Internet Governance, Internet Freedom, and Accountability: Will Congress Step In?
In March 2014, the U.S. Government’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA, the Executive Branch’s telecommunications policy agency) abruptly announced that it did not plan to renew its contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to maintain core functions of the Internet. ICANN oversees the Internet domain name system through its ... Internet Governance, Internet Freedom, and Accountability: Will Congress Step In?
Time for the FTC to Reform its Advertising Substantiation Program
In my just published Heritage Foundation Legal Memorandum, I argue that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should substantially scale back its overly aggressive “advertising substantiation” program, which disincentivizes firms from providing the public with valuable information about the products they sell. As I explain: “The . . . [FTC] has a long history of ... Time for the FTC to Reform its Advertising Substantiation Program
Abuse of Dominance by Patentees: A Pro-Innovation Perspective
In my just-published article in The Antitrust Source, I argue that the law and economics literature on patents and error cost analysis demonstrate that the recent focus by U.S. (and foreign) antitrust enforcers on single-firm patent abuses is misplaced, and may reduce incentives to innovate. I recommend that antitrust enforcers focus instead on restrictions among ... Abuse of Dominance by Patentees: A Pro-Innovation Perspective
October 7 Heritage Foundation Event Highlights Economic Liberties Protected by the Constitution
I highly recommend that free market aficionados attend or listen to the Heritage Foundation’s October 7 program on economic liberties and the Constitution. This event, hosted by my colleague Paul Larkin, will feature presentations by constitutional litigator Clark Neily of the Institute for Justice and two brilliant market-oriented Constitutional scholars – Professors Randy Barnett and ... October 7 Heritage Foundation Event Highlights Economic Liberties Protected by the Constitution
Enterprise Cities, Competition, and Economic Growth
Shanker Singham of the Babson Global Institute (formerly a leading international trade lawyer and author of the most comprehensive one-volume work on the interplay between competition and international trade policy) has published a short article introducing the concept of “enterprise cities.” This article, which outlines an incentives-based, market-oriented approach to spurring economic development, is well ... Enterprise Cities, Competition, and Economic Growth
Reforming FTC Data Security Enforcement
Recently I highlighted problems with the FTC’s enforcement actions targeting companies’ data security protection policies, and recommended that the FTC adopt a cost-benefit approach to regulation in this area. Yesterday the Heritage Foundation released a more detailed paper by me on this topic, replete with recommendations for new FTC guidance and specific reforms aimed at ... Reforming FTC Data Security Enforcement
A Cost-Benefit Prescription for FTC Online Data Security Regulation
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues to expand its presence in online data regulation. On August 13 the FTC announced a forthcoming workshop to explore appropriate policies toward “big data,” a term used to refer to advancing technologies that are dramatically expanding the commercial collection, analysis, use, and storage of data. This initiative follows ... A Cost-Benefit Prescription for FTC Online Data Security Regulation
Antitrust Trial Verdict Gives Athletes Partial Victory Over NCAA
In a June 12, 2014 TOTM post, I discussed the private antitrust challenge to NCAA rules that barred NCAA member universities from compensating athletes for use of their images and names in television broadcasts and video games. On August 8 a federal district judge held that the NCAA had violated the antitrust laws and enjoined ... Antitrust Trial Verdict Gives Athletes Partial Victory Over NCAA
How to Reform Operation Choke Point
“Operation Choke Point” (OCP) is an interdepartmental initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal financial services regulators to discourage financial intermediaries from dealing with consumer fraud-plagued industries. In an August 4 Heritage Foundation Legal Memorandum, I discuss the misapplication of this potentially beneficial project and recommend possible measures to reform OCP. If ... How to Reform Operation Choke Point
New Heritage Study Highlights Anticompetitive Features of Obamacare and Points the Way to Needed Reforms
A study released today by the Heritage Foundation (authored by Christopher M. Pope) succinctly describes the inherently anticompetitive nature of Obamacare, which will tend to inflate prices, not reduce costs: “The growth of monopoly power among health care providers bears much responsibility for driving up the cost of health care over recent years. By mandating ... New Heritage Study Highlights Anticompetitive Features of Obamacare and Points the Way to Needed Reforms
CONDITIONAL PRICING PRACTICES AND THE LIMITS OF ANTITRUST
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) June 23 Workshop on Conditional Pricing Practices featured a broad airing of views on loyalty discounts and bundled pricing, popular vertical business practices that recently have caused much ink to be spilled by the antitrust commentariat. In addition to predictable academic analyses featuring alternative theoretical anticompetitive effects stories, the Workshop ... CONDITIONAL PRICING PRACTICES AND THE LIMITS OF ANTITRUST
Occupational Licensing, Competition, and the Constitution: Prospects for Reform?
U.S. antitrust law focuses primarily on private anticompetitive restraints, leaving the most serious impediments to a vibrant competitive process – government-initiated restraints – relatively free to flourish. Thus the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should be commended for its July 16 congressional testimony that spotlights a fast-growing and particularly pernicious species of (largely state) government restriction ... Occupational Licensing, Competition, and the Constitution: Prospects for Reform?
