The Progress & Freedom Foundation

Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Manifesto for Media Freedom
PFF's Adam Thierer and Manhattan Institute's Brian Anderson Release Book Examining Threats to Media and Speech

A breathtaking abundance of new and old media outlets for obtaining news, information, and entertainment exist today. However, this media cornucopia is under threat from regulations meant to establish fairness, localism, diversity or other lofty ideals which, in practice, would lead to a much less varied and open media universe. These threats to free speech are explored in the new book A Manifesto for Media Freedom, co-authored by Adam Thierer, PFF Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Digital Media Freedom, and Brian Anderson, editor of the Manhattan Institute's City Journal. More...

Last night, the jury verdict in Capitol Records, Inc v. Jammie Thomas was overturned. The following statement may be attributed to Tom Sydnor, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for the Study of Digital Property at The Progress & Freedom Foundation: More...

The "FCC Procedural Reform for Openness and Clarity Encouraging Sensible Solutions Act" (FCC PROCESS Act) is a commendable effort to improve decision making at the Commission, states PFF Senior Fellow Barbara Esbin in "FCC Reform: Scalpel or Steamroller" released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. However, recent challenges to the Commission's decisions, Esbin explains, suggest reform is needed at the "institutional level." More...

The Federal Communications Commission's proposal to impose tighter rules and restrictions on "embedded advertisements" in broadcast programs is paternalistic and unconstitutional, state Ken Ferree and Adam Thierer in comments filed today with the Commission. If such rules are implemented, the Commission will destroy the financial health of the free broadcast medium and make them even less able to compete with unregulated platforms. More...

The U.S. is rapidly taking the lead in deployment of next generation broadband networks, thanks to its relatively deregulatory policies. That is the conclusion reached by PFF Board Member Jeffrey A. Eisenach in "Broadband Policy: Does the U.S. Have It Right After All?" released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Eisenach points to high levels of investment, rapid innovation, high penetration rates and falling prices as evidence that the U.S. decision to forebear from mandatory of unbundling of next generation networks is working, and urges other nations to abandon mandatory unbundling of "last-mile" infrastructure. More...

China's 30-year economic miracle is based mostly on decentralized entrepreneurship and innovation, not state-led growth or unfair trade practices, contends Bret Swanson, a senior fellow at The Progress & Freedom Foundation and director of PFF's Center for Global Innovation. In a new Progress on Point research paper, "Entrepreneurship and Innovation in China: 1978-2008," Swanson shows how local incentives, diffuse decision-making, enterprise, and competition - not central planning or currency manipulation - fueled China's boom. More...

There appear to be serious flaws in the legal and procedural actions taken by the Federal Communications Commission when it found Comcast guilty of violating the principles announced in its 2005 Internet Policy Statement, states PFF Senior Fellow Barbara Esbin in "The Law is Whatever the Nobles Do: Undue Process at the FCC" released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation has finalized the agenda for the 2008 Aspen Summit, scheduled for August 17th - August 19th. In addition to two full days of keynote speakers and discussion panels, the Summit will offer four informal, off-the-record working dinners on the pertinent topics of spectrum policy, patent reform, child safety and privacy, and the U.S. and China. A list of working dinner presenters is now available on the PFF website. More...

Jim Griffin, Managing Director of OneHouse LLC and Advisor to Warner Music Group, is a renowned expert on issues resulting from the intersection of music and technology and will speak on August 18 th as PFF’s opening keynote at its annual Aspen Summit. More...

The Supreme Court should affirm the Second Circuit Court decision that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) violated the Administrative Procedure's Act (APA) when it began sanctioning "fleeting expletives," state PFF Senior Fellow Adam Thierer and scholars from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) in a joint amicus brief filed today with the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief, filed in the upcoming case of the FCC v. Fox Television Stations, identifies several reasons why the decision should be affirmed and questions the Commission's constitutional authority to regulate speech in broadcast media. More...

The widespread proliferation of online content distribution, both authorized and unauthorized, has created new problems questions regarding enforcement of copyrights. Is the current system of individual enforcement directed at the end-user working? What are the appropriate roles of the copyright holder, the Internet service provider, and the end-user? Are some solutions being proposed in other nations viable options? Participants in the panel "Copyright Enforcement Online: Can We Do Better?" will discuss these and related issues at the 2008 Aspen Summit hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

This year's Aspen Summit agenda reflects The Progress & Freedom Foundation's expanded focus on the global technology economy. The discussion panel, "The Innovation Imperative - Engage or Retreat?" will examine strategic questions confronting the U.S. economy. The panel, which will follow Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President and CEO Richard Fisher's plenary address on globalization, technology, and monetary policy, will discuss such issues as trade, innovation, American competitiveness, the specter of protectionism, and other obstacles to global growth. More...

In its review of the applications from Sprint Nextel and Clearwire requesting transfer of licenses and authorizations, the Federal Communications Commission should render a quick approval, state Ken Ferree and Barbara Esbin in comments filed today with the Commission. More...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to find that Comcast violated federal policy by interfering with certain Internet traffic. Barbara Esbin, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Communications and Competition Policy at The Progress & Freedom Foundation, had the following comments: More...

This year's Aspen Summit, organized by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, will feature a special luncheon discussion with a group of leading international dignitaries. "Innovation in Telecommunications: Future International Challenges," is scheduled for Tuesday August 19th, the last full day of the Summit. The guests will discuss some of the major issues affecting telecommunications markets and regulatory regimes across the globe. Topics will include the impact of wireless technology on countries as well as the continuing significance of standards to telecommunications markets. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2008 Aspen Summit will highlight a variety of issues facing the communications industry. In addition to two keynote speeches from leaders in the communications sector, this year's event also includes the discussion panel, "Next Generation Network Policy - Here and Abroad." The international group of experts will discuss key infrastructure issues facing regulators and industry in the United States, Britain and Japan, and share their experiences concerning network investment, deployment and management. More...

Internet advertising revenues have funded an explosion of new content and services available to consumers online at no charge. Even as industry develops more sophisticated tools for targeting more relevant--and therefore profitable--advertising to Internet users, a debate has emerged over the need for government intervention in online advertising due to privacy and market power concerns. Do these privacy necessitate government intervention or can industry self-regulate? How competitive is the online advertising marketplace? Is antitrust action required to protect competition or will innovation and other market forces suffice? These issues will be explored during the luncheon discussion panel "Online Advertising & Privacy: Is Self-Regulation Enough?" at PFF's 2008 Aspen Summit. More...

This morning, a federal appeals court threw out the indecency fine levied on CBS Corp. by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Ken Ferree, President of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, had the following comments: More...

The 2008 Aspen Summit will continue the conference's record of offering fascinating discussion panels on issues particularly pertinent to the technology sector. Participants in the panel "Should We Deputize the Middleman? New Debates about Intermediary Liability" will discuss the roll of Internet intermediaries in a diverse range of issues including defamation, child safety, and national security. More...

U.S. wireless policies have been successful in promoting innovation in the wireless market, specifically in regards to mobile television, asserts PFF Adjunct Fellow Joseph Kraemer in "A Primer on the U.S. Mobile Television Market" released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. In the primer, Kraemer presents the facts and figures concerning the mobile television market, which is expected to grow dramatically in the next five years due to both U.S. policy and a variety of other factors. More...

Debates about the state of the media marketplace continue to rage in Washington. Many policymakers, regulators, and consumer groups bemoan the supposed lack of "localism," ownership concentration and an absence of quality programming as a rationale to further regulate in the media sector. But these sentiments do not represent an accurate portrayal of today's media marketplace according to a new Progress & Freedom Foundation Special Report by Senior Fellow Adam Thierer and Research Associate Grant Eskelsen. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation will continue its long tradition of notable Chairman's Dinner speakers at the 2008 Aspen Summit. Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman and CEO of Citizens Communications Company (NYSE: CZN), is scheduled to address attendees on August 19th, the final day of the event. Citizens Communications, branded as Frontier Communications, is one of the country's leading rural local exchange carriers, providing telephone, Internet, DISH satellite TV, wireless Internet access and more in markets in 24 states. More...

Richard J. Lynch, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Verizon Communications, has been confirmed to speak at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2008 Aspen Summit. Lynch, a veteran of the wireless communications industry, will join other respected experts at the conference to explore a wide range of issues affecting the information and communications industries. More...

The Foundation has extended the early registration discount an extra week, through July 7th. This is to accommodate the July 4th holiday and allow participants to take advantage of the lower rate. In addition to the discounted registration fee for early registration, PFF also provides lower rates to attendees from charities or government sectors. Registration information can be found on the PFF website. More...

The Federal Communications Commission is justified in claiming jurisdiction over early termination fees for wireless phone service, states PFF Senior Fellow Barbara Esbin in "Wireless Consumer Protection: Who Decides?" released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. The question of whether ETFs can be classified under the Federal Communications Act as "rates charged" or "terms and conditions" may not be solely determinative of FCC jurisdiction, as federal regulation also extends to carrier "practices" and "regulations" in connection with interstate communications services. The assertion of federal jurisdiction over such fees would avoid a "patchwork" of potentially inconsistent and unnecessary regulation that could deter investment and innovation in wireless communications services and would have little benefit for consumers. More...

The motion for a new trial in the case of Capitol Records, Inc v. Jammie Thomas should be dismissed, states Progress & Freedom Foundation Senior Fellow Thomas Sydnor in an amicus curiae brief filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Jurists in the case of Capitol Records, Inc v. Jammie Thomas were advised correctly, Syndor claims, when instructed that U.S. law does grant copyright owners the exclusive right to "make-available" work for distribution. More...

The 2008 Aspen Summit agenda is set to offer a multitude of thought provoking panels covering a variety of issues pertinent to the communications and information industries. Just added to the agenda is the luncheon discussion panel, "Online Advertising, Behavioral Marketing & Privacy." The panel, featuring industry representatives and privacy experts, will explore current controversies relating to targeted online marketing techniques and privacy concerns. The discussion will be moderated by PFF Visiting Fellow Berin Szoka. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is releasing a preview agenda for the 2008 Aspen Summit. Just added to the program is John Horrigan, Associate Director of Research at the Pew Internet & American Life Project, who will give the keynote address at the August 17th opening reception. Horrigan's presentation on how technology users' behavior has evolved will set the tone for the popular conference held at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado. In focusing on users, Horrigan will discuss not only the highly wired netizens who shape so much popular discourse on information technology, but also a range of user types -- moderate users who happy with the role of technology in their lives, others suffering from the hassles of too much connectivity, and some content to stay mainly on the digital sidelines. This discussion will help identify the tensions and frictions deploying next generation networks and applications to the variety of users of information technology in the United States. More...

On June 19th, The Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF) and the National Chamber Foundation (NCF) will co-host an event featuring Jason Riley, author of the recently published book on immigration reform, "Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders." This event will explore the highly divisive issue of immigration and its effect on America's competitiveness in the global economy. More...

Public safety communications solutions should include building upon existing infrastructure and using commercial, off-the-shelf technologies, stated Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Networks, in remarks presented at a CEO Luncheon organized by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. In his speech, Ganley urged policymakers to consider building off the "inherent redundancy" in commercial wireless systems as opposed to facilitating a stand-alone system for public safety. With the fate of the 700 MHz "D block" still unsettled, PFF is releasing a transcript of Ganley's remarks and subsequent panel discussion to compliment the webcast available on the PFF website. More...

Patrick J. Esser, President of Cox Communications Inc., will be a featured speaker at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2008 Aspen Summit. Esser, named the industry's 2007 "Executive of the Year" by Multichannel News, will present his keynote address on the second full day of the event. The premier gathering is scheduled this year for August 17th through the 19th at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado. More...

Exclusive arrangements between wireless handset producers and carriers promote innovation in the marketplace and are not anticompetitive, state PFF Senior Fellow Barbara Esbin and Visiting Fellow Berin Szoka in "Exclusive Handset Prohibitions: Should the FCC Kill the Goose that Laid the Golden iPhone?," released by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. The lack of immediate availability of certain handsets by consumers in rural areas does not warrant calls for FCC intervention in carrier and handset agreements, the authors state, because the U.S. wireless and handset markets are highly competitive. More...

Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Immigration Reform: Work to be Done
PFF and the National Chamber Foundation Co-host June 19th Book Event with Jason Riley

On June 19th, The Progress & Freedom Foundation and the National Chamber Foundation (NCF) will co-host a book event featuring Jason Riley, author of a newly published book on immigration reform. "Immigration Reform: Work to be Done" will explore the highly divisive issue of immigration and its relation to America's competitiveness in the global economy. More...

Richard W. Fisher, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, has been confirmed to speak on the final day of The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2008 Aspen Summit. The Summit is scheduled for August 17th through the 19th at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado. In his address, Fisher will discuss current economic trends and their implications for the technology industry and monetary policy. This addition to the Aspen agenda reflects PFF's expanded focus on the international nature of technology economy. More...

A weak rationale underlies the correct result reached in Electra Entertainment Groups, Inc. v Barker, explains Tom Sydnor in, "The Making-Available Right and the Barker Decision: Improving the Rationale for a Sound Result." In the Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, Sydnor explains that Barker's rationale for denying a motion to dismiss the complaint wrongly constricts the broad meaning of "to authorize" and "distribute" in the Copyright Act. It also ignores international agreements and could undermine criminal cases involving distribution of malicious software and child pornography. More...

In conjunction with growing its staff of scholars and expanding the scope of its programs to include international trade and e-commerce issues, the Progress & Freedom Foundation is expanding its development and outreach capabilities. The Foundation has hired Allison Bringardner, formerly an account executive at FD Dittus Communications, as Director of Development and Marketing. More...

The 2008 Aspen Summit, the premier annual event sponsored by The Progress & Freedom Foundation promises to continue its record of offering thought-provoking panels featuring prominent industry leaders, academia and policymakers. The Summit's focus on innovation enhancing policies will be reflected in the discussion panel topics, which will cover such issues as digital copyright enforcement, the global economy, communications infrastructure innovation, Internet service provider liability, and other international regulatory issues. Topics for the popular Working Dinners include patent reform, spectrum policy, online child safety and the emerging economic power of China. More...

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Szoka to Join PFF
Visiting Fellow will Study E-Commerce and Privacy Issues

The Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF) announced today that Berin Szoka has joined the Foundation as a Visiting Fellow. Szoka, most recently an Associate in the Communications Practice Group at Latham and Watkins LLP, will study a number of Internet policy issues at PFF, including privacy, intermediary immunity and online taxation. More...

Monday, April 28, 2008
"Free Culture" Akin to "Quasi-Socialist Utopianism"
PFF's Sydnor Shows That Lessig Would Replace Copyrights with a "Quasi-Socialist" System of Tax-Funded Art and Spyware-Powered Thought Police

Professor Lawrence Lessig and his book Free Culture, the manifesto of the "Free Culture Movement," support ham-handed government control of expression and pervasive government surveillance of what ordinary citizens read and watch, concludes Tom Sydnor in, "Tragedy and Farce: An Analysis of the Book Free Culture," a Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. In this paper, Sydnor makes two points. More...

Participants at a Congressional hearing on the recent spectrum auction proposed a variety of options for the "D block" allocated for public safety, which failed to attract a winning bid. These suggestions ranged from continuing the goal of a public-private partnership to re-auctioning the spectrum for commercial use with the proceeds being used to build a public safety communications network. At The Progress & Freedom Foundation's next CEO Luncheon on April 29th, Rivada Networks CEO Declan Ganley will discuss the "D Block" auction and future of public safety communications. More...

The failure of the "D Block" auction has prompted both the Federal Communications Commission and Congress to examine the terms and conditions for use of the spectrum. Will policy goals concerning public safety communications be re-evaluated? Will conditions on the spectrum be altered to ensure the spectrum is attractive to bidders in a possible re-auction? Tuesday, April 29th, Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Networks, will discuss these and related issues at a CEO Luncheon event hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

Government regulation mandating restrictive parental control defaults for media devices would likely have unintended consequences and would not achieve the goal of better protecting children from objectionable content, explains Adam Thierer in "The Perils of Mandatory Parental Controls and Restrictive Defaults." In the Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, the author warns of unintended incentives for industry to stop investing in parental controls and of creating a false sense of security for consumers. Instead, Thierer explains that increased educational efforts would be more effective in helping parents control their child's media consumption. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation this week elected Kathleen Abernathy to its Board of Directors. Abernathy served as Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission from 2001 to 2005. Abernathy is credited with promoting regulatory symmetry for communications services during her time at the Commission to encourage competition within the sector. More...

The conclusion of the spectrum auction this week left a swath allocated for public safety unclaimed, leaving uncertainty regarding the future of the D-block. Rivada Networks CEO Declan Ganley and three experts on spectrum and public safety will discuss the future of public safety communications at an April 29th CEO Luncheon hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

In just less than a year, televisions stations will cease broadcasting analog signals. Are consumers and broadcasters prepared? What remains to be done to ensure that the February 2009 transition will be a smooth one? These and other policy issues surrounding the digital television transition were discussed at a February Congressional Seminar hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Today, PFF is releasing a transcript of the event, "Countdown to DTV: Making the 2009 Deadline Work." More...

Debates continue to rage about how to shield kids from the potential negative effects of various types of media or communications technologies. Is government intervention and regulation really needed to quell concerns, or do parents have access to constructive tools to control what their child sees and hears? To assist policymakers and parents, The Progress & Freedom Foundation is releasing an updated edition of Adam Thierer's Special Report, "Parental Controls and Online Child Protection: A Survey of Tools & Methods." The new version, Version 3.0, includes two new appendixes and updates to each section to reflect new parental control tools and programs developed in the last nine months. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2008 Aspen Summit, being held August 17th - August 19th, promises to continue its record of offering thought-provoking panels and keynote speeches from prominent industry leaders, academia and policymakers. This year's theme, "Unlocking Innovation: Has the Key Been Misplaced?" reflects current debates regarding how public policy can best ensure continued innovation in the communications and technology sectors. An early registration discount for attendees will be offered until June 30th. More...

Wednesday, March 12, 2008
700 MHz "D Block" - What's Next?
Rivada Networks CEO Ganley to Discuss Spectrum Policy at April Luncheon

In the current spectrum auction, the 700 MHz "D Block" has failed to attract the $1.3 billion minimum reserve bid. The block has been allocated for use as a public-private partnership, carrying such obligations as national buildout requirements and pre-emption for public safety communications in the event of an emergency. Why has bidding in the "D Block" auction fail to meet the reserve price? What does the failure of the auction mean for the future of public safety communications? These issues will be discussed by Declan Ganley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rivada Networks, at an April 29th CEO Luncheon hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

Most disputes between programming distributors and sports content providers over carriage agreements are not based on market failure and do not require government oversight or intervention, stated Ken Ferree in testimony presented to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The market for sports programming, he explained, is competitive and carriage terms are best left to private negotiations. Therefore, government should refrain from imposing mandatory arbitration or pricing structures. More...

Adam Thierer, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Digital Media Freedom at The Progress & Freedom Foundation, has been asked to participate in the Internet Safety Technical Task Force to study online child safety protection on social networking websites. The task force, proposed in the social networking safety agreement earlier this year between MySpace and 49 state Attorneys General, will offer a report to the AGs with their findings and recommendations. The group will be chaired by John Palfrey, Executive Director of The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, and will be comprised of respected child safety experts from academia, industry and non-profit organizations. More...

A performance-right for recording artists would correct a needless exception in U.S. copyright law, states Tom Sydnor in, "A Performance Right for Recording Artists: Sound Policy at Home and Abroad," a Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. In addition, Sydnor concludes, the Passage of the Performance Rights Act would harmonize U.S. copyright law with those of other countries, benefiting both U.S. recording artists and the U.S. economy. More...

Barbara Esbin will join The Progress & Freedom Foundation next month as Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Communications and Competition Policy. Esbin has nearly fifteen years of service as a senior official with the Federal Communications Commission. Her policy expertise, acquired over two separate engagements at the Commission, spans wireline, wireless, cable, DBS and media issues. Between her two stints at the FCC, Esbin was a partner in a prominent DC communications law firm, specializing in cable and broadband regulatory issues. More...

Declan J. Ganley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rivada Networks, a company that designs and deploys broadband public safety communications networks, will speak at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's next CEO Luncheon. Ganley's remarks will focus on issues involving public safety networks and the communications industry. Ganley's address will be followed by a panel discussion between Ganley and several distinguished communications industry analysts. The event, scheduled for April 29th, will be moderated by Foundation President Ken Ferree. More...

Recent petitions urging the Federal Communications Commission to prohibit certain traffic management tools fail to acknowledge the complexities of broadband networks, explain PFF President Ken Ferree and Senior Fellow Bret Swanson in comments filed today with the agency. Ferree and Swanson note that traffic shaping is used, and accepted, by a multitude of other industries and federal intervention in broadband traffic management would undermine the property rights of network operators. More...

Monday, February 11, 2008
DTV Transition Event This Friday
Speakers to Assess State of Digital Television Conversion at Luncheon Event

With the digital television transition deadline fast approaching, some have voiced concern over implementation of the switch. What can industry and government agencies do to ensure consumers and broadcasters are prepared? This Friday, panelists will evaluate the state of the transition at "Countdown to DTV: Making the 2009 Deadline Work," a congressional seminar hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation and the Center for Democracy & Technology today announced a joint project that tracks the variety of bills in the current congress aimed at protecting children online. The index will serve as a comprehensive resource for the public and the media, describing all legislation seeking to regulate Internet communications or online media content in order to protect children. The report will be updated occasionally to reflect ongoing efforts in Congress relating to online child safety. More...

Ensuring the digital television transition is successful remains a top concern for policymakers, as illustrated by the upcoming hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee to assess the state of the conversion. On Friday, February 15th, panelists will assess and discuss the plan at "Countdown to DTV: Making the 2009 Deadline Work," a congressional seminar hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. The event will include opening remarks from Meredith Attwell Baker, Acting Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. More...

In one year, televisions stations will cease broadcasting analog signals. Are consumers and broadcasters prepared? Has the government adequately provided the tools and resources to ensure a successful transition? What remains to be done to ensure that the February 2009 transition will be a smooth one? These and other policy issues surrounding the digital television transition will be discussed at "Countdown to DTV: Making the 2009 Deadline Work," a congressional seminar hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

The joint effort MySpace.com and 49 state Attorneys General announced Monday to better protect children online should be embraced by other social networking sites, explains Adam Thierer in "The MySpace-AG Agreement: A Model Code of Conduct for Social Networking?," a Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Despite some concerns, Thierer concludes the guidelines create a superior alternative to federal or state regulation of social networking sites. More...

Today in New York City, social networking website operator MySpace.com announced a joint effort with America's Attorneys General aimed at better protecting children online. MySpace and the AGs unveiled a "Joint Statement on Key Principles of Social Networking Safety" involving expanded online safety tools, improved education efforts, and law enforcement cooperation. They also agreed to create an industry-wide Internet Safety Technical Task Force to study online safety tools, including a review of identity authentication technology. More...

Thursday, December 27, 2007
Cyber Safety in a Web 2.0 World
Authors Assess Parents' and Government's Role in Online Child Safety

As the Internet becomes more entwined in young people's lives, parents are finding they need assistance in teaching their children how to stay safe online. Leading experts at the October 3rd book event "Cyber Safety in a Web 2.0 World: What Parents and Policymakers Need to Know," discussed their respective books on online child safety and the best tools and methods available to parents. The event also featured an address by Representative Melissa Bean (D-IL 8th), author of the SAFER NET Act, which supports educational efforts as the appropriate role of the government in online child safety. Today, PFF is releasing a transcript of the event. More...

Bret Swanson has joined The Progress & Freedom Foundation as a Senior Fellow and Director of PFF's new Center for Global Innovation. The new Center will address the global nature of the digital economy and will advocate openness and innovation through free trade, stable monetary policy and limited international regulation. More...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted today to loosen the restrictions on cross-ownership of newspaper and television stations in select markets. Adam Thierer, Senior Fellow and Director of The Center for Digital Media Freedom at The Progress & Freedom Foundation had the following comments: More...

The Ninth Edition of The Progress & Freedom Foundation's "Digital Economy Fact Book" was released today and is available on the PFF web site. The resource guide features an expanded section on international data, reflecting the global importance of the digital economy. The reference book was co-written by Stephen McGonegal, President of Independent Analysis, Inc., and PFF Research Associate Daniel B. Britton. Sam Eckman and Grant Eskelsen also provided extensive research assistance for the publication. More...

The marginal cost of a good is not usually a relevant factor when crafting intellectual property policy, explains Solveig Singleton in "Jargonomics: Intellectual Property and Marginal Cost," released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Drawing on definitive work by economists such as Baumol, Coase, and others, Singleton explains that marginal costs estimates are based on models of static efficiency, not dynamic efficiency, which is more relevant to policymakers. More...

This past June, The Progress & Freedom Foundation hosted "Broadband Data: What Do They Tell Us and Do We Have Enough?" a discussion about the availability and reliability of broadband deployment and adoption data. Participants in the two panel discussions explored the current availability of broadband data, how such data are collected, and what else should be done to craft informed broadband policies. To coincide with the recent introduction of a bill to improve the quality of broadband data, PFF is releasing a transcript of the event. More...

The Progress & Freedom Foundation announced today that W. Kenneth Ferree has been chosen for the position of President of the think tank. Ferree, a former Chief of the Media Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, is a noted expert on communications and media issues. More...

Today, the Progress and Freedom Foundation released a new report on inadvertent filesharing by the authors of Filesharing Programs and "Technological Features to Induce Users to Share," a groundbreaking analysis published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in March of 2007. This new report, "Inadvertent Filesharing Sharing Revisited: Assessing LimeWire's Responses to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform," seeks to enhance understanding of the causes of inadvertent sharing by analyzing (1) recently released data that the distributors of the program LimeWire gave to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform before its July 24, 2007 hearing on inadvertent sharing, and (2) the efficacy of efforts to improve the LimeWire program since the Committee's hearing. The authors conclude that law enforcement should investigate whether filesharing programs deliberately perpetuate inadvertent filesharing. More...

The Federal Communications Commission should refrain from regulating technical standards in the cable industry, explains Adam Thierer in "Unplugging Plug-and-Play Regulation," a Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. The author warns that leaving standards creation in control of the government, as opposed to private negotiation, would do little to benefit consumers. Instead, FCC-controlled standards could hinder the cable applications and platform market by restricting future development and innovation to inferior technology. More...

Today, Chairman Waxman, Ranking Member Davis, and 18 other members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging renewed investigation of the causes of inadvertent filesharing. The following statement may be attributed to Tom Sydnor, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for the Study of Digital Property at The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

New technologies that allow families to easily tailor their media consumption undermine the "pervasiveness" rationale for government regulation of content, explains Adam Thierer in "Parental Control Perfection? The Impact of the DVR and VOD Boom on the Debate over TV Content Regulation." In the Progress on Point released today by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, the author cites both the variety of family programming options now available and new technologies, such as digital video recorders (DVRs) and video on demand (VOD) services, as evidence that parents are fully empowered to control what media is consumed in their household. More...

Yesterday, a jury entered a $220,000 verdict in favor of the plaintiffs in the first file-sharing case to go to a jury trial. The following statement may be attributed to Tom Sydnor, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for the Study of Digital Property at The Progress & Freedom Foundation. More...

Wednesday, October 3, 2007
U.S. Patent Law Based on Natural Law
Academic Advisory Council Member Discusses Misinterpretation of "Privilege."

Critics who claim that patents have always been special legal privileges are misguided, explains Adam Mossoff in "Reevaluating the Patent 'Privilege,'" a new paper released today by the Progress & Freedom Foundation's Center for the Study of Intellectual Property (IPcentral.info). In the paper, Mossoff explains that some legal scholars misinterpret the use of the term "privilege" as it was used in early years of the American Republic. The term referred to what we now call a civil right and was justified by natural rights philosophy. This explains why early American legislators and judges expanded and extended the property rights in patents. More...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Book Event: Child Online Safety
Discussion Panel to Address Roles for Parent, Policymakers

On October 3rd, authors of three recent books on keeping children safe online will participate in a panel discussion on the variety of tools and methods available to parents for ensuring minors are protected from unwanted content and contact on the Internet. "Cyber-Safety in a Web 2.0 World: What Parents and Policymakers Need to Know," an event host by The Progress & Freedom Foundation, will feature debate and discussion on both parental tools and the role of government in protecting children. Representative Melissa Bean (D-IL 8th), sponsor of a bill promoting Internet safety education, is scheduled to speak at the event. More...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wallsten Urges Caution in Broadband Policy
PFF's Wallsten Testifies Before U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business

( See also related slides - "Everything You Hear About Broadband in the U.S. is Wrong." by Scott Wallsten)

Current trends in the broadband market illustrate little reason for widespread concern, explained Scott Wallsten in written testimony presented today to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business. Wallsten cautioned against Congressional intervention in the quickly evolving industry and instead urged the Committee to concentrate on better data collection regarding broadband deployment and to remove barriers to entry into the market. More...

Monday, September 24, 2007
PFF Initiates Search for Next President

The Progress & Freedom Foundation announced today that it has initiated a formal search process for its next president. The Foundation also said it has accepted the resignations of Acting President Thomas M. Lenard and Vice President for Development Garland McCoy. More...

Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tribe: New Content Regulations Betray First Amendment
Harvard University Professor Discusses Freedom of Speech at PFF's Aspen Summit

Government attempts to regulate television violence "run afoul of the First Amendment," Harvard University Professor Laurence H. Tribe told attendees at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2007 Aspen Summit. In his speech, Tribe explained that although the U.S. Supreme Court has historically been slow to apply First Amendment principles when dealing with new technologies, recent trends in the courts vindicate the constitutional right of free speech. Today, PFF is releasing a transcript of Professor Tribe's remarks from the conference. More...

Friday, September 7, 2007
Cyber-Safety in a Web 2.0 World
Rep. Bean, Sponsor of the “SAFER NET Act,” to Speak at October 3rd Event

What tools are available to parents who are concerned about protecting their children from exposure to unwanted content and unwanted contact on the Internet? What is the role of policymakers in promoting the safety of children online? These and other questions will be discussed Wednesday, October 3rd by panelists at "Cyber-Safety in a Web 2.0 World: What Parents and Policymakers Need to Know," an event host by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Representative Melissa Bean (D-IL 8th), is scheduled to speak at the event. More...

Thursday, August 30, 2007
Schmidt Calls for "Free and Open" Internet
PFF Publishes Google CEO's Remarks from 2007 Aspen Summit

The global growth of the Internet has spurred by the principles of open standards and interoperability, Google, Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt told attendees at The Progress & Freedom Foundation's 2007 Aspen Summit. In his speech, Schmidt outlined four "calls to action" to ensure the continued growth of the Internet: protecting freedom of speech, promoting universal broadband access, assuring network neutrality and making government more transparent. PFF is publishing a transcript of Dr. Schmidt’s remarks and the subsequent question and answer session from the Summit's Chairman's Dinner on August 21st. More...

Monday, August 27, 2007
2007 Aspen Summit Videos Now Available Online
Videos of Keynotes, Discussion Panels Accessible from PFF Website

Videos of the keynote addresses and panel discussions from the 2007 Aspen Summit, "Making Markets - Critical Information Policy Choices," are now available on The Progress & Freedom Foundation website. This year's event featured speeches from Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, Inc., Professor Dale W. Jorgenson from Harvard University, FTC Commissioner William E. Kovacic, and Harvard Law School Professor Laurence H. Tribe. More...