Abstract By: Jessica Melugin The current leadership of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has aggressively targeted “bigness” in the U.S. economy, focusing on industries dominated by large firms. FTC Chair Lina Khan emphasized this stance in 2021, marking the beginning of intensified regulatory scrutiny. This paper explores the adverse impacts of these FTC actions, particularly […]
Read More
While the current frustrations with the size of large tech companies and censorship practices may be warranted, giving government enforcers and bureaucrats more power is not the answer. Instead, existing antitrust laws and the consumer welfare standard are still the best tools for protecting competition and consumers. Competition fellow, Ted Bolema, explores how the calls […]
Read More
The Federal Trade Commission is ready in arms for its upcoming suit against Amazon alleging that the company tricked customers into signing up for the company’s “Prime” membership and then made it difficult to cancel that subscription service. Competition fellow, Jessica Melugin, highlights the FTC’s use of limited resources to fight a company that provides […]
Read More
In a time when antitrust enforcement plays a pivotal role in shaping markets and ensuring fair competition, understanding the dynamics between these two powerful entities is crucial The realm of antitrust enforcement is witnessing a resurgence in the spotlight, with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission leading the charge. […]
Read More
Privacy fellow, Paula Bruening, explores how these stringent compliance requirements may pose challenges for small companies, including with respect to their privacy and data minimization obligations. Since President Joe Biden’s 2022 State of the Union address, where he emphasized the importance of children’s privacy, significant strides have been made to address the issue. Congressional action […]
Read More
Competition fellow, Theodore Bolema, explores the pitfalls of a one-size-fits-all rule on negative option features for innovative businesses. In an everchanging digital marketplace, users and business owners are faced with many different options and potential subscription models to better enjoy a service. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a Negative Option Rule Notice of Proposed […]
Read More
Competition fellow, Jessica Melugin, explores the economic rationale behind the agency’s investigation and why this may hinder US competition globally in the gaming industry In the dynamic world of gaming, Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of the gaming publishing company, Activision Blizzard, has stirred quite a debate. Why is the FTC attempting to halt a deal that […]
Read More
Check out Competition fellow, Jane Bambauer, in her recent paper w/The Lawfare Institute. In the realm of social media and online marketplaces, platforms engage in a delicate dance of content curation. The competition for users hinges on how well a platform formats and curates user-generated content. This dance aims to keep users engaged, ensure content […]
Read More
Privacy fellow, Lourdes Turrecha, explores the key to safeguarding privacy in this new world is not more regulation, but potential growing privacy tech. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has unquestionably revolutionized our lives, but as it continues to infiltrate various facets of our existence, its privacy implications have come under intense scrutiny. The remarkable advantages that AI […]
Read More
