Scott J. Wallsten

President at Two Think Minimum

Economist studying telecom, regulation, tech, & anything interesting. Formerly younger.

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Articles

Trump's tariffs also threaten US innovation

2 months ago | piie.com | J. Jensen |Scott J. Wallsten

President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs have shocked bond and stock markets, clouded economic forecasts, and sent analysts scrambling to explain the impact on prices and supply chains. Yet the effects of tariffs on innovation have received far less attention. Because innovation drives productivity, and productivity drives economic growth, the effects on innovation are significant. Tariffs fracture the global economy, effectively shrinking markets.
Starlink and DOGE: The $42 Billion Conflict of Interest in Rural Broadband

2 months ago | benton.org | Scott J. Wallsten

The Trump Administration nominee who will oversee the distribution of $42.45 billion in broadband subsidies has pledged to move away from an 'extreme tech bias in favor of fiber' toward technology neutrality—a welcome shift that could bring transformative connectivity to rural America.
Starlink and DOGE: The $42 Billion Conflict of Interest in Rural Broadband

2 months ago | broadbandbreakfast.com | Scott J. Wallsten

The Trump Administration nominee who will oversee distribution of $42.45 billion in broadband subsidies has pledged to move away from an 'extreme tech bias in favor of fiber' toward technology neutrality—a welcome shift that could bring transformative connectivity to rural America.
Opinion | Antitrust Officials Want to Sell Google for Parts

Dec 3, 2024 | wsj.com | Thomas M. Lenard |Scott J. Wallsten

The Justice Department wants to turn America’s most successful search engine into a public utility. As part of its proposed remedies in its antitrust case against Google, the department would force the company to share its technology, data and models with competitors at marginal cost. This is the same strategy it used against the incumbent telephone companies in the 1990s. It discouraged investment and competition.
Tech Policy Recommendations for the Next Administration

Dec 2, 2024 | benton.org | Scott J. Wallsten |Thomas M. Lenard

High-speed internet access is crucial for economic opportunity and social participation. However, broadband policies have not kept pace with dramatic changes in technology and markets. The administration should: Adopt Technology-Neutral PoliciesConsider Competition HolisticallyPromote Market Competition Over Price RegulationSet Subsidies on Demand and CostRestore Program FocusReform Low-Income SupportModernize Spectrum AllocationRequire Rigorous Evaluation
The FCC's New Title II Order: Here We Are Again

Apr 25, 2024 | techpolicyinstitute.org | Scott J. Wallsten

The FCC’s New Title II Order: Here We Are AgainIn one of the least surprising moves of all time, on Thursday, April 25, the FCC voted to classify broadband under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. Sure, the Commission ginned up some new national security arguments since the sky didn’t fall when the FCC removed net neutrality rules in 2018, but to update the old saying just a bit, everything that needs to be said has been said, and everybody has said it. Frequently.
Telecom Regulation: Stuck in the 90's

Mar 21, 2024 | benton.org | Scott J. Wallsten

Elon Musk recently blasted the federal government’s decision to deny a nearly billion-dollar subsidy for rural connectivity that had been previously awarded to his satellite broadband company, Starlink. No matter what you think about him, Musk’s outburst points to an uncomfortable reality: new technologies are rendering America’s policy for promoting and subsidizing broadband telecommunications outdated and counterproductive.
The Boring Ways AI Is Revolutionizing My Work

Feb 23, 2024 | techpolicyinstitute.org | Scott J. Wallsten

The Boring Ways AI Is Revolutionizing My WorkAI has its work cut out for itself. Apparently, it’s going to end humanity, take our jobs, leave our children unable to write, and add untold trillions annually to the economy. Perhaps. But in the meantime, I’ve found lots of much less exciting uses that have helped me become more productive. At this, I can feel the crowds clamoring to know, “How?”I’m glad you asked.
TPI Scholars Argue Classifying Broadband Providers Under Title II is Unnecessary and Potentially Harmful

Dec 15, 2023 | benton.org | Scott J. Wallsten |Thomas M. Lenard

In these comments we explain why Title II classification is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Specifically, we make the following points: The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) focuses heavily on increasing the Federal Communications Commission’s authority and rarely shows that Title II would lead to improvements for consumers. The FCC asks commenters to submit cost-benefit analyses, but does none itself.
Opinion | AI May Soon Weigh In on Regulation

Oct 24, 2023 | wsj.com | Scott J. Wallsten

Lawyers, take note: Artificial-intelligence systems will soon be commenting on new government rules. I asked ChatTPI, the Technology Policy Institute’s large language model, to respond to the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed net-neutrality rules. Its feedback, which draws on our research, isn’t good enough to submit, but it’s close. Websites already allow the general public to submit comments alongside industry lawyers, think-tank advocates and regulatory experts.