September 14, 2020

The Antitrust Case Against Google’s Adtech Business, Explained

Geoffrey A. Manne & Samuel Bowman & Eric Fruits

We explain how display advertising fits in the broader digital advertising market, describe how display advertising works, consider the main allegations against Google, and explain why Google’s critics are misguided to focus on antitrust as a solution to alleged problems in the market.

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

September 12, 2019

What’s the Harm of Targeted Ads on Children’s Content Anyway?

Ben Sperry

The shift in oversight responsibility from parents to the FTC will likely lead to less-effective oversight, more difficult user interfaces, less children’s programming, and higher costs for everyone — all without obviously mitigating any harm in the first place.

June 15, 2019

ICLE Comments on Department of Justice Workshop on Competition in Television and Digital Advertising

Geoffrey A. Manne

The Department should be commended for undertaking this workshop “to explore industry dynamics in media advertising and the implications for antitrust enforcement and policy.... and the competitive dynamics of media advertising in general.” The competitive dynamics of advertising markets—and digital advertising markets, in particular—are complicated and not well-understood.

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

August 29, 2017

ABA Teleconference: Teleconference on Newspaper Antitrust Immunity

Geoffrey A. Manne

Summary David Chavern (News Media Alliance, whose members include NYT, WSJ, Tronc (Chicago Tribune, LA Times)), in a July 9, 2017 Wall Street Journal op-ed and subsequent press release, called…

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

July 10, 2017

The Washington Post editorial board understands online competition better than the European Commission does

Geoffrey A. Manne

Last week the editorial board of the Washington Post penned an excellent editorial responding to the European Commission’s announcement of its decision in its Google Shopping investigation. Here’s the key…

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

October 21, 2016

FCC Chairman Wheeler’s claimed fealty to FTC privacy standards is belied by the rules he actually proposes

Geoffrey A. Manne

Next week the FCC is slated to vote on the second iteration of Chairman Wheeler’s proposed broadband privacy rules. Of course, as has become all too common, none of us…

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

July 7, 2016

The FCC’s proposed broadband privacy rules are still devoid of sufficient evidence or analysis

Geoffrey A. Manne

Yesterday, the International Center for Law & Economics filed reply comments in the docket of the FCC’s Broadband Privacy NPRM. ICLE was joined in its comments by the following scholars…

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

May 26, 2016

Congressional testimony on legislative reform proposals for the FTC

Geoffrey A. Manne

Earlier this week I testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade regarding several proposed FTC reform bills. You can find my written testimony here. That testimony…

Antitrust & Consumer Protection

May 10, 2016

Pushing Ad Networks Out of Business: Yershov v. Gannett and the War Against Online Platforms

Kristian Stout

The lifecycle of a law is a curious one; born to fanfare, a great solution to a great problem, but ultimately doomed to age badly as lawyers seek to shoehorn…

Innovation & The New Economy