At the Innovators Network, our mission is to educate and empower scholarship that keeps the digital ecosystem competitive, open, and global, so innovation is not siloed in one area or company. As our fellows have illuminated through the years, light-touch, evidence-based frameworks unlock micro, small, and mid-sized enterprise (MSME) growth. Sweeping regulations targeting undefined […]
As the Innovators Network enters the third year of its Antitrust and Competition Fellowship Program, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the impactful work our fellows have contributed over the past year. There were several significant developments in antitrust law in 2024, including lawsuits challenging the curated online marketplace (COM) business model, skeptical merger […]
Author: Ted Bolema Under the Biden Administration, the principle of “big is bad” has taken center stage, with federal agencies targeting large companies like Amazon and Illumina for their market dominance. While the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may be well-intentioned in curbing monopolistic practices, the ripple effects of these […]
On November 19, 2024, the Innovators Network held its first-ever Capitol Hill briefing co-hosted with the George Washington (GW) Competition & Innovation Lab. We tackled one of the most critical topics in innovation today: the evolving landscape of antitrust regulation and the challenges faced by policymakers in the United States and abroad. The briefing fostered […]
As more and more consumers around the world reap the benefits of curated online marketplaces (COMs) based in the United States, foreign competitors are asking their governments to act against COMs’ core business conduct. The European Union’s (EU’s) Digital Markets Act (DMA) is the first major step in this direction, imposing ex ante-style regulation to […]
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 […]
As legislators and enforcement agency officials debate the applicability of antitrust (or competition) law to digital platforms, they are grappling with a wide range of sometimes conflicting policy objectives and concerns. In 2023, Innovators Network fellows continued to research the regulatory dynamics of applying antitrust and competition law in the digital ecosystem. As we head […]
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 […]
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 […]
