Is Google Search Bias Consistent with Anticompetitive Foreclosure?
In my series of three posts (here, here and here) drawn from my empirical study on search bias I have examined whether search bias exists, and, if so, how frequently it occurs. This, the final post in the series, assesses the results of the study (as well as the Edelman & Lockwood (E&L) study to ... Is Google Search Bias Consistent with Anticompetitive Foreclosure?
TOTM Makes the ABA Top 100 Law Blogs
Truth on the Market has been chosen as one of the ABA Journal’s Top 100 law blogs. We’re thrilled to be recognized! Please head over to the ABA website, register, and vote for us in the Business Law Category.
Never Mistake Activity for Achievement, Antitrust Edition
FTC Chairman Leibowitz recently gave a speech in which he took on a number of issues, but one in particular caught my eye. In a portion of the speech describing how antitrust has updated its procedures in order to become more efficient and avoid the problem of having decade-long cases focused upon technologies that are ... Never Mistake Activity for Achievement, Antitrust Edition
In re Pool Corporation: Yet Another Peculiar and Peverse Section 5 Consent from the FTC
TOTM readers know that I’ve long been skeptical of claims that expansive use of Section 5 of the FTC Act will prove productive for consumers. I’ve been critical of recent applications of Section 5 such as Intel and N-Data. Now comes yet another FTC consent decree in PoolCorp. I’m still skeptical. Indeed, PoolCorp appears to ... In re Pool Corporation: Yet Another Peculiar and Peverse Section 5 Consent from the FTC
How Much Search Bias Is There?
My last two posts on search bias (here and here) have analyzed and critiqued Edelman & Lockwood’s small study on search bias. This post extends this same methodology and analysis to a random sample of 1,000 Google queries (released by AOL in 2006), to develop a more comprehensive understanding of own-content bias. As I’ve stressed, ... How Much Search Bias Is There?
Holdup Problem, Airline Edition
Economists are all quite familiar with the “holdup problem,” i.e. one contracting partner exploiting the other after asset specific investments have been made. One classic law school textbook example is Alaska Packers v. Domenico in which the Alaska Packers’ Association hired Domenico for the salmon season for $50 plus 2 cents per salmon caught, but ... Holdup Problem, Airline Edition
Mason LEC Programs for Economics & Law Professors
The George Mason LEC has reinstituted the Economics Institute for Law Professors and the Law Institute for Economics Professors. I will be attending as faculty for the Economic Institute for Law Professors, where I will teach various aspects of microeconomic theory along with Michael Baye. The agenda for that program is available here. If you’ve ... Mason LEC Programs for Economics & Law Professors
Hovenkamp’s Cases and Materials on Innovation and Competition Policy
Herb Hovenkamp has posted his new casebook on Innovation and Competition Policy to SSRN, where one can download the chapters individually. This is a very nice development for students; and the book seems perfectly fit for a course on Innovation and Competition Policy — for which it was designed — but also appropriate for a ... Hovenkamp’s Cases and Materials on Innovation and Competition Policy
The Influence of Prospect Theory
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Quello Center’s Governance of Social Media Workshop at Georgetown Tomorrow
Here’s the link to the conference, and the program, which covers all angles of social media and the law. Predictably, my interest here is competition policy — I’ll be on the 10:45 panel discussing those issues along with: Michael Altschul (CTIA), Nicolas Economides (NYU), Adam Thierer (GMU), and Moderator Steve Wildman (MSU). The link to ... Quello Center’s Governance of Social Media Workshop at Georgetown Tomorrow
Extending & Rebutting Edelman & Lockwood on Search Bias
In my last post, I discussed Edelman & Lockwood’s (E&L’s) attempt to catch search engines in the act of biasing their results—as well as their failure to actually do so. In this post, I present my own results from replicating their study. Unlike E&L, I find that Bing is consistently more biased than Google, for ... Extending & Rebutting Edelman & Lockwood on Search Bias
Washington Privatizes Liquor Sales
Washington voters took a big step in yesterday’s election and approved an initiative, known as I-1183, to privatize state liquor sales. Privatization of alcohol sales has been an issue I’ve tracked here at TOTM (see e.g., here). Many states strictly regulate liquor sales through state ownership of liquor stores and required distribution through wholesalers. These ... Washington Privatizes Liquor Sales
