How the DPCA will Efficiently Address Platform Issues

Over the last several years the European Union and the United Kingdom have debated proposals to regulate digital platforms to protect consumers and promote competition. These proposals recognize that while dominant platforms require changes in traditional antitrust law to constrain their market power, they also require changes in traditional consumer protection law and sector-specific experts to protect users from fraud, unfair conduct, algorithmic discrimination, and dangerously deceptive disinformation.

Until now, Congress has sat out the regulatory conversation – leaving it to foreign governments to regulate American companies and without consideration of American consumers or American values. But now, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) have introduced the first comprehensive consumer protection bills to fill this gap. The Digital Platform Commission Act would create a new federal agency designed to work in concert with existing antitrust agencies and build on the competition legislation currently pending in Congress. The new agency draws heavily on work by Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld and Brookings Visiting Fellow Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler.

A discussion on the DPCA, what it would do, and why we need it. The webinar will include recorded remarks by the bills' sponsors.

If you have any questions about this subject please email them to us at michele@publicknowledge.org, they will be read during the webinar. RSVP here to join this virtual event happening on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 2:00 PM ET!

Speakers:

• Vivek Chilukuri, Deputy Chief of Staff for Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO)
• Meagan Foster, Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT)
• Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge
• Tom Wheeler, Former FCC Chairman

Moderators:

• A. Prince Albert III, Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge
• Greg Guice, Director of Government Affairs at Public Knowledge

Public Knowledge will send call-in information to registrants in advance of the webinar.