The Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund funding model is “unsustainable.” So argues economist Jim Prieger in a white paper for DPI examining eight different models for funding the Fund. Relying on the optimal taxation literature, he explains: The status quo is horrendously inefficient, with consumers bearing an excess burden of $2.1 billion, or about […]| Digital Progress Institute
Big Tech often claims that they protect Americans’ privacy and attempt to use privacy as a cudgel to block any regulation of their business practices. DPI President Joel Thayer laid bare the lie in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 30, 2025, in a hearing on “Protecting the Virtual You: Safeguarding Americans’ […]| Digital Progress Institute
DPI President Joel Thayer joins Zephyr Teachout to explain how the Supreme Court is chipping away at Big Tech’s overreading of the First Amendment: “While we write from opposite ends of the political…| Digital Progress Institute
The Justice Department (DOJ) is currently suing Google over the tech giant’s monopolization of the internet search market. To defend the company’s bottom line, Google executives have made a face turn, hypocritically attempting to position themselves as defenders of online user privacy. The Trump administration shouldn’t fall for it. The DOJ is standing on strong precedent to […]| Digital Progress Institute
In a letter to House leadership, DPI emphasized the importance of Congress quickly adopting a spectrum pipeline and reauthorizing FCC spectrum auction authority. Doing so is critical if the United…| Digital Progress Institute
In the Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding, the FCC has asked the public to identify unnecessary regulations that deter investment, innovation, and efficiency in the communications space. In these comments, DPI explains to the Commission the five tasks it must tackle if it is to accelerate the IP Transition: ending TDM interconnection mandates, terminating the intercarrier […]| Digital Progress Institute
In the Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding, the FCC has asked the public to identify unnecessary regulations that deter investment, innovation, and efficiency in the communications space. In these comments, DPI identifies a host of needless certifications and reporting obligations for the Commission to terminate.| Digital Progress Institute
Before the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs, DPI President Joel Thayer testified on behalf of SB 2420, the App Store Accountability Act. He explains: Enlisting app store providers to perform…| Digital Progress Institute
China has surreptitiously invaded our markets in almost every conceivable way. With the promise of cheap labor, Beijing stole American intellectual property. With the promise of inexpensive equipment, it took control of multiple U.S. routers, backhauls, cell sites and mobile devices. With the promise of cheap laughs, it has captured and poisoned our children’s minds […]| Digital Progress Institute
With more online applications going mobile, more data will need to travel over our wireless networks. We are already seeing AI’s impact on 5G networks. The ubiquity of AI applications…| Digital Progress Institute