Regulation
California Legislature Passes Net Neutrality, but Will Gov. Jerry Brown Sign It?
States are now the main battleground in regulating internet and social-media giants.
Artificial Intelligence Will Be More Economically Consequential than Steam Power Was
AI could boost economic growth by 1.2 percent annually between now and 2030.
San Francisco Continues to Give Middle Finger to E-Scooters, Rejects Permit Applications for Lime, Bird, Others
But the rest of the country is embracing the latest transportation craze.
Top Trump Economic Adviser Asserts Right to Regulate Buggy Whips, Google
Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, defended Trump's idea of regulating the search giant.
Why the Fading Credibility of Pope Francis Should Worry More than Just Catholics
Depletion of trust and confidence in public and private institutions is happening across the board and leads to more, not less, government.
Missouri Might Imprison You for False Meat Advertising
A state law says you can't call it meat unless it's actually beef, pork, or poultry. Critics say the bill violates the First Amendment.
How Formerly Independent Doctors Were Pushed Out of Business
Rules and regulations intended to reform health care are driving private practices out of business by overconfident design.
Why Kim Kardashian's Favorite Hair Care Company Cancelled Its Line of CBD Products
Regulatory uncertainty is scaring some companies away from CBD products and forcing others to operate in a legal grey area.
Elizabeth Warren Wants to Fight About Regulation Instead of Spending. That's Clever—and Dangerous.
Her corporate governance proposal hides the vast cost of her plans.
New Jersey's Attacks on Unlicensed Movers Hurt Entrepreneurs and Consumers
Once again, government would best serve the public by just getting out of the way.
Kevin McCarthy Shows Why the Government Shouldn't Regulate Social Media
The House majority leader doesn't understand how Twitter works.
California Considers Canceling Mandatory Cancer Warning For Coffee
Surprise! California is getting rid of a labeling requirement.
Overturning Chevron Would Not Gut the Administrative State—but It Would Strengthen the Rule of Law
Eliminating judicial deference to administrative agencies' interpretations of federal law would not destroy the administrative state, or even significantly reduce the amount of regulation. But it would have some real benefits, nonetheless.
The War on Tipping
Activists want to "protect" restaurant workers right out of their jobs.
North Carolina Doctor Sues to Break Up State-Enforced Medical Cartels
A new lawsuit from the Institute for Justice is challenging the state's certificate-of-need laws.
Idiots on the European Court of Justice Rule Modern Gene-Edited Crops Must Be Overregulated
"A backward step, not progress"
A Summer-of-Snitches Subversion: City Helps Teen Rather Than Shut Down Unlicensed Hot Dog Stand
When he grows up and gets that food truck, though, he'll probably have a very different experience.
How the National Flood Insurance Program Wastes Taxpayer Dollars
An expensive tutorial on the perils of government interaction.
There Is No Such Thing as a Free Pharma Lunch (Anymore)
Initiatives to curb drug-maker influence have endangered medical workers, patients, and the healthcare system.
Don't Ban Straws
Banning straws "might make some politicians feel good, but it won't actually accomplish anything good."
How New York Strangled Its Mom-and-Pop Rental Car Companies
Why does an economy car rent for an astonishing $161 per day in Manhattan? Because onerous insurance laws cartelized the industry.
D.C. Wants to Ban No-Cash Businesses and Cash Discounts
A new bill would make it illegal for city businesses to refuse cash payments.
FAA Decides Against Airline Seat Size Regulation
The agency decided that airline seat sizes don't have a discernible effect on passenger safety.
Brett Kavanaugh's Discouraging Record on the First Amendment and 'Commercial Speech'
Where does Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh stand on the First Amendment?
The Government's Economic Illogic Is on Display
Trump's tariffs are just part of the problem.
Will the Future Have No Work or Just Less Work?: Podcast
Economist Michael C. Munger argues the sharing economy is the next great economic revolution—and it's already underway.
Is This the Summer of Snitches?
Meet Burrito Bob, Permit Patty, and other vigilante informants
Trump's Proposal To Reform Federal Food Regulations Is Long Overdue
Our current system of federal food regulation is expensive and dangerous
Laws That Are 'Impossible' to Follow Can Still Be Constitutional, Says California Court
Just because you cannot comply doesn't mean the law cannot exist.
Nashville Government Employees Tasked With Impounding Dockless E-Scooters Caught Riding Them Instead
The city's scooter cops can't help but ride the very scooters they're supposed to be saving the city from.
800 Lactation Consultants Could Lose Jobs Under New Georgia Licensing Law
Lactation consultants are the newest victims of burdensome occupational licensing laws in Georgia. Mary Jackson and the Institute for Justice are fighting back.
How a New SCOTUS Ruling on Abortion Could Permanently Alter Economic Regulation
"The majority's view, if taken literally, could radically change prior law," warn the Court's liberal justices.
All Over the World, People Love Bootleg Moonshine and Hate Taxes
If you don't want a black market in booze to develop, keep the tax man on a leash and regulators in check.
This Is the First FDA-Approved Medicine Derived From Cannabis
Cannabidiol, recognized by most states as a treatment for epilepsy, now has the federal government's blessing.
Eliminate, Don't Expand, Electric Vehicle Credit
Congress should resist the call of special interests.
Denver Contradicts Itself by Targeting Previously Tolerated Cannabis Tour Buses
The rolling lounges are one of the few options for visitors who want to use marijuana but can't find pot-friendly lodging.
A French Grocer Protested Stupid EU Food Regulations and Won
Carrefour used artful civil disobedience and smart marketing to challenge ridiculous regulations.
In the Future, We Will All Eat Bugs
As long as regulators don't erect pointless hurdles along the way, a future filled with more tasty, crittery culinary choices seems happily inevitable.
Bans on E-Cigarette Flavors Can't Be Justified by the 'Wildfire Spread' of Adolescent Vaping, Which Seems to Be Declining
Bans like San Francisco's hurt smokers by making the potentially lifesaving switch to vaping less attractive.
The EU's New Privacy Rules Are Already Causing International Headaches
It's not just email spam; GDPR has led companies to shut down access to sites and games.
You'll Soon Be Able to Manufacture Anything You Want and Governments Will Be Powerless to Stop It
From DIY guns to designer drugs, classic-car parts, and human livers, 3D printing promises a dynamic and uncontrollable world.
Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes, and the Cult of Silicon Valley
In Bad Blood, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou explains why Silicon Valley's mystique makes suckers out of billionaires.
Colorado's Governor, Who Founded a Brewpub, Nixes Cannabis 'Tasting Rooms'
John Hickenlooper claims letting pot store customers sample the merchandise conflicts with a ballot initiative that promised to regulate marijuana like alcohol.
Why Does Maryland Hate Airbnb?
Home sharing competes with hotels, of course, but it's not a zero-sum game. Hosts on platforms like Airbnb are responsive to market conditions.
