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Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy

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  • Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy

    like all useful idiots, I guess they thought they'd be safe

    Internet Service

    The Order tackles four issues that limit competition, raise prices, and reduce choices for internet service.

    Lack of competition among broadband providers: More than200 million U.S. residents live in an area with only one or two reliable high-speed internet providers, leading to prices as much as five times higher in these markets than in markets with more options. A related problem is landlords and internet service providers entering exclusivity deals or collusive arrangements that leave tenants with only one option. This impacts low-income and marginalized neighborhoods, because landlord-ISP arrangements can effectively block out broadband infrastructure expansion by new providers.

    In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to:
    • Prevent ISPs from making deals with landlords that limit tenants’ choices.

    Lack of price transparency: Even where consumers have options, comparison shopping is hard. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), actual prices paid for broadband services can be 40% higher than advertised. During the Obama-Biden Administration, the FCC began developing a “Broadband Nutrition Label”—a simple label that provides basic information about the internet service offered so people can compare options. The Trump Administration FCC abandoned those plans.

    In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to:
    High termination fees: If a consumer does find a better internet service deal, they may be unable to actually switch because of high early termination fees—on average nearly $200—charged by internet providers.
    In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to:
    • Limit excessive early termination fees.

    Companies discriminatorily slowing down internet access: Big providers can use their power to discriminatorily block or slow down online services. The Obama-Biden Administration’s FCC adopted “Net Neutrality” rules that required these companies to treat all internet services equally, but this was undone in 2017.

    In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to:
    • Restore Net Neutrality rules undone by the prior administration.

    Technology

    The Order tackles three areas in which dominant tech firms are undermining competition and reducing innovation:

    Big Tech platforms purchasing would-be competitors: Over the past ten years, the largest tech platforms have acquired hundreds of companies—including alleged “killer acquisitions” meant to shut down a potential competitive threat. Too often, federal agencies have not blocked, conditioned, or, in some cases, meaningfully examined these acquisitions.

    In the Order, the President:
    • Announces an Administration policy of greater scrutiny of mergers, especially by dominant internet platforms, with particular attention to the acquisition of nascent competitors, serial mergers, the accumulation of data, competition by “free” products, and the effect on user privacy.

    Big Tech platforms gathering too much personal information: Many of the large platforms’ business models have depended on the accumulation of extraordinarily amounts of sensitive personal information and related data.
    In the Order, the President:
    • Encourages the FTC to establish rules on surveillance and the accumulation of data.

    Big Tech platforms unfairly competing with small businesses: The large platforms’ power gives them unfair opportunities to get a leg up on the small businesses that rely on them to reach customers. For example, companies that run dominant online retail marketplaces can see how small businesses’ products sell and then use the data to launch their own competing products. Because they run the platform, they can also display their own copycat products more prominently than the small businesses’ products.
    In the Order, the President:
    • Encourages the FTC to establish rules barring unfair methods of competition on internet marketplaces.

    Cell phone manufacturers and others blocking out independent repair shops: Tech and other companies impose restrictions on self and third-party repairs, making repairs more costly and time-consuming, such as by restricting the distribution of parts, diagnostics, and repair tools.

    In the Order, the President:
    • Encourages the FTC to issue rules against anticompetitive restrictions on using independent repair shops or doing DIY repairs of your own devices and equipment.
    In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

    Leibniz

  • #2
    Great "encouragements" as far as I can tell, especially the Right to Repair and restoration of Net Neutrality.

    Question is, what will the FCC and FTC actually do?
    “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
      Great "encouragements" as far as I can tell, especially the Right to Repair and restoration of Net Neutrality.

      Question is, what will the FCC and FTC actually do?
      they'll do what the guy who appointed them to their jobs wants them to do
      Trust me?
      I'm an economist!

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by DOR View Post

        they'll do what the guy who appointed them to their jobs wants them to do
        True, I'm just slightly confused about the language. Obviously if my boss "encourages" me to do something, I'll be sure to do it.

        But why does it not say "The President directs...." rather than "encouraged"

        I'll admit that I generally don't read the full texts of Executive Orders verbatim, so is this customary language used?

        Yes I get caught up in linguistic minutia like this all the time. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
        “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

        Comment


        • #5
          One way to judge this is how the market reacts ("expert" opinion aggregation) and big tech continued to trend up despite this. Not even a brief dip.

          The market has clearly grown skeptical that its all bark, no bite. Perhaps conditioned from previous events. Should be interesting.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by TopHatter View Post

            True, I'm just slightly confused about the language. Obviously if my boss "encourages" me to do something, I'll be sure to do it.

            But why does it not say "The President directs...." rather than "encouraged"

            I'll admit that I generally don't read the full texts of Executive Orders verbatim, so is this customary language used?

            Yes I get caught up in linguistic minutia like this all the time. Don't hate the player, hate the game.
            Joe,

            FCC & FTC are semi-independent. I think the President can recommend and suggest but (I think) to direct he needs current year legislation.

            Not positive but I am harkening back a long way to College Poli Sci.
            “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
            Mark Twain

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post

              Joe,

              FCC & FTC are semi-independent. I think the President can recommend and suggest but (I think) to direct he needs current year legislation.

              Not positive but I am harkening back a long way to College Poli Sci.
              Sounds right to me. The power to appoint is the check / balance.
              Trust me?
              I'm an economist!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post

                Joe,

                FCC & FTC are semi-independent. I think the President can recommend and suggest but (I think) to direct he needs current year legislation.

                Not positive but I am harkening back a long way to College Poli Sci.
                Ahhh that explains it. Thanks!
                “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

                Comment

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