Law Commons^™

Network Neutrality Between False Positives And False Negatives: Introducing A European Approach To American Broadband Markets, Jasper P. Sluijs

Federal Communications Law Journal

Network neutrality has become a contentious issue both in Europe and the United States. Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic face digital divides in their society, and are confronted with potentially conflicting policy goals-to incentivize private investment in next-generation broadband while maintaining "neutral" and competitive broadband networks.

This Article compares nascent American and European network neutrality policy in terms of regulatory error costs. Emerging markets, such as broadband, are more likely to be affected by regulatory errors, and these errors have graver consequences in emerging markets than in regular markets. U.S. telecommunications policy traditionally has advanced a trial-and-error approach …

Commercial Speech In The Law Of The European Union: Lessons For The United States?, J. Steven Rich

Federal Communications Law Journal

Both the United States and the countries that comprise the European Union have previously imposed limits on tobacco advertising. These restrictions prevent tobacco companies from advertising on broadcast television. Recently, the European Union adopted a new proposal that would expand restrictions by phasing out press and billboard advertisements, and prohibiting tobacco company sponsorship of sporting events. It seems certain that advertising interests in Europe will challenge the new proposal as a violation of freedom of expression. An analysis of the European Convention on Human Rights reveals that these challenges should ultimately succeed since the restriction on commercial speech is more …