penalties for the period from December 2005 to December 2009, according to Amazon’s latest 10Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://bit.ly/aqQRes

MySpace, Apps leak user data. MySpace and some popular applications on the social-networking site have been transmitting data to outside advertising companies that could be used to identify users, according to a report from the WSJ. http://bit.ly/8ZqTV9

Facebook effort gains ‘Shore’ support. Vinny Guadagnino, a cast member of MTV’s reality show “Jersey Shore,” has teamed up with Facebook on its “Network of Support” effort, which aims to curb bullying of gays. Sporting traditional “Jersey Shore” attire, including a backwards hat and black sleeveless undershirt, Guadagnino says no one should ever be made fun of “especially for being brave enough to be who they really are.” http://bit.ly/9yMJha

SAID

“You know, if you look at who would be the chairman of the Energy Committee if the Republicans took over, he’s the guy who apologized to BP when the president wanted to hold BP accountable.”

— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in an interview with “Face the Nation” on Sunday, referring to House Energy and Commerce ranking member Rep. Joe Barton (Texas). http://bit.ly/aA6dgL

WATERCOOLER

HANCOCK — What does the president’s signature look like on an iPad? Like this: http://bit.ly/aQgAbM.