While hugely beneficial for consumers, America’s critical technology and telecommunications sectors are not immune from the dangers of government regulation. Executive agencies, Congress, state attorneys general, and advocates for more government control all pose threats to the success of tech and telecom progress. CEI exposes the flaws of increased regulatory action. We fight for property rights, market solutions, and the freedom to innovate on the technology economic frontier.

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.

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Op-Eds

Telecom Reform, Consensus Needed

In the Washington, D.C. policy world, regulatory change requires consensus building. With rapid market changes since the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are…

Telecommunications

Op-Eds

UN-Dermining the Net

There's mounting evidence that the Internet's good old days as a globalcyberzone of freedom—where governments generally take a “hands off” approach—may be numbered. [Last year] delegates from 192 countries met in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Geneva to discuss how the Internet should be governed and what steps should be taken to solve the global “digital divide” and “harness the potential of information” onbehalf of the world's poor. Also on the table at the session—the UnitedNations World Summit on the Information Society—was the question of domainname management and how much protection free speech and expression shouldreceive on the Net. The real issue, however, is whether a “United Nations forthe Internet” is on the way. The great advantage of the Net is precisely the ability to reach as many peopleas possible and overcome artificial restrictions on trade or communications attraditional geographic boundaries. The Web, whatever problems it has raised,has provided far more opportunity and freedom to mankind. The United Nationsappears eager to assume greater control over the Net, not because of itsfailures, but because it undermines members' authority. That sounds like thebest reason ever to make sure a United Nations for the Internet never becomes areality.  …

Regulatory Reform

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