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Showing results for:  “digital markets act”

What's the Empirical Evidence on RPM?

I’ve been reading the papers for the FTC RPM Workshops, though I cannot attend.  On the procompetitive side, I especially recommend Ben Klein’s explanation of how RPM facilitates the supply of promotional services in the absence of dealer free-riding.  Critics of RPM, in my view, generally do not understand the fundamental economic point that retailer ... What's the Empirical Evidence on RPM?

Khan’s ‘Vision and Priorities for the FTC’ Statement Lacks Humility and Strategic Insight

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan’s Sept. 22 memorandum to FTC commissioners and staff—entitled “Vision and Priorities for the FTC” (VP Memo)—offers valuable insights into the chair’s strategy and policy agenda for the commission. Unfortunately, it lacks an appreciation for the limits of antitrust and consumer-protection law; it also would have benefited from greater ... Khan’s ‘Vision and Priorities for the FTC’ Statement Lacks Humility and Strategic Insight

Intel Settlement Watch Part II

While Intel Corporation nears its settlement deadline with the Federal Trade Commission, it received good news from a federal district court in Delaware evaluating the evidence of alleged consumer harm from the discounts Intel offers to buyers.  It is also very important to note that this pass from a US court applying standards of consumer ... Intel Settlement Watch Part II

Bad Blood at the FTC

John Carreyrou’s marvelous book Bad Blood chronicles the rise and fall of Theranos, the one-time Silicon Valley darling that was revealed to be a house of cards.[1] Theranos’s Svengali-like founder, Elizabeth Holmes, convinced scores of savvy business people (mainly older men) that her company was developing a machine that could detect all manner of maladies from ... Bad Blood at the FTC

Doing double damage: The German competition authority’s Facebook decision manages to undermine both antitrust and data protection law

The German Bundeskartellamt's Facebook decision is unsound from either a competition or privacy policy perspective, and will only make the fraught privacy/antitrust relationship worse.

Vullo and the Dangers of Government Coercion Over Speech

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major victory for free speech and struck a blow against government censorship-by-proxy yesterday in NRA v. Vullo: “Government officials cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.” This is a major decision, and will have implications for free speech online, ... Vullo and the Dangers of Government Coercion Over Speech

Franchising, Starbucks vs. Subway, and Promotional Services

Professor Bainbridge offers a correction to Keith’s Starbucks analysis by pointing out that Starbucks does not have franchisees. I don’t think the franchise/ franchisee distinction has much to do with Keith’s conclusion that whatever is going on is not an antitrust problem. But the Professor is on to a really cool question about franchising and ... Franchising, Starbucks vs. Subway, and Promotional Services

What’s the Harm of Targeted Ads on Children’s Content Anyway?

The FTC’s recent YouTube settlement and $170 million fine related to charges that YouTube violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has the issue of targeted advertising back in the news. With an upcoming FTC workshop and COPPA Rule Review looming, it’s worth looking at this case in more detail and reconsidering COPPA’s 2013 ... What’s the Harm of Targeted Ads on Children’s Content Anyway?

Is Antitrust Too Complicated for Generalist Judges?

One of the highlights of my recent time as Scholar in Residence at the Federal Trade Commission was the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds around on antitrust issues on investigations and policy projects as well some academic projects.  The subject of this post is one of those academic projects.  Motivated by ... Is Antitrust Too Complicated for Generalist Judges?

Tears for Tiers: Wyden’s “Data Cap” Restrictions Would Hurt, not Help, Internet Users

As Democrats insist that income taxes on the 1% must go up in the name of fairness, one Democratic Senator wants to make sure that the 1% of heaviest Internet users pay the same price as the rest of us. It’s ironic how confused social justice gets when the Internet’s involved. Senator Ron Wyden is ... Tears for Tiers: Wyden’s “Data Cap” Restrictions Would Hurt, not Help, Internet Users

Litigating Delaware governance law in an alien land

A recent Delaware case, Baker v. Impact Holding, Inc.,  raises several interesting questions on a topic I’ve discussed recently – where to litigate cases involving Delaware business entities. Francis Pileggi has a good summary of the case.  I want to explore the case’s implications for jurisdictional competition.  First some general background before getting into the ... Litigating Delaware governance law in an alien land

ICLE and CEI Submit Amicus Brief Arguing the FCC’s Net Neutrality Order Is Unlawful

If you’ve been keeping up with the machinations of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) latest attempt to regulate broadband under Title II of the Communications Act, you know that providers are challenging the rules in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court has put that case on the fast track. Earlier this week, ... ICLE and CEI Submit Amicus Brief Arguing the FCC’s Net Neutrality Order Is Unlawful