Leading experts discuss the pros and cons of government regulations and explain how they affect everyday life for Americans.

Waters of the United States: Interpreting the Clean Water Act

December 17, 2018

What is the Clean Water Act? Have historical interpretations of its scope changed over the years? What are the practical effects of those interpretations on the environment, farmers, and landowners? How is this issue relevant today? Donald Kochan and Robert Glicksman explore these questions as they discuss the scope of the Clean Water Act.

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Reboot 2018: Can We Still Be Optimistic About the Future of Work?

October 24, 2018

From robots to the gig economy, anxieties are rising about technology’s impact on labor and the future of work. While we may have to overcome significant disruptions and other challenges, are there still good reasons to be optimistic? Our expert panel will discuss the current political and policy landscape.

The Regulatory Transparency Project co-sponsored the Lincoln Network’s Reboot 2018 conference.

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Reboot 2018 Fireside Chat: Disruption and Civil Disobedience

October 24, 2018

We used to praise disruptors who flagrantly challenged outdated regulations. But the boundary-pushing of some companies has left a bad taste. Has this chilled the willingness of the next wave of startups and investors to take the same kinds of risks? Has this made policymakers more willing to intervene early? What’s the best legal framework to approach disruptive technologies?

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Reboot 2018: “What Has Big Tech Ever Done for Us?“ Towards a 21st Century Competition Policy

October 24, 2018

Increasing skepticism about the influence and power of big tech companies has given rise to expanded calls for government to break up, punish or regulate the tech industry. We’ll bring together experts on all sides to debate the impact of big tech on society, and whether we need to rethink competition policy for the modern era. Moderated three-way debate.

The Regulatory Transparency Project co-sponsored the Lincoln Network’s Reboot 2018 conference.

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Reboot 2018: Are We Headed for a U.S. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

October 24, 2018

With continued scrutiny over social media companies’ data practices, states are stepping in to pass aggressive new privacy laws. For instance, the recently enacted California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 will be the toughest data privacy law in the nation when it goes into effect in 2020. But with fears over navigating a patchwork of inconsistent laws, tech companies are increasingly interested in a federal privacy bill that will preempt the states. What might this look like, how likely is it to happen in the next Congress, and what will it mean for consumers?

The Regulatory Transparency Project co-sponsored the Lincoln Network’s Reboot 2018 conference.

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How Do Markets Respond to Patents?

June 25, 2018

Does the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) review process influence how markets respond to patents? Can the PTAB be abused by those looking to profit off of the review process? Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Associate Professor of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law, weighs in on these questions.

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Determining Patent Quality

June 20, 2018

What are the boundaries of a patent? What factors are involved when determining patent quality? Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Associate Professor of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law, discusses these questions and elaborates on three types of patent quality: technological, economic, and legal value.

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The Founding Fathers as Economic Innovators

June 14, 2018

Adam Mossoff, Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, describes how the Founding Fathers viewed a patent system based on property rights as crucial to the creation and preservation of a flourishing innovation economy.

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Are U.S. Colleges and Universities Barring Asian Applicants Based on their Race?

May 30, 2018

The Regulatory Transparency Project and the Center for Equal Opportunity co-sponsored a discussion on the admissions practices at elite colleges as they affect Asian American applicants.

Linda Chavez and her CEO colleagues presented and released a new study and report entitled “‘Too Many Asian Americans?’ Affirmative Discrimination in Elite College Admissions.” The CEO study illustrates that while Caltech admissions decisions are race-blind, its elite sister institutions Harvard University and MIT have established “ceilings”—or a limit—on Asian American acceptances. In addition to addressing the direct ramifications of their study’s findings, event panelists also discussed the unintended consequences of these admissions practices, whether current regulations are adequate to address issues of racial discrimination in college admissions, and what additional role government or civil society may play in redressing racially discriminatory admissions practices.

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Enforcing Patents for Bunch O Balloons

May 29, 2018

Josh Malone, inventor of Bunch O Balloons, describes his struggle to enforce the patents for Bunch O Balloons. Is Josh’s experience typical for US inventors? Is the process of protecting one’s invention straightforward? How might this process be improved? A number of intellectual property experts join Josh in elaborating on these questions.

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