Explain to Shane

As today’s supply chain challenges create bottlenecks across the economy, consumers and businesses of all sizes are dealing with unprecedented situations involving lack of component parts, trapped inventory, and delayed deliveries. But what if we could digitize parts of the supply chain and make them more efficient? Where, if at all, can technology contribute?On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane is joined by Glenn Richey, Harbert Eminent Scholar and chair of Auburn University’s Center for Supply Chain Innovation. Glenn shares his expertise on the causes and effects of the current supply chain dilemma, and discusses ways that digitization and artificial intelligence can help boost supply chain efficiency.

The debate around online content moderation is not slowing down. People remain bitterly divided over whether social media platforms should take down more content, or not moderate at all. But this issue is not limited to the US: Across the world, authoritarian regimes are using online censorship to silence dissenters, and are retaliating against citizens who share certain content online. How are content moderation experts working to solve these ever-complex issues? On this episode, Shane is joined by Julie Owono to discuss why we need clear principles around online speech — centered on free expression — and how these principles can be applied across different countries. Julie is the executive director of Stanford University’s Content Policy & Society Lab, executive director of Internet Without Borders, and a member of the Facebook Oversight Board.

The extent to which lawyers, corporate executives, and government officials focus on cybersecurity fluctuates with the threat level posed by malicious cyber actors. In light of numerous ransomware attacks on critical industries, lawmakers are looking at more regulatory obligations to mitigate the risks these threats pose. Companies, meanwhile, are working to comply with a chaotic patchwork of rules and regulations. The field of cybersecurity law is not systematic, and industries are working through who owns the internal cyber regulatory responsibilities and compliance obligations.In an effort to create a coherent roadmap for everyone involved in cybersecurity law, Jim Dempsey recently published a book titled Cybersecurity Law Fundamentals. On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane sits down with Jim to discuss his book, along with key lessons that lawmakers, industry leaders, and lawyers would be well-advised to consider when it comes to cyber.

How can children enjoy the groundbreaking innovations of the digital age with sufficient guardrails around their personal data? What existing laws and regulations aim to protect children online, and what steps must businesses of all sizes take to comply with them?  On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane sits down with Rick Lane, founder and CEO of Iggy Ventures, to discuss why his firm chose to advise and invest in Rego Digital Architectures’ Mazoola app. Mazoola is the only independently certified family mobile wallet that is compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 and Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation.

For several years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been working to modernize the use of key sections of spectrum airwaves — known as C-band — for commercial deployment. Through a series of auctions, the FCC sold the license rights to C-band airwaves to commercial 5G mobile telecommunications providers, unleashing a massive wave of private investment to enable 5G deployment. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently warned that using C-band for 5G could interfere with air safety, reigniting a multiyear battle that many believe FCC engineers have successfully put to rest. What does the FAA’s warning mean for the future of C-band and continued spectrum deployment in the wireless industry?On this episode, Shane sits down with former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and Harold Feld of Public Knowledge to discuss why the FAA issued this warning, how legitimate its safety concerns are, and how the C-band auction winners have responded.

Congress passed Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in 1996 when the internet was just coming onto the horizon for commercial use, and there was a need to protect nascent platforms from liability for user-generated content. Often coined “the 26 words that created the internet,” Section 230 is widely credited for fostering the innovative ecosystem that created today’s successful social media firms. But a continued controversy over online content moderation has now made Section 230 a target for reform by both parties. How well has Section 230 served its original purpose, and would reforming it do more harm than good?On this episode, Shane is joined by former Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA), who co-authored Section 230 with then-Rep. (now Senator) Ron Wyden (D-OR). Cox has a long history of public service as a former legal advisor in the Ronald Reagan White House, a member of Congress for 17 years, then as 28th Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He is now a member of NetChoice’s board of directors.Cox joins the podcast to discuss his intent in writing Section 230, the potential costs of reforming the law, and the intersection of Section 230 and private platforms’ First Amendment right of editorial control.  

With five bills introduced to the House Judiciary Committee in June of this year, Congress is moving swiftly to rein in what it sees as the market power and abusive business practices of “Big Tech” firms — namely Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google. What is behind Congress’ push for new antitrust laws targeted at these companies, and how would these laws impact consumers? On this episode, Shane and AEI co-host Mark Jamison are joined by NetChoice Policy Counsel Jennifer Huddleston for a conversation on what Congress’ proposals would mean for the future of mergers and acquisitions in the tech industry, along with how these proposals would deprive consumers of services they enjoy thanks to Silicon Valley’s culture of “permissionless innovation.”

Under Chairwoman Lina Khan’s leadership, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is undergoing a number of process reforms that are poised to make the commission less democratic by allocating more power to the chair herself. If successful, what impact will these reforms have on the future of the commission — and on the laws it’s tasked with enforcing? In the second episode of a two-part discussion, Shane and AEI Nonresident Senior Fellow Mark Jamison continue a conversation with Bilal Sayyed on how Chairwoman Khan’s reforms will reshape long-standing policies around how the FTC is run, and on the challenges companies may face under the new FTC’s scrutiny. You can listen to part one of the discussion here.

Under Chairwoman Lina Khan’s leadership, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is undergoing a number of process reforms that are poised to make the commission less democratic by allocating more power to the chair herself. If successful, what impact will these reforms have on the future of the commission — and on the laws it’s tasked with enforcing? In the first episode of a two-part discussion, Shane and AEI Nonresident Senior Fellow Mark Jamison co-host a conversation with Bilal Sayyed, former director of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning and a senior adjunct fellow at TechFreedom. Bilal shares his insights on how Chairwoman Khan’s reforms will reshape long-standing policies around how the FTC is run, and on the challenges companies may face under the new FTC’s scrutiny.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields online intermediaries such as social media platforms from civil liability for content users post — and reply comments — but also allows them to moderate illegal, lewd, or otherwise  harmful content as they see fit. These dual protections afforded to internet-based companies by Section 230 have been credited for the innovation and growth of social media companies, but the law is often criticized across partisan lines. Does Section 230 invite too much content moderation, or too little? And how, if at all, should Section 230 be reformed?Over the past year, our American Enterprise Institute programming has offered a number of different voices on Section 230 reform — some for, some against, and some undecided. On this episode, Shane is joined by Neil Fried, to hear his argument for why Section 230 should be reformed.Neil is a former chief counsel for communications and technology to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He testified before the committee in June 2020 in favor of Section 230 reform. As the founder of DigitalFrontiers Advocacy, he advises clients on media, technology, and copyright law. His recent writings on Section 230 include “Why Section 230 Is Actually a Rule of Un-Civil Procedure,” “The Myth of Internet Exceptionalism,” and “Why Section 230 Isn't Really a Good Samaritan Provision.”