The consumer welfare standard is the bedrock of antitrust law. But what is the consumer welfare standard, and why is it important? In a recent blog post for Revue Concurrentialiste, “Dean of Antitrust” Herbert Hovenkamp explains the history of the consumer welfare principle since the term was popularized by Robert Bork, and why we should […]
While CES is known for showcasing the newest innovations in consumer technology, this year’s edition also featured some stark warnings from antitrust experts on the dangers of ignoring the facts in debates on competition and tech. In particular, experts argued that: — Antitrust enforcement should be grounded in evidence, not politics. —Leading tech firms are […]
From defenses of the consumer welfare standard to dissections of tech companies’ enormous contributions to U.S. economic growth, 2019 was a great year for competition in tech. We’ve compiled ten of our favorite analyses, reports, and opinions — here are Springboard’s Top 10 of 2019: 1. Larry Downes And Blair Levin: Is The Tech Backlash […]
While the holiday shopping season is known by consumers for steep discounts, it’s critically important to small businesses’ bottom lines. According to the National Retail Federation, total retail spending will reach about $730 billion in November and December 2019 – and small businesses are increasingly relying on digital tools in order to reach and target […]
The consumer welfare standard, the bedrock of antitrust law, acknowledges the power of competition to drive innovation, superior quality, choice, and price for the benefit of consumers. When consumers are empowered, competition becomes very dynamic, as demonstrated by tech services that are constantly driven to enhance their offerings to attract and retain customers. — Competition […]
Yesterday, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing examining the impact of leading tech services on America’s small businesses. The hearing featured positive input from technology experts and small business owners, with an unambiguous main point: leading tech services allow small businesses to innovate and compete in ways that they otherwise couldn’t. Highlights […]
Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee will hold another hearing on tech, with an eye towards data, privacy and competition. As rhetoric surrounding leading tech services heats up, and opinions increasingly get in the way of facts, here are three important points to keep in mind: — Privacy is not a competition issue, and antitrust tools […]
Last week, a Wall Street Journal report revealed yet another example of antitrust attacks being levelled by competitors concerned with protecting their own market positions, not competition or the welfare of consumers. This most recent case of “swampetition” (defined as “the strategy of persuading regulators to hamstring competitive rivals, competing not in the market but […]
This week’s hearing on tech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) by the Senate Judiciary Committee featured testimony from public- and private-sector antitrust experts. In a robust discussion, experts made it clear that: — Significant restrictions on acquisitions may lead to unintended consequences for smaller firms by reducing innovation and limiting entrepreneurial opportunities. — For many mergers […]
At home or away, as you soak up the summer sun, Springboard has you covered with a little beach reading on the debate over competition in the tech sector. Check out the articles below. Northwestern University’s Mark McCareins in an interview with Kellogg Insight’s Glenn Jeffers: “Simply because a firm becomes large and has innovated […]
Hostility to innovation and technology diminishes the incredible Internet-enabled opportunities that leading tech services provide: empowering consumers, driving prices down and increasing choice, and providing platforms to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. It has given us a golden era of entertainment, knowledge, and everything from fashion startups, to booming mom and pop stores, to the latest app.
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