With powerful technology companies dominating the social media landscape, calls to “break up Big Tech” are growing every day. But what would that actually entail? Would doing so advance the principles of liberty and freedom? Will consumers be harmed in the process? This talk argues that using antitrust — one of the federal government’s most powerful tools — would be a mistake. The consequences for consumers and the economy would be severe and extend far beyond a select few technology companies.
Similarly, even with legitimate concerns about promoting the free exchange of ideas, government involvement in content moderation will only harm the ideals of freedom and limited government. Before advocating for sweeping policy responses to legitimate concerns, freedom-loving Americans need to remember that government involvement usually protects special interests, limits innovation, and fails to achieve its goals.
Jared Meyer is a former staff member at the White House Council of Economic Advisors and a former advisor at the Department of Labor and senior research fellow at the Foundation for Government Accountability. At FGA, he researches the economic effects various government regulations have on labor markets.
Meyer is the coauthor of Disinherited: How Washington Is Betraying America’s Young (Encounter Books, May 2015) and the author of Uber-Positive: Why Americans Love the Sharing Economy (Encounter Books, June 2016). He has testified before various congressional committees, including the Joint Economic Committee, House Education and the Workforce Committee, House Budget Committee, and House Judiciary Committee. Meyer is also a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for Law and Policy.
This event is presented by the OSU Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise
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