Showing results for: “digital markets act”
What Does “Flattening the Curve” Mean?
Policy makers are using the term to describe the effects of social distancing and travel restrictions. In this post, we use a cellular automata model of infection to show how they might do this. DISCLAIMER: THIS IS AN UNREALISTIC MODEL, FOR TEACHING PURPOSES ONLY. The images below are from a cellular automata model of the spread of a disease ... What Does “Flattening the Curve” Mean?
Comings and Goings at the FTC Office of Policy and Planning
Congratulations to Maureen Ohlhausen, outgoing Director of the Office of Policy and Planning at the Federal Trade Commission, who is headed to a new position as Technology Policy Counsel at the Business Software Alliance, a nonprofit trade association that promotes innovation, growth, and a competitive marketplace for commercial software and related technologies. While losing Maureen ... Comings and Goings at the FTC Office of Policy and Planning
Price Discrimination is Good, Part 3
At Knowledge Problem, Michael Giberson collects anecdotal evidence on New York’s zone pricing ban, i.e. a prohibition on price discrimination. While gasoline prices are falling all over the country, the anecdotal evidence is that New York’s zone pricing ban is resulting in higher profits for retailers at the expense of consumers. Former George Mason economist ... Price Discrimination is Good, Part 3
Directors' Duties Even in Solvent Firms
In the Ribstein & Alces paper mentioned below by Keith, Ribstein & Alces write: The problem with holding that directors have duties to the “corporation” is that the corporation is composed of contracts among claimants with varying and possibly conflicting interests in the firm’s wealth. In solvent firms this is not troubling. Serving the firm’s ... Directors' Duties Even in Solvent Firms
An update on the evolving e-book market: Kindle edition (pun intended)
[UPDATE: Josh links to a WSJ article telling us that EU antitrust enforcers raided several (unnamed) e-book publishers as part of an apparent antitrust investigation into the agency model and whether it is “improperly restrictive.” Whatever that means. Key grafs: At issue for antitrust regulators is whether agency models are improperly restrictive. Europe, in particular, ... An update on the evolving e-book market: Kindle edition (pun intended)
Inter-Agency Teleseminar Showdown
You may recall we’ve been blogging quite a bit about the FTC and DOJ scuffle over Section 2 (See here and here). On Thursday, December 11th, the ABA Antitrust Division is sponsoring a Teleseminar that will feature my former FTC colleague Ken Glazer (Deputy Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission), Bill Kolasky (WilmerHale, and ... Inter-Agency Teleseminar Showdown
Are We Reinvigorated Yet?
Despite rumors, slogans, and “new” conventional wisdom to the contrary (See, e.g. here, here and the Obama campaign promise to “reinvigorate merger enforcement), it is apparently not the case that the current DOJ is not interested in enforcing the antitrust laws. Perhaps it never was. This interesting interview (HT: Danny Sokol) suggests that the DOJ ... Are We Reinvigorated Yet?
Coronavirus treatments and vaccines: Patents … or a Prize?
Observers on TOTM and elsewhere have pointed out the importance of preserving patent rights as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies pursue development of treatments for, and better vaccines against, Covid-19. As the benefits of these treatments could reach into the trillions of dollars (see here for a casual estimate and here for a more serious one), ... Coronavirus treatments and vaccines: Patents … or a Prize?
American Airlines Announces New Pricing Scheme
At least, thats what the Onion (the go to source for antitrust humor, by the way) headline says: American Airlines Now Charging Fees To Non-Passengers December 1, 2008 | Issue 44•49 FORT WORTH, TX—Cash-strapped American Airlines announced a new series of fees this week that will apply to all customers not currently flying, scheduled to ... American Airlines Announces New Pricing Scheme
Zywicki on the Two-Income Trap Hypothesis
My colleague Todd Zywicki offers an empirical rebuttal to the Warren-Tyagi “Two Income Trap” hypothesis which asserts that families with two incomes end up more leveraged than families with single incomes and more susceptible to negative economic shocks than otherwise for a number of reasons, including, e.g. counterproductive bidding for housing, child care expenses, etc. ... Zywicki on the Two-Income Trap Hypothesis
Vonage IPO and VoIP
Vonage, a provider of broadband telephone services, filed an IPO registration statement with the SEC today for the sale of $250 million of common stock. Basically, Vonage offers a cheap alternative to traditional phone service. For about $25 per month, you get unlimited calls to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada with all the bells ... Vonage IPO and VoIP
Oakland’s Fast-Food Tax — Madness or Genius?
From the good folks who brought us Ebonics as a second language (wait, make that first language) comes another creative policy proposal. On Tuesday night, the Oakland City Council decided to deal with its local trash problem by taxing fast-food restaurants up to $3,815 per year to pay for street clean-up. (Reports here and here.) ... Oakland’s Fast-Food Tax — Madness or Genius?
