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
Blog
Class is in session: Are educators ready for AI?
From the early internet to modern artificial intelligence (AI), technological change causes panic. News outlets often amplify fears surrounding AI. Teachers and…
Blog
FSC v. Paxton after one year: Age verification moves down the stack
This past June marked the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s FSC v. Paxton decision. The Court held that states may require age…
Blog
The epistemological mismatch of KOSA’s constructive knowledge standard
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a markup on Wednesday for several online child safety bills, including the Kids Online Safety Act (…
Search Posts
Op-Eds
How to Regulate the Federal Communications Commission
The House of Representatives just passed H.R. 3309, the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act, in an attempt to normalize the FCC‘s propensity to regulate…
Blog
The FCC’s Concern for Competitors, not Competition
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee held a hearing on Verizon Wireless’s proposed purchase of spectrum from Cox Wireless and SpectrumCo. The spectrum…
Blog
More Space Socialism From Republicans
Over at the Beyond the Black blog, Bob Zimmerman does what I haven't had time to yet --he excoriates the chairman…
ARS Technica
Witnesses Warn Verizon-Comcast Deal Will Damage Competition
From Timothy B. Lee's article on ArsTechnica: We asked Ryan Radia, an analyst at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, to comment on the hearing.
ARS Technica
Let States Regulate Internet Gambling
This country has many serious problems to address, but an activity that millions of people around the world voluntarily enjoy, mostly without incident, is not…
Orange County Register
EDITORIAL: Don’t Throw the E-Book at Apple
From The Orange County Register's editorial: So far, the ebook market actually is dominated by Amazon.com's Kindle device, Ryan Radia told us; he's…
Orange County Register
Verizon’s Deal With Cable Companies Finds Supporters, Detractors
From Michelle Maisto’s article in eWeek: Eleven…
Comment
Reply Comments to FCC Re: Verizon Wireless Application to Acquire Spectrum Licenses
Full Document Available in PDF Executive Summary: The Federal Communications Commission should approve the applications of Verizon Wireless to acquire spectrum licenses…
Blog
Human Achievement of the Day: Heart Gel Repairs Damage
Surviving a heart attack is not the end of the story for most people: for many survivors, tissue in the heart is damaged due to…
Ecomerce Times
Google Unfazed by AGs’ Furrowed Brows
From Erika Morphy's article on E-Commerce Times and TechNewsWorld: From Google's perspective, it has no reason to make changes based on the AGs'…
Blog
Good News/Bad News On Human Spaceflight Regulation
In a bill passed last week authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration for another year, the moratorium on regulation of the safety of spaceflight participants, in…
Blog
U.S. v. Jones and the Future of Privacy
Last week, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in United States v. Jones. The Court held unanimously that because D.C. police entered a…
Blog
Nine Years Of Space Policy Disaster
On the ninth anniversary of the loss of the Columbia space shuttle, I have some thoughts on what’s happened since, over at PJMedia: The problem…
Tech News World
Twitter CEO’s Tweet-Blocking Defense: It’s Just Business
Blog
Newt’s Lunar Base
Over at PJMedia, I discuss the technical, economic and political feasibility of what Newt proposes. But as I note there, the…
Tech News World
Gingrich, Romney Push High Tech Job Creation as U.S. Lead Slips
Tech News World
Immigrants Help Fuel Tech Growth
People are the most valuable resource. We see this most clearly among entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and innovators. Creating wealth and new ways of doing things…
Blog
CEI Podcast for January 18, 2012: Dropping the SOPA
Wikipedia, Reddit, and other popular websites all went black today to protest SOPA and PIPA, two bills currently before Congress. Critics charge that the bills…
Blog
The Non-EU Space Code of Conduct
For over a year, there has been concern that the White House would sign an executive order requiring U.S. space activities to adhere to the…
Tech News World
Stopping SOPA: Website Blackouts in Protest of Online Piracy Bill
Tech News World
Ryan Radia: SOPA could change the way the internet works
SOPA could change the way the internet works. Now, some of the biggest websites in the world like Google and Wikipedia are going dark in…
Blog
Feds Should Stay Out of Google/Twitter Social Search Spat
By Berin Szoka, Geoffrey Manne, and Ryan Radia As has become customary with just about every new product announcement by Google these days, the company’s…
Blog
Stuck in a High-Priced Box
The United Launch Alliance just got an Air Force launch contract for 159 launches, which I guess means that they didn’t get the 40-launch block…
Blog
The Lunar Yellow (Non)Peril
Over at PJMedia today, I have a piece on the recently released white paper from the Chinese space program that lays…
Tech News World
The New Politics of Silicon Valley: Revenge of the Nerds
Tech News World
Is Grover Norquist Breaking Up With SOPA?
Blog
Newt’s “Zany” Space Policy
Over at PJMedia over the weekend, I asked some space policy questions of Mitt Romney: So, Governor, if you want to…
Orange County Register
Consumers Lose in Blocked Cellphone Merger
The Orange County Register discusses antitrust regulation on digital companies with Wayne Crews. The opposite is true. "One of the worst aspects of this…
Orange County Register
Government Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Itself
ARS Technica
AT&T Admits Defeat on T-Mobile Takeover, Will Pay $4 Billion Breakup Fee
ARS Technica
Grinches and Scrooges Dislike Facebook This Christmas
Seems it’s time once again to act surprised that Facebook is a social network. Surely you’ve noticed the “Sponsored Stories” ads on Facebook, noting that…
Blog
A Reprieve For NASA Commercial Crew Contractors
There has been a great deal of concern over the past few months among the potential providers of crew services to NASA over their stated…
Letters
Coalition Letter Urges House Judiciary Committee to Consider Implications of SOPA
Full Document Available in PDF The Competitive Enterprise Institute, TechFreedom, Americans…
News Release
Gov’t Ban on Cell Phones While Driving Won’t Improve Safety
Washington, DC, December 14, 2011 – Citing concern over “distracted driving,” the National Transportation Safety Board called on all states to ban on cell…
Blog
Newt’s Moon Mines
Over at National Review Online today, I have some thoughts on the little dust up between Newt and Mitt Saturday night…
CNET
New Version of SOPA Copyright Bill, Old Complaints
CNET
SOPA Foes Marshal Opposition Before House Panel Vote
CNET
Labeling Of Biotech Foods Is Unnecessary And Unconstitutional
This piece was co-written with Henry Miller. Should the government require that labels on cans of marinara sauce contain information about whether the tomatoes in…
Blog
Siri and Modernity’s Iron Laws
The two iron laws of modernity are 1) things are getting better, and 2) people think they're getting worse. One more piece of evidence that…
CNET
SOPA’s Most Aggressive Defender: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Tech News World
Europe Weary of Apple, Samsung Patent War
Ecomerce Times
Gates Tells Jury Microsoft’s No Bully
Yahoo! News
FCC Net Neutrality Rules Take Effect, Experts Doubt Longevity
Tech Liberation
Why SOPA Threatens the DMCA Safe Harbor
The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a controversial bill before the House of Representatives aimed at combating “rogue websites,” isn’t just about criminal, foreign-based…
E Week
Security Experts Blast House Anti-Piracy Bill’s DNS Filtering Provisions
E Week
Republicans, Democrats, Google, and Church of Sweden Unite to Halt Hollywood
E Week
U.S. House Considers Copyright Bill
CNET
SOPA Bill Won’t Make U.S. a ‘Repressive Regime,’ Democrat Says
News Release
Congress Should Amend SOPA to Address Cybersecurity, Due Process Concerns
Washington, D.C., November 16, 2011 — This morning, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Privacy Act. Below…
Blog
Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish on NASA
On Sunday, flights to the ISS resumed for the first time since the retirement of the Shuttle last summer. As I’ve…
CNET
Showdown Looms Over Stop Online Piracy Act
CNET
Google, Facebook to Congress: Don’t Expect Us to Police Piracy
CNET
Stopping Piracy or Censorsing the Web? Groups Lash Out Over Bill
Blog
Crony Capitalism and the Space Program
Over at The Weekly Standard today, I describe how the desire of politicians to steer pork to their constituents is undermining…
CNET
Lawless Net Neutrality vs. the “Resolution of Disapproval”
Today, the U.S. Senate takes up S.J.Res.6, the FCC Internet and Broadband Resolution of Disapproval, for up to four hours of debate. The controversy…
Reason
New Anti-Piracy Legislation Would Break the Internet Without Stopping Piracy
Blog
The Heavy-Lift Empire Strikes Back
Readers of this space will recall that there was a leak of an internal NASA document a couple weeks ago that…
Daily Caller
Government Bureaucrats Can’t Prevent Data Breaches
Sony’s popular PlayStation Network suffered a massive data breach earlier this year, exposing 100 million users’ credit card numbers, home addresses and more. Numerous other…
Cato At Liberty
Three Libertarians Raise Concerns about the Stop Online Piracy Act
ARS Technica
The Stop Online Piracy Act: Big Content’s Full-On Assault Against the Safe Harbor
News Release
CEI Expert to Speak on Rogue Websites at AFP Summit
Washington, D.C., November 4, 2011—CEI Associate Director of Technology Studies Ryan Radia is speaking tomorrow on a panel at the American for Prosperity Foundation’s…
ARS Technica
Reforming the FCC’s Regulatory Process
Blog
Spectrum Crunch Hype is No Scam
In a recent Washington Times op-ed, Mark Hyman of the Sinclair Broadcast Group makes some compelling arguments calling for a spectrum inventory. His suggestion…
News Release
E-Verify Hill Briefing: Video & Highlight Reel Now Available
Washington, D.C., November 1, 2011 — On Monday, October 24, the Competitive Enterprise Institute hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on E-Verify, the controversial electronic employment…
ARS Technica
Dying to Grow?
We are constantly bombarded with information about the purported risks or protective effects of one or another food, dietary supplement, chemical, drug, or activity. In…
Blog
The House Considers Legalizing Online Gambling
Defenders of online gambling testified before the House today to beg for their right to gamble legally. Poker Players Alliance Chairman (and former U.S.
Blog
The Great Danes of Space
Wired welcomed a new author to its Science Blogs on Monday afternoon -- Kristian von Bengtson, an aerospace engineer and co-founder of Copenhagen Suborbitals.
ACLU
I Went to Washington and Democracy Broke Out
ACLU
“Verbal Brawl” Erupts at House E-Verify Briefing
Read Write
New Law Would Require Warrants for GPS Surveillance
The Hill
This Week in Tech
SCPR
E-Verify Briefing Turns Into Shouting Match
SCPR
Google, Facebook Go Retro in Push to Update 1986 Privacy Law
SCPR
TechFreedom: Search my electronic communications? Not without a warrant
Blog
Pay the Americans Now, or Pay the Russians Later
I’m attending the International Symposium on Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Also attending is Alan Boyle, science correspondent for MSNBC, who…
Blog
Shuttlyndra and the Smoking Rocket
Over at Pajamas Media today, I have some interesting news on the Shuttlyndra situation, which would be a huge scandal if…
SCPR
Digital Data Privacy Rules Turn 25
Blog
SEC Jumps into Cybersecurity Debate
Much of the cybersecurity focus this year has been on Congress’s efforts to mandate data breach notifications and security standards. Now the Securities and…
PC World
US Lawmakers Push to Limit Gov’t Mobile Tracking
PC World
Groups Say Bipartisan Backing Will Boost Location Privacy Bill
PC World
Bipartisan Coalition Opposes Warrantless Electronic Tracking by Government
News Release
CEI President to Join U.S. Senators in Press Conference on Privacy Reforms
Washington, D.C., October 17, 2011 – Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., CEI President Fred L. Smith will join U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mark…
Blog
Continuing Irrational Risk Aversion by NASA
About a month ago, I discussed the potential consequences of NASA's extreme aversion to loss of crew. Over at NASA Space…
Blog
The Future of Air Travel?
First-generational suborbital crafts would reach 2,200 miles per hour, with an eventual goal of hitting 13,750 miles per hour. A trip from London to Sydney…
Blog
Shuttlyndra and Bipartisan Crony Capitalism
Over at Pajamas Media today, I tell a tale of crony capitalism that makes Solyndra look like a model of government…
Reason
Warrantless GPS Tracking, Union Dues, and Fleeting Expletives: The Supreme Court Suits Up for Another Term
Blog
Google’s Rick Santorum Problem
Rick Santorum has a Google problem, and everybody knows about it -- mostly because Rick Santorum won't stop talking about it. Last week,…
Reason
Not Without A Warrant
Blog
Blame Congress and Pork, Not NASA
Over at National Review today, I have a lengthy but necessary rebuttal of a misbegotten post at…
Blog
The Fable of the Shoes
Jonah Goldberg praises Ron Paul's stance on health care, and takes to task the status-quo bias of even many Republicans, recalling…
News Release
E-Verify Bill Proposes Massive New Regulatory Mandate
Washington, D.C., September 21, 2011 — Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed the Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 2885) which mandates use of the electronic employment…
Blog
Some Commercial Crew Questions For NASA
One of the great controversies of the new space policy announced last year was the intent of NASA to turn over the transportation of cargo…
Blog
House Hearing on Effects of EU Privacy Directive
Yesterday the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing addressing the economic consequences of the European Union’s internet privacy regulations. The…
Legal Brief
Brief of Amici Curiae Cato Institute, Reason Foundation, and Competitive Enterprise Institute in Support Of Petitioners in Mayo v. Prometheus Labs
Full Document Available in PDF Summary of Argument Prometheus’s patents are…
Blog
Infrastructure Si, Infrastructure Bank No
In his Forbes column, James Glassman provides a counterpoint to the Obama proposal to create a national infrastructure bank. Rather than direct funds through…
News Release
Think Tanks Urge Supreme Court to Reject Abstract Process Patents
Washington, D.C., September 15, 2011 – The Competitive Enterprise Institute, Cato Institute, and Reason Foundation have submitted an amicus curiae brief…
Blog
California Wins as Amazon Deals
Friday, I wrote for The Daily Caller about the negative impact a tax deal between Amazon.com and the state of California would have the debate…
Blog
Belt Tightening At FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation
Last week the House Appropriations Committee released its draft bill for funding of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Of particular note is the appropriation…
Reason
A Plan Better than Obama’s to Create Jobs
Blog
Time To End Apollo Redux
Over at Cosmic Log, the blog of MSNBC science correspondent Alan Boyle, there is an interview with me based on a…
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