Showing results for: “digital markets act”
Why Trump May Consolidate Federal Antitrust Enforcement
President-elect Donald Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency” has been tasked with providing advice and guidance on reducing government waste and restructuring federal agencies. One act of restructuring that may warrant consideration would involve consolidating all federal antitrust enforcement within the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ). There are strong arguments that this would reduce waste. In addition, ... Why Trump May Consolidate Federal Antitrust Enforcement
Why It May Be Time to Consider a Merger Policy Reset in 2025
The Biden administration’s federal antitrust regulators—the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—have been widely perceived as actively discouraging mergers and acquisitions. This reflects the rejection of a longstanding bipartisan understanding that government would only oppose proposed M&A transactions that are likely to harm competition. The Biden approach arguably threatens to harm the ... Why It May Be Time to Consider a Merger Policy Reset in 2025
European Competition Law Is Lost at Sea
Imagine a world where digital-competition policy was guided by a desire to foster startup activity, competitiveness and, ultimately, growth. Competition policymakers would promote market conditions that enable new digital services to rapidly launch, gain user traction, and achieve greater scale. All of this would improve productivity, drive down prices for existing services, and help to ... European Competition Law Is Lost at Sea
What Project 2025 Can Tell Us About Brendan Carr’s FCC Priorities
My high-school-aged son came home from school the day after Election Day in distress. His history teacher spent the entire class listing the Parade of Horribles in Project 2025 and its dire consequences for the United States. I asked my son, “Project 2025 is more than 900 pages. Do you think your teacher read it?” ... What Project 2025 Can Tell Us About Brendan Carr’s FCC Priorities
Clarifying Antitrust Law by Straightening Teeth
More than a century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Sherman Act does not interfere with the “unquestioned right to stop dealing,” but the legacy of the Aspen Skiing is that terminating voluntary cooperation with a rival can give rise to liability. A case now on appeal could determine whether the “right to ... Clarifying Antitrust Law by Straightening Teeth
FCC’s New Satellite Rules: Sharing Is Caring
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in September, SpaceX provided a masterclass in public relations by handing out thousands of Starlink satellite-broadband kits, waiving monthly fees, and enabling emergency alerts over cellular networks in affected areas. Not only did the effort generate significant goodwill for the company, but it also demonstrated that satellite technology can ... FCC’s New Satellite Rules: Sharing Is Caring
The Law & Economics of the First Amendment: Curation, Targeted Advertising, and Access to Online Speech
We at the International Center for Law & Economics (ICLE) filed an amicus brief earlier this month to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in the NetChoice v. Bonta case. It was an updated version of the brief we filed earlier this year before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. ... The Law & Economics of the First Amendment: Curation, Targeted Advertising, and Access to Online Speech
Economics Still Matters for Policy
Politicians have stopped listening to economists. Well, I’m not sure they ever listened, but now they really don’t. The Wall Street Journal even declared this was “The Year Politicians Turned Their Backs on Economics.” As Greg Ip explained, “the candidates haven’t just demoted economic principles this year; they’ve jettisoned them altogether. It’s as if they wanted to flip the ... Economics Still Matters for Policy
Bell Canada’s Proposed Acquisition of Ziply: Regulators May Be the Least of Their Worries
Bell Canada, Canada’s largest communications company, recently announced plans to acquire Ziply Fiber, a fiber-internet provider in the Pacific Northwest. The C$7 billion deal represents Bell’s strategic play to expand its fiber footprint into the United States and to capitalize on growth opportunities in what it sees as an underserved U.S. fiber market. The proposed ... Bell Canada’s Proposed Acquisition of Ziply: Regulators May Be the Least of Their Worries
The FTC World Keeps On Turning
You’re no doubt aware that we’ve had a presidential election since my last column. Agency news seems pallid, in comparison, but those of you who’ve come here looking for deep insights into what it all means are liable to be disappointed, not to mention zero in number. “The Meaning of Life” is a movie by ... The FTC World Keeps On Turning
The AI Legislative Puzzle
With Donald Trump’s victory in this week’s presidential election, the federal government’s approach to the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) stands at a crucial inflection point. While there may be pressure to rush through AI legislation during Congress’ upcoming lame-duck session, such haste could prove counterproductive for U.S. leadership in AI development. Instead, this transition ... The AI Legislative Puzzle
Assessing the Government’s Monopolization Case Against Visa
The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has initiated an antitrust monopolization case against Visa for various practices related to its debit-card services. The complaint centers on two primary theories of harm. The first is that Visa offers volume discounts in a manner that locks in merchant banks (or “acquirers”) into Visa’s debit-card network, which deprives rival ... Assessing the Government’s Monopolization Case Against Visa