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
Blog
Barack Obama as FCC Chairman
The saga of executive branch overreach continues, and we got a twofer today. The House Judiciary Task Force on Executive Overreach held a hearing this…
Blog
UnChartered Cronyism: The FCC’s Attempts to Block Cable Merger
When you hear about “crony capitalism,” what comes to mind? The Export-Import Bank? The ethanol mandate? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Tax credits and loan…
Blog
The One Year Anniversary of Net Neutrality
In the pen and phone era, one of the many examples of the descent into arbitrary lawmaking influencing an entire sector of the economy is…
The Hill
Tech group sues feds over drone registrations
The Hill reports on CEI's response to the FAA's drone registration rules. Critics have been threatening to sue the FAA over the registration…
Blog
Permanent Moratorium on Internet Taxation in Customs Bill
Today the Senate voted 75-20 in favor of the conference report accompanying H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, the so-called customs…
Blog
PITFA a Poor Hostage for Internet Sales Taxes
Despite the premise of many a political cartoon, U.S. senators aren’t stupid. But a few of them are hoping to bamboozle at least 60 of their…
Engadget
Confusion over FAA drone registry results in privacy problems
Engadget mentions Marc Scribner's statement in response to the FAA's refusal to allow public comments on its drone registration plan. The FAA decided to apply…
Letters
CEI Joins 20 Organizations Opposing Utah Internet Sales Tax Proposal
Full Document Available in PDF Dear Utah State legislator: On behalf of our organizations and the millions of citizens we represent, we…
Al Jazeera
US prepares skies to track recreational drones
Al Jazeera reports on the Federal Aviation Administrations rule requires operators of drones must have a permit, and quotes Marc Scribner's comments on the rule. …
Blog
Coalition Tells Congress to Keep the Internet Tax-Free
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute joined 44 organizations in signing a coalition letter urging Congress to extend and make permanent the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA).
Forbes
CES 2016, Where Technology And Government Collide
At the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here in Las Vegas, I got around to taking a few snapshots. There is the Consumer Technology Association’s…
The Hill
Drone user sues feds over registration rules
The Hill discusses CEI's objections to the new FAA drone registration requirements. The Washington, D.C.-based Competitive Enterprise Institute said the FAA violated federal…
Blog
Why the Omnibus Shouldn’t Include Cybersecurity Legislation
Later this week, the House is slated to vote on a $1.1 trillion “omnibus” spending bill to fund the federal government through next fall. Naturally,…
Politico
Drone regs attract a little praise, lots of prodding
Politico reports on the FAA's drone regualtions and quotes Marc Scribner on the final rule. Marc Scribner, a transportation expert at the Competitive…
Watchdog.org
The Internet Grinch Tax Threat
Proposals to expand sales tax collection on Internet purchases just won’t go away. And this holiday shopping season—which kicked off with a $3 billion Cyber…
The Blaze
Is Congress About to Expand Govt Surveillance?
The Blaze cites Ryan Radia's work on the inclusion of CISA in the latest Omnibus: The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which already…
The Hill
Critics threaten lawsuit over drone registration rules
The Hill discusses the FAA drone regulations with Marc Scribner. The Washington, D.C.-based Competitive Enterprise Institute said Monday the FAA violated federal requirements…
USA Today
FAA begins drone registry Dec. 21
USA Today reports on the FAA drone regulations and quotes Marc Scribner on the final rule. Marc Scribner, a transportation expert at the…
GoGeomatics
FAA Task Force recommends registration for drones over 9 ounces
GoGeomatics references Marc Scribner on the FAA's plan to regulate drones. However, there is considerable doubt that the FAA will be able to…
The Washington Times
How to Keep the Internet Free and Innovative
Unless the courts or Congress rein it in, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) might soon transform itself into the Internet Regulation Commission. On December 4,…
USA Today
Net Neutrality Rules to be Argued in Court
USA Today discusses CEI's involvement with opposing the FCC's net neutrality rules. USTelecom, a trade association that counts among its members AT&T and…
Study
Myths and Facts about the Wire Act
Full Document Available in PDF Myth: The 1961 Federal Wire was intended to ban all online gambling. Fact: At the time of…
Study
Debunking Myths about Internet Gambling
Preventing states from legalizing and regulating online gambling would push American online gamblers back into the black market.
Study
Understanding an Internet Sales Tax
21st century taxation without representation? Attempts to expand states’ abilities to tax online sales across borders are wildly unpopular and fly in the face of fiscal conservative…
Homeland Security Today
Planning A Drone As A Holiday Gift? FAA Task Force Calls For UAS Registration
Homeland Security Today discusses the FAA drone registration mandate plans with Marc Scribner. According to Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) transportation policy expert Marc…
Politico
DHS chief suggests ‘legislative teeth’ for Visa Waiver tweaks
Politico highlights Marc Scribner's insights on the FAA drone registration mandates. The Competitive Enterprise Institute said it is “disturbed by the way in which…
News Release
Drone Task Force Report to FAA on Mandatory Drone
The drone registration task force has now issued its recommendations to the FAA concerning plans to require registration for commercial/civilian drones. But the FAA’s plan…
Blog
Net Neutrality Questions FCC Commissioners Need to Answer
In a House Energy & Commerce Committee oversight hearing on Tuesday, November 17, all five Federal Communications Commissioners will testify. Net neutrality, the FCC’s broad push…
Watchdog.org
Drones: FAA wants to be the DMV for flying toys
Blog
CFPB’s Database Should Be Bipartisan Privacy Concern
The behemoth Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) played a big role in Tuesday night’s GOP presidential debate on Fox Business, both during the commercials and…
Blog
Passcode for Liberty: Why the Government Shouldn’t Restrict Encryption (Video)
Most Americans own a smartphone and use cloud computing services such as Gmail, Dropbox, and Facebook. Increasingly, we store sensitive data on our devices and…
St. Cloud Times
Register all drones? Fears surround DOT mandate plan
The St. Cloud Times discusses with Marc Scribner the problems behind FAA drone regulations. "Do we expect pilots to see tiny numbering on these…
RealClear Policy
Undermining Encryption
Ryan Radia discusses the problem with encryption restrictions in RealClear Policy: For most Americans, communicating over the Internet has become routine. We now…
Blog
As Senate Cybersecurity Vote Nears, CISA Remains Seriously Flawed
If Congress wants to lift barriers to beneficial information sharing without endangering individual privacy, it’s essential that legislation contains robust safeguards against unwanted uses of…
One News Now
Feds: Drones are a hazard to be regulated
One News Now interviews CEI's Marc Scribner on the federal government's plans to regulate drones. Foxx et al. have announced the formation of…
Watchdog Arena
Your drone papers, please: Feds preparing registry for unmanned flight
Watchdog Arena sites Marc Scribner's research on the problems with federal regulations on drones. As the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Marc Scribner points out…
Politico
Drone registration rule gets underway
Politico mentions Marc Scribner's research on the new drone proposal in daily news update on transportation. Pointing to an analysis by drone lawyer…
Watchdog.org
Fed, states preparting new regs for commercial, personal drone use
Watchdog.org discusses the Federal Aviation Administration's fear of drones and resulting regulations, and looks to Marc Scribner to understand the effects of such regulations.
The Heartlander
Regulators Slamming the Brakes on ‘Permissionless Innovation’
The Heartland Institute cites Marc Scribner's research on the regulatory landscape surrounding automated-vehicles. Marc Scribner, a research fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says…
Daily Caller
Massive Potential Of Drones Could Be Undermined By Federal Regulators
The Daily Caller reviews Marc Scribner's paper on drone regulations. Regulators and legislators looking to curtail the use of civilian drones could be losing…
Politico
Dorgan’s lobbying checks align with newfound ATC stance
Politico details Marc Scribner's paper on drones as part of the daily transportation and infrastructure update. As lawmakers mull drone policy ahead of…
Politico
Dorgan’s lobbying checks align with newfound ATC stance
Politico details Marc Scribner's paper on drones as part of the daily transportation and infrastructure update. As lawmakers mull drone policy ahead of…
Blog
What Will a Chaffetz Speakership Mean for Internet Freedom? Part 2
Utah Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz recently threw his hat in the ring in a bid to replace Speaker John Boehner, after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s…
Blog
What Will a Chaffetz Speakership Mean for Internet Freedom?
With House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) gaffe regarding the Benghazi investigation, the race to replace outgoing Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appears much more open. Days later,…
Blog
Court Upholds Legality of NSA’s Bulk Collection of Telephone Records
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit handed down its much-awaited ruling in Obama v. Klayman, one of several lawsuits…
Blog
Did North Dakota Just Authorize Pepper-Spraying Police Drones?
The Daily Beast’s Justin Glawe has written an article about a North Dakota law aimed at limiting law enforcement use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or…
News Release
Amicus Brief: Congress Has Never Given FCC the Authority to Regulate the Internet
Congress has continued to deny the Federal Communications Commission authority to regulate the Internet, argues the Competitive Enterprise Institute in its amicus brief filed today in…
Legal Brief
Amicus Brief: United States Telecom Association v. FCC
Full Document Available in PDF A handful of telecom companies sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over its Open Internet Order, also…
Blog
Senate Prepares to Vote on Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA)
Today, the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), which is a serious threat to civil liberties and…
Products
Graham Hearing Could Touch On I-Poker Ban Bill
The Card Player cites CEI`s Michelle Minton on internet gambling regulation: While the hearing on July 8 isn’t centered on Internet gambling like…
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