Showing results for: “google”
FCC Internet Regulation Is a Recipe for Crony Capitalism
Much ink has been spilled (and with good reason) about the excessive and totally unnecessary regulatory burdens associated with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) February 26 “Open Internet Order” (OIO), which imposes public utility regulation on Internet traffic. For example, as Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow James Gattuso recently explained, “[d]evised for the static monopolies, ... FCC Internet Regulation Is a Recipe for Crony Capitalism
Debunking the Myth of a Data Barrier to Entry for Online Services
Recent years have seen an increasing interest in incorporating privacy into antitrust analysis. The FTC and regulators in Europe have rejected these calls so far, but certain scholars and activists continue their attempts to breathe life into this novel concept. Elsewhere we have written at length on the scholarship addressing the issue and found the ... Debunking the Myth of a Data Barrier to Entry for Online Services
FTC Staff Report on Google: Much Ado About Nothing
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the FTC Bureau of Competition staff report to the commissioners in the Google antitrust investigation recommended that the Commission approve an antitrust suit against the company. While this is excellent fodder for a few hours of Twitter hysteria, it takes more than 140 characters to delve into the ... FTC Staff Report on Google: Much Ado About Nothing
Innovation Death Panels and Other Economic Shortcomings of the White House Proposed Privacy Bill
In short, all of this hand-wringing over privacy is largely a tempest in a teapot — especially when one considers the extent to which the White House and other government bodies have studiously ignored the real threat: government misuse of data à la the NSA. It’s almost as if the White House is deliberately shifting the public's gaze from the reality of extensive government spying by directing it toward a fantasy world of nefarious corporations abusing private information…. The White House’s proposed bill is emblematic of many government “fixes” to largely non-existent privacy issues, and it exhibits the same core defects that undermine both its claims and its proposed solutions. As a result, the proposed bill vastly overemphasizes regulation to the dangerous detriment of the innovative benefits of Big Data for consumers and society at large.
ICLE White Paper: Broad fair use exceptions could discourage innovation worldwide
Today, the International Center for Law & Economics released a white paper, co-authored by Executive Director Geoffrey Manne and Senior Fellow Julian Morris, entitled Dangerous Exception: The detrimental effects of including “fair use” copyright exceptions in free trade agreements. Dangerous Exception explores the relationship between copyright, creativity and economic development in a networked global marketplace. ... ICLE White Paper: Broad fair use exceptions could discourage innovation worldwide
California Dreamin’: California Public Utility Commission must resist extreme regulatory overreach in the recently proposed conditions in Comcast-TWC merger
On February 13 an administrative law judge (ALJ) at the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) issued a proposed decision regarding the Comcast/Time Warner Cable (TWC) merger. The proposed decision recommends that the CPUC approve the merger with conditions. It’s laudable that the ALJ acknowledges at least some of the competitive merits of the proposed deal. ... California Dreamin’: California Public Utility Commission must resist extreme regulatory overreach in the recently proposed conditions in Comcast-TWC merger
In Memoriam: Henry G. Manne (1928-2015)
Henry Manne was a great man, and a great father. He was, for me as for many others, one of the most important intellectual influences in my life. I will miss him dearly. Following is his official obituary. RIP, dad. Henry Girard Manne died on January 17, 2015 at the age of 86. A towering figure ... In Memoriam: Henry G. Manne (1928-2015)
The companies that actually manufacture networks and devices oppose Title II, which may be all you need to know
It’s easy to look at the net neutrality debate and assume that everyone is acting in their self-interest and against consumer welfare. Thus, many on the left denounce all opposition to Title II as essentially “Comcast-funded,” aimed at undermining the Open Internet to further nefarious, hidden agendas. No matter how often opponents make the economic ... The companies that actually manufacture networks and devices oppose Title II, which may be all you need to know
Newsflash! Commercial contracts are often confidential (but that doesn’t make them anticompetitive)
Microsoft and its allies (the Microsoft-funded trade organization FairSearch and the prolific Google critic Ben Edelman) have been highly critical of Google’s use of “secret” contracts to license its proprietary suite of mobile apps, Google Mobile Services, to device manufacturers. I’ve written about this at length before. As I said previously, In order to argue ... Newsflash! Commercial contracts are often confidential (but that doesn’t make them anticompetitive)
Tesla Wins Big in Massachusetts
On September 15, Tesla won a big victory in Massachusetts. As we have previously chronicled at length on TOTM ( see, e.g., here, here, here, here, here and here), the car dealers are waging a state-by-state ground war to prevent Tesla from bypassing them and distributing directly to consumers. The dealers invoke 1950s-era franchise protection laws that ... Tesla Wins Big in Massachusetts
Peter Thiel on the Virtues of Monopoly
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel has a terrific essay in the Review section of today’s Wall Street Journal. The essay, Competition Is for Losers, is adapted from Mr. Thiel’s soon-to-be-released book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future. Based on the title of the book, I assume it is primarily a how-to guide for entrepreneurs. ... Peter Thiel on the Virtues of Monopoly
Watching local and a la carte is a recipe for STAVRAtion
The free market position on telecom reform has become rather confused of late. Erstwhile conservative Senator Thune is now cosponsoring a version of Senator Rockefeller’s previously proposed video reform bill, bundled into satellite legislation (the Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act or “STAVRA”) that would also include a provision dubbed “Local Choice.” Some free marketeers have defended ... Watching local and a la carte is a recipe for STAVRAtion
