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
Fortune
Privacy Advocates Pour Hate on Vote To Repeal Internet Privacy Protections
Fortune discusses the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband privacy rules with Ryan Radia. For the pro-business think tank the Competitive Enterprise Institute, however, the…
The Hill
Obama FCC’s ‘privacy’ rules were a sham
The Hill highlights CEI’s calculation of the Federal Communication Commission’s 2015 regulatory costs. The FCC is no poster child for efficiency for that…
BBC
How will scrapping of US internet privacy rules affect me?
BBC discusses the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband privacy rule with Ryan Radia. The original FCC rule sought to protect customer proprietary information including,…
News Release
CEI Applauds House CRA to Reverse Broadband Privacy Rule
The Competitive Enterprise Institute applauds the House of Representatives for passing a CRA resolution of disapproval to repeal the FCC’s privacy rule today. The CRA…
Blog
Six Reasons FCC Rules Are Not Needed to Protect Privacy
The Competitive Enterprise Institute has been long been skeptical of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) approach to regulating how Internet service providers (ISPs) use subscriber…
The Hill
Hopefully FTC gets to do what it does best: Regulate privacy
The Hill highlights CEI and Tech Freedom’s coalition letter on the Federal Communication Commission’s role in regulating broadband privacy. Of course, the new…
Blog
Broadband Privacy Regulations Need to Be Revised by FCC or Repealed by Congress
The Federal Communications Commission does not have the authority to rewrite the Wiretap Act to suit its policy preferences.
Blog
Reason TV on the Future of Public Broadcasting
Public broadcasting should embrace the podcast and Netflix revolution for delivering content.
Blog
Restraint, Humility Needed at Federal Trade Commission
As President Trump evaluates candidates to chair the Federal Trade Commission, he should look for a person who appreciates the importance of letting markets evolve…
Blog
Making the Case for a Free Market in Space
For commercialized space (and alas, for other sectors) we need a regulatory heatshield, a HOT Act (“Hands Off Technology”).
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Supporting CRA to Disapprove Broadband Privacy Rule
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson, We, the undersigned organizations and trade associations, thank the Senate…
News Release
CEI Comments on FCC Chairman Pai’s Renomination
Today Competitive Enterprise Institute adjunct fellow Jessica Melugin commented on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s re-nomination to the Federal Communications Commission by President Trump:…
News Release
FCC Stay of Privacy Rule Prevents Irreparable Injury to Businesses and Consumers
This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a temporary stay of part of its privacy rule for internet service providers. The Competitive Enterprise Institute…
Blog
FCC Could Move Soon on Long-Delayed CEI Cable Merger Petition
Chairman Ajit Pai has signaled that the FCC may revise conditions on the Charter cable merge, hopefully granting a long-delayed CEI petition in the process.
Blog
Policy Background on Trump’s Joint-Session Address to Congress
Here are five areas where the administration has the opportunity to implement valuable and much-needed reforms for the American people.
Inside Unmanned Systems
Nevada Bill Calls for Legalization of Self-Driving Cars
Inside Unmanned Systems discusses with Marc Scribner a proposed bill in Nevada that updates existing state traffic laws that would spur driverless vehicle testing. …
Blog
AT&T-Time Warner Deal Highlights Need for FCC Reform
Interference by Democratic senators in the merger of AT&T and Time Warner is a reminder of the need to reform the FCC’s authority to regulate…
Blog
States Should Resist Pressure to Implement REAL ID Act
National requirements for state ID cards are an abuse of the constitutional division of power between the states and the federal government.
Blog
FCC Chairman Pai Ends Obama-era Investigation of ‘Zero-rating’ Data Plans
Newly promoted FCC chairman Ajit Pai signals a reversal of policy on Obama-era net neutrality rules.
Blog
Public Interest Groups Urge Update of Email Privacy Protections
This week, CEI joined dozens of public interest groups, trade associations, and companies in sending a letter to Congress in support of the…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Supporting Email Privacy Act
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers, We, the undersigned civil society organizations, companies and trade associations,…
Blog
Wyoming Considers Disastrous Sales Tax Proposal
The U.S. Supreme Court made clear in the case of Quill v. North Dakota (1992) that Congress, not the individual states, has the authority to regulate…
Blog
Crash Course in Gambling Law for Would-be Attorney General Sessions
Federal law does not ban all online gambling, despite what U.S. Attorney General-designate Jeff Sessions has suggested.
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
Utah Keeping Amazon Sales Tax Deal Secret
The Utah State Tax Commission refuses to make public the details of the deal reached with Amazon due to what’s been reported as a “confidentiality…
Blog
New Congress Needs to Modernize Tech Policy
With respect to tech and telecom, lawmakers should avoid imposing new mandates and prohibitions in response to new technologies that might seem threatening, absent exceptional…
Blog
Five New Year’s Resolutions for a New Administration
Now is the perfect time for members of the incoming Trump administration to reflect on where America is and set policy goals for the coming…
Blog
RealClear Radio Hour: Executive Actions and Blockchain Technology
In this episode, Andrew Grossman proposes executive actions Trump can take to undo problematic portions of Obama’s pen and phone legacy and Donatien Adou discusses…
Blog
Must-Have Gifts for America’s Wish List
It isn’t Christmas Day yet, much to the chagrin of impatient youngsters, but it’s already time for America to put together a wish list for…
Cato At Liberty
The Feds Want to Track Your Car
Cato At Liberty highlights a quote by Marc Scribner on regulating vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology. While the risks of mandatory V2V systems are significant,…
Cato At Liberty
“Court Ruling A Big Blow to ‘Open Internet'”
“Verizon was joined in its fight by conservative and business groups that oppose neutrality rules, such as the Competitive…
Blog
A Free Market Policy Agenda for the Trump Administration
CEI’s free market policy agenda for the incoming Trump administration is aimed at strengthening the economy and removing barriers to economic freedom in five key…
New York Post
Controversial FCC boss to exit agency before term ends
New York Post discusses Federal Communication Comission's head Tom Wheeler's exit from the agency with CEI. The Competitive Enterprise Institute issued a negative…
Study
First Steps for the Trump Administration: Support Technology and Innovation
View full document as PDF The frontier sectors that define the new high-tech economy are uniquely vulnerable to political predation and cronyism.
Blog
A Pro-Growth Agenda for the 115th Congress
At CEI, we believe a clear agenda is necessary to move America toward economic growth, prosperity, and liberty for individuals to chart their own paths…
Products
Free to Prosper: Technology and Telecommunications
View the full chapter on technology and telecommunications here Few economic sectors rival the technology and telecommunications industries in how rapidly—and momentously—they have evolved.
Blog
Future Cyber Mondays Could Take a Hit from Proposed Internet Tax
Adobe Digital Insights predicts that Cyber Monday’s sales will surpass last year’s sales by 11.5%, for a total of $3 billion this year.
Study
Why Internet Sales Taxes Bolster Bigger Government
View Full Document as PDF The rapid growth of online retailing has led to calls from state and local officials for greater…
Blog
RealClear Radio Hour: Internet Sales Tax Shakedown and Legal Graft
This week on RealClear Radio Hour, Jessica Melugin and Trevor Burrus discuss freedom from bureaucracy online and political corruption.
Blog
Dueling Narratives on the AT&T-Time Warner “Mega Merger”
This weekend AT&T and Time Warner announced a merger deal and it didn't take long for critics on the left to begin making concerned statements…
Forbes
Republicans and Democrats Unite Against $86 Billion AT&T-Time Warner Merger Deal
In a response to earlier media mergers such as Comcast-NBCUniversal, and in an effort to adapt to a world in which consumers increasingly turn away…
The Hill
How driverless cars can reduce pollution
The Hill highlights Marc Scribner's report on state laws that would restrict platooning technology for automated vehicles. Autonomous vehicles also have the potential to…
The Hill
California weighs self-driving car rules
The Hill discusses California's draft driverless car regulations with Marc Scribner. Marc Scribner, a research fellow for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said the…
Forbes
White House Showcases National Plans For Mars Journey, High Technology
President Barack Obama is hosting the White House Frontiers Conference at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University. The idea is to “explore the future of innovation,”…
Blog
Facebook Makes the Case for “Free Basics” Internet Access
Facebook is lobbying the White House for the government’s blessing to offer its “Free Basics” service in the United States, according to a story reported…
Blog
Federal Communications Commission Delays Vote on Cable Box Rules
How would the proposed rules change cable set-top boxes?…
Blog
Tom Cotton’s Last Minute Anti-Gambling Bill
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) fears the Internet.
Blog
Mr. Robot and the Future of Money
Last week, the cult USA channel TV show Mr. Robot showed once again why it is required viewing for anyone interested in technology.
One News Now
‘Amazing’ developments re: self-driving cars
One News Now discusses technology developments for self-driving cars with Marc Scribner. "More training options are great," says Marc Scribner, transportation policy analyst…
The Hill
Driverless cars face regulatory roadblock
The Hill highlights Marc Scribner's study examining state laws restricting truck platooning technology. But it’s not just pedal and steering wheel rules that…
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