Showing results for: “digital markets act”
Macey on Anticapitalist Claptrap, Private Equity, and Politics
Jonathan Macey (Yale) defends private equity against nonsensical attacks from Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and others (Rick Perry is spared by Macey, but not by Bainbridge) in today’s Wall Street Journal: Mitt Romney’s candidacy is subjecting the entire private-equity industry—where Mr. Romney spent most of his business career—to vicious attacks by journalists and several of ... Macey on Anticapitalist Claptrap, Private Equity, and Politics
Divining a Regulator’s Intent
Regulated firms and their Washington lawyers study agency reports and public statements carefully to figure out the rules of the road; the clearer the rules, the easier it is for regulated firms to understand how the rules affect their businesses and to plan accordingly. So long as the regulator and the regulated firm are on ... Divining a Regulator’s Intent
Robert Crandall on It Is Time to Move Ahead with Deregulation
As we approach the end of this Symposium, I am struck by how much consensus exists on this subject. Of course, we are not conducting this exercise under the auspices of the ABA. Nevertheless, there is sufficient intellectual backing for a major push to begin the deregulation of legal services. Despite warnings that this is ... Robert Crandall on It Is Time to Move Ahead with Deregulation
Privacy Interview
I was recently interview about privacy on the BBC Online Magazine by Kate Dailey. Here is the interview: Magazine 26 January 2012 Last updated at 13:11 ET Could Google’s data hoarding be good for you? By Kate Dailey BBC News Magazine Google’s announcement that is now tracking users’ web movements has upset privacy advocates. But ... Privacy Interview
FTC Mobile Payments Workshop on April 26, 2012
The Federal Trade Commission conference announcement is below; note that public comments on the date of the conference. This is an important space and should attract some excellent speakers. The topics suggest a greater focus on consumer protection than competition issues. Here is the announcement: The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop on April ... FTC Mobile Payments Workshop on April 26, 2012
New Study Links Wireless Adoption to Jobs: It’s All About the Spectrum (and Siri)
Economists recognize that the source of sustainable, private-sector jobs is investment. Due to measurement problems with investment data, however, it is sometimes easier to link a byproduct of investment—namely, adoption of the technology made possible by the investment—to job creation. This is precisely what economists Rob Shapiro and Kevin Hassett have done in their new ... New Study Links Wireless Adoption to Jobs: It’s All About the Spectrum (and Siri)
Competition for the Field on the Internet
Keith Woolcock (Time Business) offers an interesting perspective on what economists would describe as “competition for the field” between Apple, Facebook, Google, and Facebook. It gives a good sense of the many dimensions of competition upon which these firms compete. The upcoming IPO of Facebook, the flak surrounding Twitter’s decision to censor some tweets, and Google’s weaker-than-expected 4th-quarter ... Competition for the Field on the Internet
Local Barriers to Entry: Arlington Beer Garden Edition
Last week I posted about the regulatory barriers facing an ice cream shop in San Francisco. A student passes along a story that hits a bit closer to home: the sale of beer right here in Arlington County. Apparently, the owner of the Westover Beer Garden has had enough: It’s been a contentious couple of ... Local Barriers to Entry: Arlington Beer Garden Edition
Walter Olson on Careful What You Unleash
As a libertarian, I mostly concur in the critique of occupational licensure made famous by (among others) Milton Friedman. For the most part, licensure is a consumer-unfriendly affair that protects incumbent practitioners from competition, locks out promising new methods of service provision, and interferes with voluntary dealings between professional and client. It is dubious enough ... Walter Olson on Careful What You Unleash
Options Have Value, Even If DOT Doesn’t Get It
Last week Thom posted about the government’s attempt to hide the cost of taxes and regulatory fees in commercial airfares. Apparently Spirit Airlines is highlighting another government-imposed cost of doing business by advertising a new $2/ticket fee that the airline has imposed. According a CNN report yesterday: Spirit Airlines says a new federal regulation aimed ... Options Have Value, Even If DOT Doesn’t Get It
Congratulations to Bill Baer
President Obama has, as rumored, appointed Bill Baer (Arnold & Porter) to head the Antitrust Division. Reuters reports: Baer, who is the chair of Arnold and Porter’s Antitrust Practice Group, also previously headed the Federal Trade Commission’s competition division when it stopped a merger between Staples and Office Depot in 1997. He will replace Sharis ... Congratulations to Bill Baer
Gillian Hadfield on Evidence-based Regulation for Law
There is a Missouri statute that makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by $100 fine, for anyone who is not licensed by the Missouri bar to “engage in the practice of law or do law business.” If convicted, violators can be sued by anyone that paid them for their services or by the state of Missouri; ... Gillian Hadfield on Evidence-based Regulation for Law
