FCC tries to revive net neutrality without rocking the boat; politically weak decision could prove disastrous

by Andrew D. Selbst, guest blogger A month ago, I wrote about Verizon v. FCC, the D.C. Circuit decision striking down the FCC’s net neutrality regulations. In that post, I noted that the decision contained two distinct holdings. First, the FCC could not impose common carrier regulations (net neutrality is one such regulation) on broadband […]

Economists’ Paper: Regulating Automobiles: The Consequences for Consumers

Colleen E. Haight of San Jose State University and Derek Thieme of George Mason University's Mercatus Center have written Regulating Automobiles: The Consequences for Consumers.  Here is the abstract: Automobiles are ubiquitous. Most Americans take at least one car trip every day to get to work or school or to run household errands. The automobile […]

KlearGear update: debt collector agrees that “non-disparagement clause” debt is void

We don’t often have occasion to praise debt collectors on this site, so it’s worth taking note when a debt collection company does the right thing. As many of you will remember from previous posts (see here and here), an online retailer called KlearGear tried to extort $3500 from its customer John Palmer because his […]

Another major data breach — this time at the on-line “crowdfunding” site Kickstarter

Yesterday, I received an unhappy email from the CEO of the on-line "crowdfunding" site Kickstarter, which regular folks use to raise money for unusual and creative projects and businesses. The email began: On Wednesday night, law enforcement officials contacted Kickstarter and alerted us that hackers had sought and gained unauthorized access to some of our […]

Former FCC commissioner Michael Copps on media consolidation

Former Michael Copps is very worried about media consolidation. Apparently spurred by what Copps calls "the stunning announcement that Comcast hopes to buy Time-Warner … for more than $45 billion" — a merger that he says could "run roughshod over consumers" — Copps has penned this lengthy "Dear Journalists" letter in the Columbia Journalism Review. Here's […]