Adam Thierer
Senior Research Fellow
Mercatus Center, George Mason University
Adam Thierer
Senior Research Fellow
Mercatus Center, George Mason University
Adam Thierer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He specializes in innovation, entrepreneurialism, Internet, and free-speech issues, with a particular focus on the public policy concerns surrounding emerging technologies.
Thierer has authored or edited eight books on topics ranging from media regulation and child safety issues to the role of federalism in high-technology markets. His latest book is Permissionless Innovation: The Continuing Case for Comprehensive Technological Freedom.
Previously, Thierer was president of the Progress & Freedom Foundation, director of Telecommunications Studies at the Cato Institute, and a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He received his MA in international business management and trade theory at the University of Maryland and his BA in Journalism and Political Philosophy from Indiana University.
Contributions
Why Capitalists in Space Are Good for Americans’ Future
William Rinehart and Adam Thierer
“Discouraging private space exploration would be a step backwards and undo positive reforms that have made space more accessible and affordable.”
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Deep Dive Episode 174 – Legal Issues for Commercial Drones: Privacy, Property Rights, and Federalism
Experts debate the issues of privacy, property rights, and federalism that have been raised the proliferation of commercial drones.
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Regulating Big Tech: Lessons from the “Hall of Fallen Giants”
How can recent history inform current debates over “Big Tech” companies?
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Deep Dive Episode 154 – Tech Policy Under the Biden Administration and 117th Congress
How might the approach to regulation of the new presidential administration and Congress impact innovation and the tech industry?
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FCC’s O’Rielly on First Amendment & Fairness Doctrine Dangers
Neil Chilson and Adam Thierer
Governing the Internet: Plenty of people claim to favor freedom of expression, but increasingly the First Amendment has more fair-weather friends than die-hard defenders.
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Tech Roundup Episode 10 – Trump’s Executive Order on Online Censorship
What is the legislative and legal background of the recent Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship, how will it affect Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and what may be the unforeseen consequences of this move? These and other questions are addressed in this episode.
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Tech Roundup Episode 9 – COVID-19 and the Internet: A Conversation with Ajit Pai
In this episode, Ajit Pai joins Adam Theirer and Brent Skorup to discuss the principles driving the Federal Communications Commission in recent years, the “Keep Americans Connected” pledge, and how things have changed for the FCC in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tech Roundup Episode 7 – Driverless Cars and Artificial Intelligence
In this episode, Adam Thierer and Caleb Watney discuss the emerging questions surrounding the progress of driverless car technology and its regulation.
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Tech Roundup Episode 4 – The Future of Drone Policy: A Discussion with Sen. Mike Lee
In this episode, Adam Thierer and Brent Skorup speak with Senator Mike Lee on the current state of drone regulation. The senator speaks to his proposal for a cooperative, federal solution to regulatory holdup in drone technology innovation.
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Welcome to the New “Tech Roundup Podcast”
Adam Thierer
Looking to stay on top of breaking policy developments surrounding the world of emerging technology? The new “Tech Roundup Podcast” has you covered.
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Tech Roundup Episode 3 – The Download on California’s New Privacy Proposal
This podcast features a fascinating back-and-forth on the implications of new amendments to California’s privacy law, CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act).
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Tech Roundup Episode 2 – The Techlash: Big Tech and Antitrust
50 attorneys general have launched an investigation into Google for violations of antitrust law. Are they addressing real consumer harms? Is antitrust law the proper tool to address them? Adam Thierer, Geoffrey Manne, and Hal Singer debate.
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Reboot 2018 Fireside Chat: Disruption and Civil Disobedience
We used to praise disruptors who flagrantly challenged outdated regulations. But the boundary-pushing of some companies has left a bad taste. Has this chilled the willingness of the next wave of startups and investors to take the same kinds of risks? Has this made policymakers more willing to intervene early? What’s the best legal framework to approach disruptive technologies?
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Deep Dive Episode 12 – Can Government Regulation Keep Pace with Emerging Technology?
Greg McNeal (Pepperdine University) and Adam Thierer (Mercatus Center) discuss the law and policy frameworks impacting emerging technologies.
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