Bad Proposals
Bad Proposals
No, The FCC Should Not Mandate Phone Unlocking
By James Erwin A little over two weeks ago, four House Republicans sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the agency to mandate phone unlocking for all carriers. On Thursday, five Republican Senators followed suit. A recent poll found that…
Bad Proposals
The Meta Verdict is a Gift to Trial Lawyers and Activists
By James Erwin In a landmark decision, a court in Los Angeles has ruled in favor of a plaintiff alleging that Meta and YouTube addicted her to social media. While observers have been treated to a plethora of reactions to this case, few have addressed…
AI
The AI Foundation Model Transparency Act Stifles Innovation
By Blake Reed Americans who support limited government, robust free markets, and the freedom of entrepreneurs to innovate without bureaucratic meddling have long recognized these principles are the engine of prosperity. That is why many view the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act with deep concern. This…
Bad Proposals
BEAD funds should not subsidize ISPs forever
By James Erwin A bipartisan group of 14 senators is lobbying NTIA to let states keep the $20 billion in BEAD savings Administrator Arielle Roth has been able to find in the program. As we have argued before, this money should return to the taxpayer, and it certainly…
AI
Digital Liberty Op-Ed in RealClearMarkets: “Why the GAIN Act Is a Net Loss for U.S. Technology”
By Rohan Naval On November 11, 2025, RealClearMarkets published an op-ed by Digital Liberty’s Executive Director James Erwin. The op-ed explains how the GAIN AI Act, currently under consideration by the House of Representatives, will hurt American competitiveness in chip manufacturing. The bill gives American…
Bad Proposals
Maine Town Unintentionally Spotlights the Folly of State-Funded Providers
By Nathan Seibert As private broadband service progresses up to rural parts of Maine, an ironic story emerged from the town of Arrowsic. In 2020, the town formed a government-owned network (GON) called Arrowsic Broadband Authority in an attempt to provide service when no private providers offered coverage…
AI
Biden’s midnight rule on chips will only help the Chinese Communist Party
By James Erwin Despite President Trump’s victory last month on a pledge to cut bureaucracy and regulation, the Biden administration is rushing through midnight rules on their way out the door. This week, the administration announced one of its most brazen attempts yet at central planning under the…
Bad Proposals
The FCC Might Let Seven People Ruin A Whole Market
By James Erwin The Biden Administration, in a sign of its total capture by the interests of the affluent upper middle class, continues its war on so-called “junk fees,” minor expenses that people with disposable income find annoying. Ever the dutiful foot-soldier, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced her…
Bad Proposals
Wi-Fi on School Buses is a Horrible Idea
By Jason Lee In July 2023, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was pushing the idea of installing Wi-Fi on school buses using E-Rate funding during a speech at the American Library Association. This was in spite of the fact that E-Rate…
Bad Proposals
FCC Makes it Harder for Small Businesses to Find Customers
By James Erwin I remember well when I first needed to purchase car insurance for a vehicle I had bought off my father. After reviewing plans on a comparison website and selecting one I wanted to investigate further, I entered my phone number and consented to their proactive…