Scaling Laws Contrasting and Conflicting Efforts to Regulate Big Tech: EU v. US
8 snips
Sep 2, 2025 
Anu Bradford, a Columbia Law School professor renowned for her insights on the Brussels Effect, and Kate Klonick, a Lawfare senior editor who specializes in content moderation, dive into the tumultuous world of Big Tech regulation. They contrast the EU’s progressive AI Act and its global influence with the US's interventionist stance on tech. The duo explores the geopolitical ramifications of these differing approaches, including the EU's challenges in technological sovereignty and the ongoing US-China tech rivalry, shedding light on the future landscape of digital governance.
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EU Rules Become Global Defaults
- The EU's AI Act creates de facto global rules because big AI firms operate at scale and prefer single, standardized products.
- Companies adopt EU-compliant practices globally to access Europe, preempt other regulators, and protect reputations.
US Pushback Uses Mixed Rhetoric
- The US political response to EU tech rules mixes corporate protection and free-speech rhetoric for different audiences.
- Congressional hearings and executive statements frame EU laws as threats to American companies or speech, depending on the messenger.
Regulate And Rebuild Europe's Tech Foundations
- Keep EU digital-rights regulation while simultaneously reforming Europe's innovation ecosystem.
- Strengthen capital markets, ease bankruptcy rules, integrate the single market, and attract talent to build homegrown AI firms.
