Showing archive for: “Net Neutrality”
The Internet Hysteria Index
Courtesy of Scott Wallsten and Amy Smorodin at Technology Policy Institute (HT: Tom Hazlett): The Internet is without doubt the most powerful inspiration for hyperbole in the history of mankind. Some extol the Internet’s greatness, like Howard Dean, who called the Internet “the most important tool for re-democratizing the world since Gutenberg invented the printing ... The Internet Hysteria Index
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 Fate of the FCC’s Open Internet Order–Lessons from Bank Fees
Economists have long warned against price regulation in the context of network industries, but until now our tools have been limited to complex theoretical models. Last week, the heavens sent down a natural experiment so powerful that the theoretical models are blushing: In response to a new regulation preventing banks from charging debit-card swipe fees ... The Fate of the FCC’s Open Internet Order–Lessons from Bank Fees
The Spectrum Argument Lives, Debunking Letter-Gate, and Why the DOJ Is Still Wrong to Try to Stop the AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
[Cross-posted at Tech Liberation Front] Milton Mueller responded to my post Wednesday on the DOJ’s decision to halt the AT&T/T-Mobile merger by asserting that there was no evidence the merger would lead to “anything innovative and progressive” and claiming “[t]he spectrum argument fell apart months ago, as factual inquiries revealed that AT&T had more spectrum than Verizon and the ... The Spectrum Argument Lives, Debunking Letter-Gate, and Why the DOJ Is Still Wrong to Try to Stop the AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
Hazlett & Wright on The Law and Economics of Network Neutrality
Thomas Hazlett and I have posted The Law and Economics of Network Neutrality: The Federal Communications Commission’s Network Neutrality Order regulates how broadband networks explain their services to customers, mandates that subscribers be permitted to deploy whatever computers, mobile devices, or applications they like for use with the network access service they purchase, imposes a ... Hazlett & Wright on The Law and Economics of Network Neutrality
Maureen Ohlhausen to FTC
Congratulations to Maureen Ohlhausen on the announcement that President Obama intends to nominate her to replace William Kovacic on the Federal Trade Commission. This is an excellent appointment. The Washington Post observes: Ohlhausen comes from Wilkinson Barker Knauer law firm, where she is a partner in the firm’s privacy, data protection and cyber security practice. ... Maureen Ohlhausen to FTC
Net Neutrality, the MetroPCS Complaint, and Low-Income Consumers
I blogged a bit about the MetroPCS net neutrality complaint a few weeks ago. The complaint, you may recall, targeted the MetroPCS menu of packages and pricing offered to its consumers. The idea that MetroPCS, about one-tenth the size of Verizon, has market power is nonsense. As my colleague Tom Hazlett explains, restrictions on MetroPCS ... Net Neutrality, the MetroPCS Complaint, and Low-Income Consumers
Net neutrality and Trinko
Commentators who see Trinko as an impediment to the claim that antitrust law can take care of harmful platform access problems (and thus that prospective rate regulation (i.e., net neutrality) is not necessary), commit an important error in making their claim–and it is a similar error committed by those who advocate for search neutrality regulation, as ... Net neutrality and Trinko
Welcome to Net Neutrality
Recently, I’ve been blogging about the difference between so-called “bias” in vertically integrated economic relationships and consumer harm (e.g., here and here). The two are different. Indeed, vertical integration and contractual arrangements are generally pro-consumer and efficient. Many of the same arguments surrounded the net neutrality debate with critics largely skeptical that the legislation was ... Welcome to Net Neutrality
Search Bias and Antitrust
There is an antitrust debate brewing concerning Google and “search bias,” a term used to describe search engine results that preference the content of the search provider. For example, Google might list Google Maps prominently if one searches “maps” or Microsoft’s Bing might prominently place Microsoft affiliated content or products. Apparently both antitrust investigations and ... Search Bias and Antitrust
DOJ to Waxman: Violating Net Neutrality Isn’t Anticompetitive
Congressman Waxman shares that the news that the DOJ Antitrust Division told him that cable or phone companies violating net neutrality principles with exclusive or discriminatory deals are not violating the antitrust laws: Waxman said during a net neutrality hearing Wednesday that Justice officials informed his office that existing competition laws cannot be used to ... DOJ to Waxman: Violating Net Neutrality Isn’t Anticompetitive
Watch me discuss the future of the Internet and its regulation on Ideas in Action
Larry Downes (who, like me, is a senior fellow at TechFreedom and a contributor to the excellent book, The Next Digital Decade: Essays on the Future of the Internet) and I taped an episode of Jim Glassman’s talking head show, Ideas in Action, a couple months ago, and it is airing this week on PBS ... Watch me discuss the future of the Internet and its regulation on Ideas in Action
