What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
The Monopoly-Busting Case Against Google, Amazon, Uber, and Facebook
Antitrust crusaders have built up serious momentum in Washington, making a strong case that big companies (especially big tech companies) are distorting the market to drive out competitors. We need a new standard for monopolies, they argue, one that focuses less on consumer harm and more on the skewed incentives produced by a company the size of Facebook or Google. Here's the case against four of the movement’s biggest targets, and what they might look like if they came out on the losing end.
A Mega-Merger in the Prison Phone Industry is in the FCC's Hands
Securus provides technology services to prisons and jails and has been slammed by inmates’ families who say they’re charged outrageous prices to phone loved ones. The controversy has extended into video call and email services, two other places the company has staked a claim. In October, the company was hit with a $1.7 million fine for allegedly misleading the Federal Communications Commission.
The Next Generation 5G network promises more than blazing fast wireless broadband. Cities will become smarter, and analysts expect 5G will enable the Internet of Things, encompassing a wide array of industries. As 5G implementation moves closer to reality, the industry, policymakers, and others are grappling with the challenges and long-term benefits of rolling out the technology.
This year's summit will bring together 75 participating communities, forming an extensive national network of housing providers, municipal agencies .and community stakeholders that are dedicating themselves to digital inclusion.
This year's theme is "Connect to the Future!" a reflection of our goal to help families in public housing connect to the transformative tools of the Digital Age. These tools will prepare residents for the technology changes that lie ahead and the vast opportunities these changes will bring.
Facebook and Twitter Have a Message for Lawmakers: We’re Trying
For months, Facebook, Twitter and Google have grappled with criticism over the misuse of their services by foreign operatives and the disproportionate influence of their platforms on people’s thinking.
What I Hope to Learn from the Tech Giants
Elected officials will have a chance to question those who run Silicon Valley tech giants. This public scrutiny comes at an important time, as Americans across the political spectrum debate the ever-increasing role of these massive companies in our economy and civic society. Here are a few things I hope to learn from these hearings:
For the last 40 years, antitrust policy has been guided by the consumer welfare standard, which generally allows companies to pursue mergers and other market strategies absent harm to consumers or anticompetitive conduct. But some activists have advocated for actively pushing back against the formation of large firms, an approach championed in the early 20th century by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis. Today’s neo-Brandeisians worry about what they see as undue concentrations of economic and political power, and they hope to prop up small businesses.
Grassroots Leadership on 5G
Indiana is going to be one of the first states in the country to see 5G—the next-generation of wireless broadband. Indiana’s national leadership in mobile broadband is a direct result of this state’s policy decisions. A year ago, community leaders identified the opportunities that come with next-generation broadband and decided to address the challenges that threatened to stand in the way. A year after enacting Indiana’s small cell bill, the results are in—and they are remarkable.
Brett Kavanaugh's net neutrality views could have a broad impact if he joins the Supreme Court
Most critiques of the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, focus on his positions on a woman’s right to choose, his extreme deference to presidential power, or his views on sensible gun laws.
Hundreds of schools await funding for connectivity improvements as FCC deadline nears
The Federal Communications Commission has, for years, sought to issue funding decisions by Sept. 1 for applications made through E-rate, a federal program that subsidizes phone and internet access for public schools and libraries. But connectivity advocates say roughly $945 million in funding requests remain on the table, roughly a third of the $2.8 billion schools and libraries requested this fiscal year. "We've got a bunch of kids going back to school and these projects haven't been reviewed yet," said Evan Marwell, CEO and founder of EducationSuperHighway.