PFF’s “Tech Agenda for the 110th Congress”

by on January 19, 2007 · 6 comments

Today, the Progress & Freedom Foundation released a “Tech Agenda for 2007” containing ten policy recommendations for the 110th Congress and the FCC. It’s a set of market-oriented proposals covering a wide array of Digital Economy issues. What follows is just a brief summary of the 10 priorities we came up with. Please review the complete study for our detailed recommendations:

1 – Renew fundamental reforms of communications regulations. 2 – Leave network neutrality concerns to the market and antitrust. 3 – Leave content business models and fair use to the market. 4 – When addressing patents, take a first-principles approach to property and innovation. 5 – Enact meaningful reform of archaic media ownerships laws and regulations that hinder media marketplace experimentation. 6- Pursue greater First Amendment parity among modern media providers by leveling the playing field in the direction of greater freedom for all operators / platforms. 7 – Subject data security and privacy proposals to careful benefit-cost analysis, including full examination of consumer benefits from services and technologies affected by these proposals. 8 – Promote pro-competitive, non-regulatory internet governance. 9 – Avoid open-ended, intrusive data retention mandates. 10 – Promote more efficient taxation of telecom services and Internet sales.

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About Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He previously served as President of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, as Director of Telecommunications Studies at the Cato Institute, and as a Fellow in Economic Policy at the Heritage Foundation. He is the author or editor of six books on technology and media policy and also writes a weekly column for Forbes called "Technologies of Freedom." Thierer earned his bachelor's degree in political science and journalism at Indiana University and received his master's degree in international business management and trade theory at the University of Maryland. His passions in life (besides technology and liberty, of course) are fast cars, fine cigars, and good beer.

Read more articles by Adam Thierer.

  • Doug Lay

    I notice the expansion of Item 3 does not include an explicit recommendation to keep anti-circumvention laws in place. This is progress, I suppose. But the commentary on Fair Use in the same paragraph is completely and utterly wrong. The ability to comment on, critique and parody the work of others is foundational to any sort of vibrant culture. A vision of fair use as nothing more than a workaround for transaction costs is a cramped and sad vision indeed. I’ll pass, and I hope Congress will too.

  • Doug Lay

    I notice the expansion of Item 3 does not include an explicit recommendation to keep anti-circumvention laws in place. This is progress, I suppose. But the commentary on Fair Use in the same paragraph is completely and utterly wrong. The ability to comment on, critique and parody the work of others is foundational to any sort of vibrant culture. A vision of fair use as nothing more than a workaround for transaction costs is a cramped and sad vision indeed. I’ll pass, and I hope Congress will too.

  • Lewis Baumstark

    What Doug said, though I might replace “vibrant culture” with “public discourse”.

    I do agree with PFF’s promotion of technology to lower transaction costs; however this should be focused on non-fair-use activities, opening up revenue streams that “weren’t worth the trouble” before.

  • Lewis Baumstark

    What Doug said, though I might replace “vibrant culture” with “public discourse”.


    I do agree with PFF’s promotion of technology to lower transaction costs; however this should be focused on non-fair-use activities, opening up revenue streams that “weren’t worth the trouble” before.

  • http://www.voluntarytrade.org/newsite Skip Oliva

    It’s hard to take PFF seriously when it continues to insist that antitrust regulation and free markets are compatible.

  • http://www.voluntarytrade.org/newsite Skip Oliva

    It’s hard to take PFF seriously when it continues to insist that antitrust regulation and free markets are compatible.

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