Like a Recurring Bad Dream, Net Neutrality Is Back (Audio: Podcast)
IPI has been involved with the “net neutrality” debate from the very beginning almost two decades ago. And now with the Biden administration, it’s back. But what IS net neutrality, and why would it be harmful to the internet and to the US economy? IPI President Tom Giovanetti pontificates and IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews patiently listens.
Why the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) Is Bad Law (Audio: Podcast)
IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains the major problems with the “Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA),” federal legislation that would impose unworkable age verification schemes on internet platforms, and which creates a duty of care burden for internet platforms that not only creates enormous and undefined liability but also assumes that speech can cause harm, which likely violates the First Amendment. With IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: How Should We Think About Artificial Intelligence? (Audio: Podcast)
We welcome IPI Research Fellow Dr. Dan Garretson to help us with an explainer on artificial intelligence (AI): What it is, what it isn’t, and how should we think about its impact on consumers, the economy, and the future? IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews demonstrates how “2001: A Space Odyssey” influences his thinking, and IPI President Tom Giovanetti can’t resist asserting that a free society gives us all the tools we need to manage technological revolutions.
Thoughts and Experiences with Chat GPT and AI (Audio: Podcast)
As a think tank that follows tech policy closely, we’ve been aware of the issues and the debate around AI, but finally this week found time to try to use it as a tool, and the results were pretty jaw dropping. IPI President Tom Giovanetti shares anecdotes with IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews, and they discuss whether we should be excited, afraid, or some combination of both. And Tom has another chance to talk about permissionless innovation vs. the precautionary principle.
Two Great Supreme Court Decisions on Section 230 (Audio: Podcast)
Two of the major tech cases before the Supreme Court were handed down Thursday, and thankfully both of them preserved the critical Section 230 protection against intermediary liability for social media platforms. IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains the issues and discusses the cases with IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
IPI Policy Basics: What Is Intellectual Property, Why Is it Important, and Why Is it Controversial? (Audio: Podcast)
In recognition of World IP Day, the Institute for Policy Innovation, an accredited Non-Governmental Organization affiliated with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), discusses the importance of intellectual property protection. With IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland and IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews.
How the Biden Administration is Putting Prescription Drug Innovation at Risk (Audio: Podcast)
IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews, who has spent significant time researching and understanding prescription drug and health care innovation, describes how the Biden administration is abusing the “march in rights” permitted under the Bayh-Dole legislation in order to supposedly reduce prescription drug prices. He then explains how the Biden administration is also in danger of allowing the international TRIPs waiver provisions to further weaken patent protection. IPI Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland relates these issues to the same kinds of tech transfer issues encountered in the tech industry, and IPI President Tom Giovanetti interjects thoughts of questionable value.
In Regulating Big Tech, the Solution Might Be Worse than the Problem (Audio: Podcast)
At the federal level the news is full of talk about the federal government banning the social media app TikTok, while at the state level many states are passing legislation related to banning minors from social media. IPI President Tom Giovanetti describes the problems with legislation intended to empower the Executive Branch to ban software like Tik Tok, and with IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews discusses state-level legislation as well.
When Government Pressures Big Tech (Audio: Podcast)
The “Twitter Files” have revealed federal agencies making requests and even pressuring Twitter and other social media platforms to influence their content moderation decisions. What happens when government and private entities cooperate? Is there anything new about this? When should we be concerned, and when do private entities become “quasi-government actors?” Is there any such thing as a quasi-government actor? IPI Resident Scholar Dr. Merrill Matthews, Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland, and President Tom Giovanetti discuss the news and the issues involved.
Is DirectTV Censoring Newsmax? (Audio: Podcast)
Yet another retransmission dispute involves DirectTV refusing to accede to NewsMax’s demand for higher carriage fees. We see this as a business dispute between two private companies, but a group of conservatives is complaining that DirectTV is “censoring” NewsMax for its conservative news coverage. IPI President Tom Giovanetti and Senior Research Fellow Bartlett Cleland talk through the issues involved, including whether private entities can engage in true censorship at all.
Total Records: 110
