Tech Policy Podcast

Have you ever tried buying a ticket online to a popular event? Maybe you got up early or stayed up late so you could grab a ticket right as they went on sale, only to find out they sold out almost instantly? Of course you could probably get one on StubHub or from another scalper, but that can be expensive. Who is to blame for this travesty? According to your elected officials, it’s the robots. Tha...

Chicago’s crackdown on Airbnb, HomeAway, and other online home-sharing platforms has sparked a lawsuit. In June, the city council passed a law that heavily restricts property rights and places significant burdens on homeowners. Is this regulation needed to protect consumers and preserve affordable housing? Or is this another giveaway to the hotel industry, seeking to insulate itself from competiti...

The move from 4G to 5G will help move you from HD to 4K and from augmented to virtual reality. But the implications of 5G stretch far beyond your smartphone and tablet. The technology has the potential to support autonomous cars, healthcare, and connected homes. Will 5G bring about the “Internet of everything?” What sorts of regulatory challenges lie in the way? Can our aging infrastructure suppor...

With all eyes on the Trump transition, what does the president-elect’s victory mean for the Federal Communications Commission? The Obama-era FCC has been very active on Internet regulation, passing controversial rules on net neutrality, broadband privacy, and more. Since these regulations were largely passed on 3-2 party-line votes under a Democrat FCC, most observers expect a GOP-controlled agenc...

Fake news has gotten a lot of media attention since the election. After Trump’s surprise victory, many disgruntled Clinton supporters are pointing the finger at Facebook and Twitter for allowing false information to circulate on their platforms. Is this just sour grapes, or should the companies and government be doing more to combat fake news? What are the implications for free speech? In related...

The election of Donald Trump raises many questions on the future of tech policy. While the GOP platform and Trump’s campaign didn’t offer many details on tech, Silicon Valley and the President-elect have clashed on high-profile issues like immigration and trade. Aside from a few outliers, the tech community was banking on a Clinton victory. With the campaign over, is there room for common ground o...

The European Union (EU) and the United States have a lot in common. We share many of the same values, including free speech and the right to privacy. But despite our similarities, America and Europe often take different approaches to regulating technology. Does the EU prize privacy over free speech? Is the US too permissive when it comes to regulating Big Data? Does NSA surveillance pose a threat...

Since 1973, supersonic flight over land has been illegal in the US. In those days, supersonic planes were loud, gas-guzzling, and inefficient beasts, propped up by government subsidies. Today, however, new technologies have made supersonic flights quieter, more efficient, and more affordable. Is it time to lift the ban? How should supersonic flight be regulated? What role will NIMBYism play in the...

New York has dealt a major blow to Airbnb, HomeAway and other short-term rental platforms. Recently, Governor Cuomo signed a law banning platforms from advertising whole apartments that rent for fewer than 30 days. The bill’s supporters have claimed that the short-term rental ban is necessary to maintain housing affordability and quality of life. But is that really what’s going on? Is this just an...

Under decades of communist rule, Cuba lagged far behind much of the world in technology and digital connectivity. In 2014, less than 30 percent of Cubans had Internet access. Yet in recent years, Cuba has made significant strides — more public Wi-Fi hotspots are being deployed, and the U.S. and Cuban governments are normalizing relations. What does Cuba’s digital future look like? What does this m...

A robot-driven world is often a mainstay of science fiction titles like Terminator and I, Robot. While that future may be far off, emulations — computers that scan and reproduce human brains — could be the first step into the age of robotics. Their society could evolve at the pace of software, not hardware or biology — allowing for radical transformations in less time than it takes humans to get t...

We know that hacking can get you in trouble with governments and companies. But could it also make you rich? Or even a hero? Hollywood has long portrayed hackers as evil geniuses or complete weirdos, but the caricature doesn't often tell the whole story. Increasingly, hackers are being asked to try their skills on various cyber systems in an effort to expose vulnerabilities. So they hack in, find...

Recently, the Obama administration released non-binding “ guidelines ” for self-driving cars, telling states not to create their own regulations just yet. California went ahead anyway, and the Golden State’s DMV drafted new regulations based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) guidelines. Did California jump the gun? What changes could the DMV make to improve the draft...

Edward Snowden has been living in Russia for over three years under political asylum after leaking classified documents about American surveillance practices. Ironically, Russia’s policies on surveillance are hardly libertarian. Snowden recently spoke out against so-called “Big Brother” legislation introduced in the Duma, Russia’s legislature. On cybersecurity, Russian hacking has dominated the Am...

Vapers in Indiana scored a federal court victory recently, as Judge Richard Young ruled that Hoosiers can buy e-vapor products not approved by the state Alcohol Tobacco Commission. He said Indiana’s regulations were responsible for creating a local monopoly. While the law signed in May 2015 by Governor Mike Pence was billed as protecting public health, the rules had little to do with product safet...

London’s black cabs have long been icons in the British capital. But Mayor Sadiq Kahn is worried that pressure from Uber and other ride-sharing companies is threatening to put the city’s taxi industry out of business. That’s why he unveiled a 27-point plan to ensure that black cabs don’t “go the way of the red telephone box.” Will the plan create a level playing field for competition, or is this j...

You may have heard a lot of news recently about President Obama and Ted Cruz debating whether the US should “give away the Internet.” But there’s more to Internet governance than the so-called “IANA transition.” Evan is joined by Shane Tews, Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and David Gross, Partner at Wiley Rein. They discuss the future of Internet governance — getting beyond...

If you’ve ever gone through airport security, you’ve felt the effect of the 9/11 attacks. But for Arab-Americans, the impact is a lot more serious than longer lines and inconveniences. Evan is joined by Yolanda Rondon, Staff Attorney with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. They discuss how government policies involving counterterrorism have shaped the public image of Arab-Americans a...

Cell phone ownership in Africa has ballooned over the last decade, bringing the benefits of the Internet to developing populations. In particular, mobile finances have taken off in places like Kenya, where the heavily-regulated banking system had long failed to serve entrepreneurs and low-income customers. What makes Kenya such an attractive place for mobile money? Could other countries benefit fr...

“Driverless cars” is a hot topic this year, especially as self-driving Ubers hit the roads in Pittsburgh. This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put out guidelines for autonomous vehicles, including performance standards, model state policy, and regulatory tools for future innovations. What impact with the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy have? Is it premature to re...

We know from the Snowden leaks that the NSA and other intelligence agencies are watching us. But who watches the watchers? Congress is responsible for overseeing intelligence practices, but is it doing its job effectively? A growing number of experts thinks not. What can be done to strengthen oversight and protect journalists and whistleblowers? Nathan Leamer, Outreach Manager at the R Street Inst...

Is the FCC an “economics-free zone?” The agency routinely issues regulations that will have a major impact on businesses and consumers. But does the Commission truly weigh the trade-offs — the costs and benefits of its policies? Not nearly enough, says Hal Singer, Senior Fellow at the GW Institute for Public Policy. In an op-ed for the Hill, he charges that this FCC in particular is more preoccupi...

Have you ever been wronged by a website? Have you ever wanted to sue it? Before you rush to hire a lawyer, you may wanna check up on federal law first. Back in 1996, Congress didn’t know much about the Internet. But Republicans and Democrats did at least understand that it was important, and that too many lawsuits against websites could mess it up for everyone. That’s why Congress enacted the Comm...

You’re probably familiar with Uber and ride-sharing. But do you ever wonder why there isn’t something similar for air travel? A plane-sharing app? There was one, actually, but the Federal Aviation Administration shut it down. In December of 2015, the FAA banned flight-sharing, a ruling that forced the startup Flytenow to shut down its platform. Flytenow allowed private pilots to share the cost of...

Today’s media landscape looks nothing like the 1970s. Back then, newspapers, radio, and television were the only games in town. But despite such insignificant developments like Internet news and massive layoffs in traditional print media, FCC rules haven’t kept up with the times. Last month, the FCC voted to retain nearly all rules preventing the cross-ownership of newspapers, broadcast TV station...