Whether it is lifting net neutrality regulations, allowing AI to reach its full potential to benefit mankind, educating policy makers about content moderation, clearing legacy regulations at the Federal Communications Commission, advocating for greater spectrum efficiency, or defending business practices that benefit consumers but are disliked by antitrust enforcers, CEI punches above its weight. Coalition activity, relationships with tech and telecom journalists, media appearances, policy events, Capitol Hill outreach, op-eds, and in-depth studies combine to make CEI influential in the tech and telecom policy area.
Tech and Telecom Issue Areas
Featured Posts
News Release
Market-based Reforms Needed to Correct Failures of Universal Service Subsidies, Congress Urged to Act
A new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) highlights the pervasive failures of the Universal Service Fund (USF) subsidies and calls on Congress…
Blog
Good things happen when spectrum is allocated to the marketplace
There has been recent legislative activity on spectrum allocation, so it is a good time to remind ourselves why moving as much spectrum as…
Blog
For the sake of user privacy, keep Google search remedies narrow and germane
The movement in the Biden and Trump administrations of antitrust officials away from consumer welfare and towards a federal judiciary of active regulation is on…
Search Posts
USA Today
Supreme Court weighs privacy rights in digital age in pivotal cellphone case
USA Today cited the Competitive Enterprise Institute about the dangers to personal freedoms and privacy for third-party information to be available to law enforcement without requiring a…
Reason
Self-Driving Cars Will Make Most Auto Safety Regulations Unnecessary
Reason quoted Marc Scribner on the necessity of pragmatism which should be utilized to expedite the implementation of self-driving cars before federal auto regulators idealistic…
Politico
FCC’s next step on net neutrality: Blocking the states
Politico quoted Jessica Melugin on the difficulties awaiting states or cities who would try to impose their own individualized versions of net neutrality highlighted by…
The New York Times
Net Neutrality Hits a Nerve, Eliciting Intense Reactions
The New York Times cited the Competitive Enterprise Institute in its support of internet regulation reforms that seek to create a more regulation-free environment. …
Blog
Competition in Tech is More Vibrant than It Looks
Calls for regulatory action against big tech firms, including Amazon and Google parent company Alphabet, have intensified after they reported record profits. The case against…
Forbes
Online Gambling — None Of Washington’s Business (But Its Enemies Don’t Care)
Forbes cited Michelle Minton on the history of Pennsylvania Representative Charlie Dent and others to pass an amendment illegalizing state-based internet gambling within the state…
Blog
State Net Neutrality Regulations Constitutionally Unsound
Since the Federal Communications Commission voted to roll back federal net neutrality regulations, many states have opposed the measure with executive orders, lawsuits, and legislation.
Legal Brief
Brief of Amicus Curiae of CEI, Cato Institute, Reason Foundation et al. in Ulbricht v. United States
CEI and other organizations submitted a brief on warrentless seizure of IP address data.
Townhall
Legal Authority in the Clouds
Townhall covers CEI’s support of the CLOUD Act of 2018. Cloud storage and computing is an emerging technology increasingly in use worldwide.
The Daily Caller
There’s a Newfound Hatred of Silicon Valley
The Daily Caller discusses opinions on Silicon Valley with Wayne Crews. For quite a long time, Silicon Valley was the angelic, do-no-wrong industry, adamantly…
Comment
CEI Comments to Montana Rural Broadband Subsidy Alternatives
View Full Document as PDF The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) respectfully submits these comments regarding the Montana Public Service Commission’s Notice of…
Reason
National I.D. By Any Other Name Still Stinks
Reason covers the release of a new report published by the Cato Institute and authored by Jim Harper. There have been many pushes to…
Cato
CTIA—The Wireless Association v. City of Berkeley
Cato covers their petition filed to the Supreme Court with CEI and Cause of Action Institute in CTIA—The Wireless Association v. City of Berkeley. Residents…
Study
The New National ID Systems
View Full Document as PDF The past few years have seen growing awareness and concern about U.S. government surveillance of the American…
Blog
Rumors of Nationalized 5G Point to Need for Reform of Existing Networks
Consumers will suffer from government efforts to create a nationalized 5G telecommunications network, and the rumoured plan to move in that direction needs to be …
U.S. News & World Report
Cutting Off Consumers
A new regulation will burden low- and middle-income Americans reliant on payday loans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau just released a new rule against payday…
The Washington Times
Conservatives Fear More Left-Leaning Media With AT&T, Time Warner Merger
The Washington Times quotes Wayne Crews on the traditional importance of deregulation in communications for conservative policy and how traditional media conglomerates are losing influence…
The Hill
Right-Leaning Groups Back International Data Privacy Bill
Blog
Bringing Net Neutrality Back from the Dead Would Be a Big Mistake for Congress
Passing a Congressional Review Act resolution to nullify the Restoring Internet Freedom Order would be as bad an idea as net neutrality regulations themselves were.
Blog
Burger King Video Inadvertently Highlights Absurdity of Net Neutrality Claims
A new corporate video from Burger King ostensibly supports net neutrality regulations, but actually demonstrates exactly why such rules are unnecessary.
Blog
Increasing Public Awareness Bolsters Potential for Blockchain Applications
Blockchain is a software architecture that seems very likely to unleash profound global forces if it crosses over into the mainstream.
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Oppose Using the Congressional Review Act to Overturn the FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Order
View Full Document as PDF Dear Senators & Representatives: We, the undersigned organizations, representing millions of taxpayers and consumers nationwide, urge Congress…
Forbes
A CES Takeaway: Don’t Fear Robots and Artificial Intelligence, Fear Politicians
Maroon 5 keeps popping up on my Pandora stations, so artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning still have a ways to go. Even if AI…
Blog
Supreme Court Should Safeguard Rights to Digital Property in Microsoft Case
The Court should recognize that communications and data are property, and cut off the “innovative” use of subpoenas to collect data that should require a…
Forbes
Net Neutrality and Senate Democrats’ Renewed Love for the Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act (CRA) is the law by which the Republican Congress and the Trump Administration eliminated 14 of…
News Release
CEI Files Brief in Microsoft Supreme Court Case, Argues for Consumer Privacy Protections
This week, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) filed a Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the respondent in United States v.
Bloomberg Politics
China Uses Facial Recognition to Fence In Villagers in Far West
Bloomberg Politics discusses new surveillance technology being tested in China with Jim Harper. China’s state surveillance apparatus is trying out a new tool in…
The New York Times
Blockchain or Blockheads? Bitcoin Mania Mints Believers and Skeptics
John Schwartz, writing for The New York Times, discusses Bitcoin with Jim Harper. Sometimes life shows you what absurd really…
News Release
CEI Encourages Supreme Court to Uphold Interstate Commerce Protections
Today the US Supreme Court agreed to hear South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., a case that will test the idea of limiting a state’s tax…
Forbes
Who Will Own the Infrastructure in the Smart City?
There is great enthusiasm for the smart city concept. Integration of autonomous vehicles, drones and networked communications are expected to manage congestion, lead to fewer…
Forbes
The Consumer Electronics Show and Public Policy: Can There Be Separation of Tech and State?
The buzz and pre-show anticipation have begun for the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show(#CES2018) hosted by CTA, the …
Bloomberg Politics
Bitcoin Falls Into Gray Area of Disclosure Rules for Congress
Bloomberg Politics discusses Bitcoin with Jim Harper. To guard against insider trading and financial conflicts, members of Congress and federal officials must file regular…
The Washington Post
Bitcoin Got a Big Boost in 2017. Here are 5 Other Cryptocurrencies to Watch in 2018.
The Washington Post discusses cryptocurrencies with Jim Harper. Mainstream investors spent much of last year trying to figure out how to jump in on …
Blog
Tech Crystal Ball 2018
Expert predictions on top tech issues for the new year.
Blog
Who Will Regulate Tom Wheeler?
When free competition suffers, it is government intervention that is the problem, not the companies doing the competing.
OneNewsNow
FCC Deep-Sixes Obama’s ‘Heavy-Handed’ Internet Regs
OneNewsNow discusses the repeal of Net Neutrality regulations with Ryan Radia. On Thursday the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted along party lines to undo “Net…
Blog
Disney and Fox Merger Will Boost Competition; That’s Good for Everyone
The Walt Disney Company has come to an agreement to buy most of 21st Century Fox’s assets for $52.4 billion, but before the deal…
News Release
CEI Responds to FCC Repeal of Net Neutrality Regulations
Today's FCC vote to restore Internet freedom is a victory for consumers. Building the networks of tomorrow will require enormous investment and risk-taking -- today's…
Blog
Preserving an Open Internet without the FCC
Brent Skorup and Chris Koopman of the Mercatus Center sat down earlier this summer and reviewed many of the questions relevant to the debate that’s reaching a fever-pitch…
USA Today
No, the Internet Is Not About to Be Destroyed
The headlines regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s upcoming vote on “net neutrality” regulations suggest impending doom. “FCC Is Revving Up to Destroy the Internet…
Blog
Four Reasons So-Called Net Neutrality Regulations Should Be Scrapped
The Federal Communications Commission's Internet Freedom Order means a return to the light-touch regulatory regime the Internet thrived under for twenty years. …
Litigation
CEI v. FCC
After nearly a year and a half without response from the agency, the Competitive Enterprise Institute is representing individuals taking the Federal Communications Commission to…
Blog
Beware the Online Sales Tax Grinch
Expanded sales tax authority is a small business killer. …
The Washington Examiner
Millions of Phony Public Comments Muddle FCC’s Net Neutrality Vote
The Washington Examiner covers Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s decision to move forward with Thursday’s vote to repeal Net Neutrality regulations. Federal Communications…
Blog
Melugin Takes on 3 Common Net Neutrality Myths
If we want real Internet neutrality, we need less government, not more. CEI's Jessica Melugin dispels three common myths about Net Neutrality.
Comment
CEI, ICLE, and Tech Freedom Give Comments to Federal Communications Commission on Charter Cable Merger
VIEW FULL DOCUMENT AS PDF Introduction and Summary On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), the International Center for Law &…
Blog
Remove Barriers to Broadband Deployment to Help Consumers
The government should unleash the forces of market discipline in the broadband sector by reducing barriers to competition.
News Release
Removing Broadband Barriers will Protect the Free and Open Internet
Policy makers should encourage competition and innovation in America’s broadband market.
Blog
End CFPB’s Collection of Americans’ Financial Data
Last week, when the drama of the dueling directors began at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), I told The Washington Examiner that the…
Blog
Economics Will Be Our Ruination, Bitcoin Edition—and Some Notes on Securing Your Cryptocurrency
Asked about Bitcoin last week, economics Nobel laureate and Columbia University professor Joseph Stiglitz said, among other gems, “It ought to be outlawed. It…
Staff & Scholars
Jessica Melugin
Director of the Center for Technology & Innovation
- Antitrust
- Innovation
- Media, Speech and Internet Freedoms
Clyde Wayne Crews
Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies
- Business and Government
- Consumer Freedom
- Deregulation
Fred L. Smith, Jr.
Founder; Chairman Emeritus
- Automobiles and Roads
- Aviation
- Business and Government