Technology & Innovation
Read more
Policy Reports
Pelican Institute Releases AI Toolkit
New questions surrounding artificial intelligence emerge daily: What is AI? Should states be [...]
Read more
Antitrust & Enforcement: Letting Markets Work without Empowering Government
In their report “Antitrust & Enforcement: Letting Markets Work without Empowering Government,” [...]
Read more
Louisiana’s Comeback Agenda
It’s time to write Louisiana’s comeback story. For too long, poor public policy decisions have [...]
Read more
Regulatory Sandboxes: Where Innovation Happens
Regulatory sandboxes are a novel way to govern innovative companies, allowing them to test their [...]
Read more
Tech Policy Toolkit
The technology sector is playing an increasing role in our day-to-day lives as consumers, and it’s [...]
Read more
REPORT: The State of Broadband in Louisiana and Mississippi
As COVID-19 continues to affect much of the world, people’s daily activities have shifted online. [...]
Read more
Drones in Louisiana: Helping the Pelican State Take Flight
The Louisiana economy is struggling, with 155,000 missing jobs in the state since the start of 2020 [...]
Read more![[REPORT] Medicine in a Digital World](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzY0OjgzNjQ=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNTE4NCAzNDU2IiB3aWR0aD0iNTE4NCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzNDU2IiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==)
[REPORT] Medicine in a Digital World
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many paradigms of daily life. While the necessary adjustments [...]
Read more
Sandboxes will Bring Innovation to Louisiana
Sandboxes are alternative regulatory frameworks for companies with innovative products or business [...]
Read moreNews & Media
‘Tis the Season (for AI)
Artificial intelligence (AI) developments in areas like healthcare and education often overshadow [...]
Read more
The DOJ Cried Google: The Monopoly that Wasn’t
In August the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s antitrust division ruled that Google was an [...]
Read more
A Big Help for Small Businesses
Artificial intelligence has transformed businesses and industries across the world. The profound [...]
Read more
Data Center of Attention: the Power Houses of the Digital World
Artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated tech headlines for the last two years, fascinating [...]
Read more
Rocky Mountain AI
For every stunning feat of progress in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), it seems there is [...]
Read more
Save the Court Date: How Technology Can Help Reduce “Failure to Appear” Rates
Missing a court appearance can have serious consequences: hefty fines, arrest warrants, and even [...]
Read more
Something We Can All Agree On
Last month, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) moved past the U.S. House Committee on Energy and [...]
Read more
AI of the Storm
The destruction of Helene and Milton brought shock and devastation to the states within their path. [...]
Read more
The Meteoric Rise and Spectacular Fall of CA’s SB1047: a Lesson in Preemptive Regulation
This summer California’s SB 1047, the “Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial [...]
Read more
DOJ’s Attack on Google Threatens Small Business and Innovation
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is aggressively pursuing a case against Google that could dismantle [...]
Read more
Put it in Neutral
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is the largest broadband funding [...]
Read more
The Ambiguity of Care
Last week, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the Kids Online Safety Act [...]
Read more
Harris on Tech
Last month, we examined what a Trump-Vance administration could mean for tech policy. Similarly, [...]
Read more
AI+: How AI is Transforming Classrooms
This year, AI is on many educators’ lists of back-to-school essentials. The technology has [...]
Read more
The Age Verification Dilemma
As any parent will tell you, very few things are actually “childproof.” Sometimes, caring [...]
Read more
Sports Intelligence
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in important areas like healthcare, education, and [...]
Read more
The Data Center Dilemma: When the Demand for Energy Demands Innovation
As more people and industries rely on artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence (AI) relies [...]
Read more
Google Decision: A Misguided Antitrust Crackdown?
The recent decision by the federal district court for the District of Columbia was against Google. [...]
Read more
Tech Under Trump
As the federal election season kicks into full swing, it’s easy to get lost in the spectacle [...]
Read more
A New Development in the Net Neutrality Saga
When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced its plan to reinstate Net Neutrality [...]
Read more
The European Union Bet on Regulation and Lost
The European Union (EU) took a gamble when it enacted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) [...]
Read more
The Supreme Court Protects Online Speech
The dawn of the internet brought about new forms of speech capable of reaching massive audiences. [...]
Read more
Taxation Without Connection: When Local Fees Don’t Consider Local Needs
The digital divide, the space between those who do and do not have access to fast and reliable [...]
Read more
The Great American Patchwork
The United States boasts a wide array of climates, cultures, accents, and cuisines. A Cajun [...]
Read more
Taxation Without Connection
The digital divide, the space between those who do and do not have access to fast and reliable [...]
Read more
Warning: Government Overreach
What do tobacco products and alcohol have in common with apps like Instagram and X? U.S. Surgeon [...]
Read more
Louisiana Welcomes Innovations in Insurance
This past legislative session, Louisiana’s lawmakers sought to improve several policies [...]
Read more
Real Smart: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Classrooms For the Better
The classroom represents a better future, where the schools of today help to form the leaders of [...]
Read more
A Vendetta Against “Big”
Lina Khan, chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Amazon go way back. Khan made a [...]
Read more
The AI Race
The future of AI is unknown and so is how different countries and societies will choose to interact [...]
Read more
The Technologies, They are a Changin
The nature of technology is one of swift progress and continuous change. The innovation of today is [...]
Read more
Back to the Basics: A Section 230 Refresher
America is the undisputed leader in the online space, with some of the most successful and [...]
Read more
Power House: How Louisiana Can Export Its Power Through Data
Louisiana produces SEC champions, world class cuisine, and lots of energy. The state’s economy has [...]
Read more
Don’t Judge a Bill by its Title: How the Kids Online Safety Act Fails to Keep Kids Safe Online
One of the oldest tricks in the book of politics is to name a bill something so noble that any who [...]
Read more
The Robot Will Scan You Now: How AI Can Make Us Healthier
Like the “all-natural” label in a grocery store or the “breaking news” banner on CNN, “AI” seems to [...]
Read more
The Coming of Age Verification: A Classic Tale of Well-Intentioned but Misguided State Legislation
The advent of the internet has forever changed the childhood experience. Today’s youth have never [...]
Read more
Less Talk (Shows), More Action
In the age of podcasts, mention of AM radio will conjure up nostalgia for some and confusion for [...]
Read more
What Privacy Means for the Public
In many ways we value what makes states unique and their authority to make their own laws. But long [...]
Read more
Was it the End of the Internet?
The recent solar eclipse is not the only defining story of 2017 that we are revisiting—net [...]
Read more
(Anti)trust Issues
2024 is the year of the antitrust and some of tech’s biggest names, from Google to Meta, are [...]
Read more
What Will the Future of Digital Money Look Like?
How often do you still pay with cash? Many Louisianians are used to paying for even small items [...]
Read more
Digital Divide and Conquer: Effective Coordination between Broadband Programs is Key to Connectivity
In the digital age, access to fast and reliable internet is often a prerequisite for participation [...]
Read more
Social Media at the Supreme Court
March brought about two landmark social media cases with the potential to determine the future of [...]
Read more
Between a TikTok and a Hard Place
TikTok, a video-sharing app, hosts about 1.5 billion users worldwide and is both loved and hated [...]
Read more
A Lesson from Across the Pond
Do you travel often? If you do, you have likely used one of the many online services that help you [...]
Read more
SCOTUS Weighs in on Free Speech Online
The advent of online speech allowed ideas and content to reach incredibly large audiences at speeds [...]
Read more
Competition Creates Innovation
History is a testament to rivalries creating excellence. Tesla versus Edison for electricity, [...]
Read more
On the Radio (Waves)
The first wireless communication took place in 1895, when Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi sent a [...]
Read more
California Fumbles AI
If you’re one of the 123 million viewers who watched the Super Bowl last Sunday, chances are you [...]
Read more
Affordable Connectivity Program and the Digital Divide
In the digital age, fast and reliable internet is vital to participation in society. American jobs, [...]
Read more
Antitrust Aggression: How the FTC is Hurting Companies and Consumers
When iRobot’s Roomba vacuum cleaner entered households in 2002, it was a glimpse of a future where [...]
Read more
Orbiting Connectivity: the Promise of Satellite Internet for Rural Communities
Recently, the Biden Administration boasted an $82 million investment to increase high speed [...]
Read more
Viva La AI: The Latest from the Consumer Electronics Show
This month, tech enthusiasts from around the world made their annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas, [...]
Read more
East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s New Data Portal is Pioneering Criminal Justice Transparency in Louisiana
Lack of data and transparency has long been an issue with all agencies involved in the criminal [...]
Read more
What is Digital Equity and Will it Help Louisiana?
Broadband is a crucial component of today’s infrastructure and allows people to stay connected [...]
Read more
Should The Government Run the Internet?
What is the biggest issue with the internet in Louisiana? For most people in the Pelican State, [...]
Read more
The FTC’s Radical Case Against Amazon
A recent survey found that 25 out of 100 Americans buy items on Amazon at least once per week. But [...]
Read more
Government Searching For Reasons To Run the Internet
When seeking answers online, where do you typically turn? For many, the immediate response is [...]
Read more
How Congress Stalling on Spectrum Will Slow Louisiana’s Connectivity
As the scorching heat of a Louisiana summer drives residents indoors, our dependence on [...]
Read more
Candidate Questionnaire 2023
Does your candidate support jobs and opportunities in Louisiana? Election Day 2023 is fast [...]
Read more
AI: What Are the Real Risks?
A few weeks ago, the White House stunned people all across the world when it convened some of the [...]
Read more
New Pelican Paper: Antitrust Enforcement? Put Power in the Hands of Consumers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Baton Rouge, July 19, 2023 — Everything old is new again, and that’s turning [...]
Read more
Don’t Fear the Robots
Suddenly, artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere, especially in the news. As with most [...]
Read more
Star Trek tech: if government stays out of the way
In Star Trek, Captain Kirk communicates to his allies and enemies via a giant video wall on his [...]
Read more
Co-Parenting with the Government? Beware.
The mental health of preteens and teenagers across America has been a growing concern as suicide [...]
Read more
Not A Great Look
Last week, Christine Wilson, a commissioner at the FTC, wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal [...]
Read more
Social Media and the Supreme Court
Next week, the Supreme Court is set to hear cases involving the content moderation practices of [...]
Read more
Internet For All: Let the Process Work
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission released its nationwide broadband availability [...]
Read more
tsk tsk tsk
Epic Games is in trouble. The creator of the popular video game Fortnite has reached an agreement [...]
Read more
And So It Continues
Yesterday, the DOJ–infused with the spirit of “hipster antitrust”–filed a lawsuit [...]
Read more
I’ve Got The Power
Antitrust is now front and center in the national debate. Under the leadership of Lina Khan, the [...]
Read more
Big is Bad is Back
There are essentially two schools of thought when it comes to antitrust legislation: The Harvard [...]
Read more
Planes, trains, and…Facebook?
The debate around whether government should regulate social media platforms centers on whether [...]
Read more
That’s All Folks!
For the past few months, we’ve written about a slew of bills that Congress was trying to ram [...]
Read more
Sneaky, Sneaky, Sneaky
The Journalism Competition Preservation Act (JCPA) won’t go away. Now, there are reports that some [...]
Read more
A MySpace Monopoly? lol
Recently, I came across an article titled, “MySpace Is A Natural Monopoly,” written on January 17, [...]
Read more
Antitrust or Anti-Consumer?
Last year, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Amy Klobuchar [...]
Read more
At the Intersection of Free Markets and Free Speech
Elon Musk has bought Twitter, and now promises to protect free speech on the platform. Naturally, [...]
Read more
Web3 101: The Building Blocks of a New Internet
What is the future of the internet? The internet changes so quickly and constantly that we often [...]
Read more
These New Orleans Kids are Using Web3 to Shape the Future
When looking at where the future of technology is going, it’s best not to ask people my age, but to [...]
Read more
Eric Peterson Joins Jeff Crouere to Discuss the AICOA
Eric Peterson, Director of the Tech and Innovation Center, joins Jeff Crouere’s Ringside [...]
Read more
Social Media Regulations Will Not Help Parents
As COVID-19 recedes and we can interact physically again, many are concerned about the amount of [...]
Read more
Congress Is Trying to Get Rid of Generic Products Online
With personal incomes in the Pelican State growing at one of the slowest rates in the nation and [...]
Read more
Government Report Shows Why Billions in Spending Haven’t Closed Digital Divide
One of the few policy agreements across state capitols and in Washington D.C. is the need to close [...]
Read more
Social Media is Likely Headed to the Supreme Court
Last week, the United States Supreme Court granted an emergency stay preventing a Texas social [...]
Read more
Tech Is Resisting Inflation, So Why Is Government Trying to Regulate It?
Americans are facing levels of inflation not seen in decades and every trip to the grocery store or [...]
Read more
Government Shouldn’t Obstruct Musk’s Twitter Purchase
Elon Musk is currently purchasing the social media company Twitter. The ongoing purchase set off a [...]
Read more
Can Louisiana “Mine” Its Business?
Recently, Houston, Texas hosted the Empower conference which focused on Bitcoin mining. The [...]
Read more
Could Bills Aimed at Technology Companies Hurt Louisiana Entrepreneurs?
In Congress, there is little agreement on how to address concerns about large technology companies. [...]
Read more
Can NFTs Fix Our Roads?
If you live in Louisiana, you have certainly dealt with your fair share of potholes. You are [...]
Read more
The Next Wave of Innovation Starts in Sandboxes
When laws and regulations are created, they often don’t consider new businesses and products that [...]
Read more
How Sandboxes Jump-Started Innovation in Arizona
When thinking about states that lead in technological innovation, California likely comes top of [...]
Read more
5G Is Coming to Louisiana, but How Soon?
January was momentous for expanding internet access across the nation. The C-Band spectrum, radio [...]
Read more
Louisiana Needs to Think Outside the Box
Louisiana’s economy lagged behind the rest of the country long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Many [...]
Read more
I’m Dreaming of a New Car Buying Experience This Christmas
Do you think Christmas car commercials are as ridiculous as I do? You know the ones I am talking [...]
Read more
OpEd: Why Louisiana should lead the world in Bitcoin mining
Originally Posted in the Center Square Louisiana has long been a leading state in energy [...]
Read more
From Hurricanes to the Economy, Drones Can Help Louisiana Recover
Hurricane Ida brought some of the worst destruction our state has seen in over a decade. As [...]
Read more
Infrastructure Package Threatens to Slow Cryptocurrency Innovation
The debate over the trillion-dollar, 2000-page infrastructure package is heating up in Congress, [...]
Read more
Letter to Congress: “The Federal Government Should be Careful When Appropriating Additional Broadband Funds”
There is a bipartisan agreement in Washington D.C. that the federal government should take steps to [...]
Read more
Another Reason Why Tesla Won’t Move to Louisiana
Why are successful and innovative companies moving south but not to Louisiana? The states outdated [...]
Read more
Louisiana Should Continue to Reject Government Owned Networks
There is major movement on the broadband front in Louisiana. Not only will the Federal [...]
Read more
Drones Need to Take Flight in Louisiana
The Louisiana economy is struggling with more than 100,000 lost jobs since the start of 2020. To [...]
Read more
Louisiana Gets Serious About Innovation
The pandemic has proven how important innovation is to staying safe and living our lives during a [...]
Read more
(BIG) Solutions (mini) Summit(s) Tech and Innovation Recap
Louisiana has the potential to be a tech and innovation destination. During the Pelican Institute’s [...]
Read more
Principles for Broadband Expansion with the American Rescue Plan of 2021
Louisiana’s state and local governments will be receiving approximately $5.18 billion from [...]
Read more
Everything You Need to Know About Section 230 and Online Speech
If you have been paying attention to the debate over online speech and conservative censorship, you [...]
Read more
Should Government Regulate Social Media?
by Eric Peterson, Director, Pelican Center for Technology and Innovation Policy It seems nearly [...]
Read more
Tech Policy Toolkit
One of the hottest topics in public policy today is the world of technology and innovation. At no [...]
Read more
Lafayette Shows Why Government Shouldn’t Run Internet
There is no question that more Louisianans are in need of broadband internet connections. With [...]
Read more
Stop the Attack on Free Speech Online
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order related to free speech online. [...]
Read more
Major Win for Getting Louisianans Connected
In a huge victory for connecting Louisianans to high-speed broadband internet, Governor John Bel [...]
Read more
Pelican Statement: Governor Vetoes Rural Broadband
On Friday, Governor John Bel Edwards’ vetoed an important piece of legislation for connecting [...]
Read more
Section 230 Protects the Speech of Louisianans
With COVID-19, the economic crisis, and the protests taking place across the country, Americans are [...]
Read more
Pelican, Partners Release Policy Solutions to Close State Digital Divides
As connectivity has become more important than ever, elected officials at all levels of government [...]
Read more
TECH NEWS: Pelican Leads Coalition Supporting A Free and Open Internet
Since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by Chairman Ajit Pai, ended the regulation [...]
Read more
TECH NEWS: Louisiana Needs Drone Delivery Now
To reduce the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, many Louisianans are foregoing shopping [...]
Read more
TECH NEWS: COVID-19 Social Media Incident Shows Value of Key Free Speech Protection
As people worldwide go into quarantine and conversations around COVID-19 move increasingly online, [...]
Read more
Louisiana Needs to Lower Costs to Expand Rural Broadband
If you are reading this article, chances are you have access to a broadband internet connection. A [...]
Read more
Pelican Releases Principles on Emerging Technology Issues for State Lawmakers
As state legislative sessions get underway across the country, the Pelican Center for Technology [...]
Read more
Pelican Encourages FCC to Close the Digital Divide
Coming off the Pelican Institute’s second annual Solutions Summit, where policy experts from across [...]
Read more
Louisiana Needs Fair 5G Policy
There are few things in our modern world more frustrating than being unable to get a cellular [...]
Read more
Top 10 inventions of the Decade
The 2010s were packed with historic events, both nationally and around the world. And while there [...]
Read more
Pelican Institute Joins Coalition Opposing California Privacy Legislation
Should the legislature of California get a say over how you use the internet? On its face, this [...]
Read more
Be Thankful Black Friday Keeps Getting Better
After enjoying time catching up with family, watching football and eating too much food on [...]
Read more
Lafayette Utilities System Fiber Continues to Prove Why Government Broadband Doesn’t Work
In 2009, the city of Lafayette began providing cable and internet services with the Lafayette [...]
Read more
Internet Freedom Important to Louisiana
“Net Neutrality” has been in the news a lot lately. If many of your Facebook friends are to be [...]
Read more