Understanding the Basic Economics of the Internet: Building a Foundation for 21st Century Public Policy

Although a range of studies and methodologies show that the Internet is now a major economic sector in the United States, few understand the economic forces at work among and between different parts of the internet ecosystem. As Washington braces for the wave of advocacy for and against specific legislation to put net neutrality on firm legal ground and establish a consistent set of privacy protections for all consumers, it is critical that policymakers understand the basic economics of the internet as well as the economic tensions between and among the companies competing for eyeballs and consumer dollars in the digital economy.

Join the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 for a robust exploration of the economics of the Internet and implications for public policy in the 21st century. An economics primer will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Kathleen Abernathy, Special Counsel, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP; Former FCC Commissioner (2001-2005); and Senior Industry and Innovation Fellow, Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy. Discussants include:

• Robert Hahn, Vising Professor, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford; and Senior Policy Scholar, Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy
• Jonathan S. Kanter, Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
• John Mayo, Professor of Economics, Business, and Public Policy at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business; and Executive Director, Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy
• Scott Wallsten, President and Senior Fellow, Technology Policy Institute; and Senior Policy Scholar, Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy

This forum is part of the Center for Business and Public Policy'sGeorgetown on the Hill series at which policymakers, academics, and industry experts discuss important economic policy issues of the day.