From the FSF Blog
March 24, 2019
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I hope to see you at the Free State Foundation's Eleventh Annual Telecom Policy Conference this Tuesday, March 26! If you attend, you will hear me welcome you to the conference in words similar to those below. If you won't be able to make it, please just consider this a "welcome" to follow the Free State Foundation's work throughout the year and to attend future events.
I am excited to welcome you once again to the Free State Foundation's Annual Telecom Policy Conference – this one is our Eleventh Annual Conference. I say "once again" because so many of you are regular attendees, year-in and year-out. But I see lots of new faces too.
Okay. Each year I say, in so many words, that our annual conference just keeps getting bigger, better, and more impactful, and I say I’m going to keep saying it as long as it remains true. Consider it said! I’m sure you'll agree we have an outstanding group of speakers and programs.
The theme of this year’s conference is "Internet Providers and Platforms: Getting Law and Policy Right." To be sure, many of the issues that we will discuss this year have been addressed at previous conferences. For example, "net neutrality" has been debated, in one form or the other, at the previous ten conferences! Let us pray I won't be saying the same thing, say, at the Fifteenth!
But, others, such as privacy, are at the forefront this year in a way that they previously haven't been. More generally, issues relating to the proper framework for considering the respective roles in the Internet ecosystem of Internet service providers like AT&T and Comcast and so-called platform providers like Facebook and Google are, after the FCC's
Restoring Internet Freedom
order, front and center.
At the Free State Foundation, we assert, without apology, that faithfulness to free market-oriented policies, along with respect for property rights and the rule of law, are guiding principles. But we know that not everyone shares our philosophical disposition, and even among those who do, there certainly may be differences regarding practical application of the principles in particular cases. That's the "Getting the Law and Policy Right" part of this year's theme.
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While I’m sure “net neutrality” and privacy regulation will be the subject of considerable discussion, rest assured there will also be plenty of debate regarding today's other hot-topics, such as furthering broadband infrastructure deployment, whether wireline or wireless (yes, 5G!), closing remaining digital divides, and continuing FCC institutional reform. All in the context of "Getting Law and Policy Right."
Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, head of DOJ's Antitrust Division, will give the opening keynote address, and he'll be followed by NTIA Administrator David Redl. The traditional lunchtime conversation will feature four members of FSF's prestigious Board of Academic Advisors: Tim Brennan, Michelle Connolly, Daniel Lyons, and Christopher Yoo. The session immediately after lunch features FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly. Then, FTC Chairman Joe Simons will give the closing keynote. And, as usual, we have two panel sessions this morning featuring senior officials, all well-known experts.
Our goal is to educate, stimulate discussion, and, through civil discourse, perhaps even move a few steps closer to reaching consensus. In any event, because there is no charge to attend, I can’t offer a money-back guarantee. I’ll just express my confidence the conference will be informative and interesting!
As always, I remain grateful for your interest and participation in the Free State Foundation's programs and activities – and for your friendship!
Randy
PS - We are nearing capacity, so if you wish to attend, you must register below. The conference agenda is below too.
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Don't miss the Free State Foundation's Eleventh Annual Telecom Policy Conference on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The conference agenda is
here,
and you can register
here
.
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By the way, when you are shopping for books or other items on Amazon, please login through
AmazonSmile here
. If you do so, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your purchases to the Free State Foundation. We know that it is a small donation, but every little bit helps to support our work!
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The Free State Foundation
P. O. Box 60680
Potomac, MD 20859
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A Free Market Think Tank for Maryland......Because Ideas Matters and FSF are registered trademarks of the Free State Foundation.
All trademark and copyright rights are reserved.
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