Networks, the Internet, and Cloud Computing

The Ten Most Important Section 230 Rulings

Under Section 230 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, websites are not legally responsible for content posted on the site by others. A few cases suggest that immunity does not extend to sites that encourage unlawful content.

Scholarly Publishing and its Discontents: An Economist’s Perspective on Dealing with Market Power and Its Consequences

Scholarly journals charge libraries high prices for access to academic articles. Activists protest such restrictions on access to knowledge. Some hoped that the Internet would improve access to academic publishing, but this effect is limited.

The Aisles Have Eyes: How Retailers Track Your Shopping, Strip Your Privacy, and Define Your Power

Increasingly, retailers use technologies such as smartphone apps to track and profile shoppers are they shop in retail stores. Retailers profile consumers and treat some differently than others. Most consumers are unaware of retailers’ tracking and profiling.

Understanding the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016

The Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 (CRFA) bars businesses from requiring their customers to agree not to post online reviews. These “anti-review” clauses prevented consumers from leaving feedback that would identify poorly run businesses.

Can an Algorithm be Agonistic? Ten Scenes from Life in Calculated Publics

Public spaces like YouTube use algorithms to search, rank, and recommend information. Algorithms produce “winners” in information contests, but with little visibility or accountability.

The Internet of Heirlooms and Disposable Things

Everything from stuffed animal to toilets is now being connected to the Internet of Things (IoT). Connecting everyday objects to the Internet could be harmful. The objects or data collected by the objects could be hacked, and the software is subject to glitches.

The Economics of Privacy

Consumers and firms face trade-offs in deciding when to protect or disclose personal information. Whether privacy makes consumers, firms, or society as a whole better off varies widely depending on the context. Consumers often lack information about how data will be used.

The Privacy Policymaking of State Attorneys General

State attorneys general (AGs) play a crucial role in shaping privacy norms. AGs act nimbly to fill gaps in the law and address local concerns, often hearing of privacy or data security problems before federal regulators. State enforcement has not unduly burdened businesses.

Contracting Over Privacy: Introduction

As smart products and services that use “big data” proliferate, privacy advocates express concerns that privacy regulation is too weak. Many consumers agree to give up privacy protections when they use sites or make purchases online. Should regulators restrict consumers from waiving privacy protection?

Machine Learning in an Auction Environment

In online auctions to determine which ads will be displayed, ads that have received many clicks compete against new ads of unknown appeal. This paper describes the best strategy for the auctioneer to use in ranking competing ads, when the appeal of some ads is unknown.