The Information Economy

Faculty Campaign Contributions Reveal a Homogeneous Academic Marketplace of Ideas

In new research for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, David M. Primo uses campaign contribution data to show that professors at leading universities are more politically active than the average American and skew heavily to the left politically, raising concerns about the diversity of perspectives on college campuses.    

The EPA’s EJScreen Shows How Data Transparency Can Enable Civil Society

In new research, Grace Fan, Trung Nguyen, and Xi Wu show how improvements in government data transparency and disclosure through the public rollout of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool enabled civil society to identify and hold polluters responsible and improve overall environmental justice.

Online Markets for Loans are Punishing Borrowers for Shopping     

Digital marketplaces make comparing credit lending options easier for potential borrowers. However, Jeromee "JJ" Johnson cautions that online platforms may be turning comparison itself into a signal to lenders—at a cost to applicants.

Large Donors’ Networks Matter More Than Their Dollar Contributions

In new research, Marco Battaglini, Valerio Leone Sciabolazza, Mengwei Lin and Eleonora Patacchini study how the deaths of large donors change candidates’ electoral results and congressional activity in a new measure of donors’ influence in American politics.

Can AI Catch Cartels Across Borders?

In new research, Yoan Hermstrüwer and David Imhof analyze how AI can help antitrust authorities predict cartels by assessing international bidding data in countries with similar legal and market structures.

How Race Shapes Americans’ Views of Fairness and Trade

In new research, Daniel Lobo and Ryan Brutger theorize that American concepts of fairness are shaped by race and lived experiences. In a national survey experiment, they confirm that white and Black Americans view differently what constitutes “fair” trade policy.

The Warner Bros. Discovery Bidding War Shows Antitrust Enforcement Still Works

Antitrust agencies were right to suspect that Netflix’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery would have harmed consumers, content creators, and rival streaming platforms. They needed the consumer welfare standard to show how, writes Sean D. Reyes.

Mass Shootings Do Not Change How US Politicians Vote on Gun Policy

In new research, Jack Kappelman and Haotian Chen investigate how mass violence impacts legislative voting on firearm-related bills. They conclude that on average, state...

What 150 Years of the Telephone Teaches Us About Regulating Digital Communications

On the 150th anniversary of the first telephone call, John Haigh, Nancy Rose, and Jonathan Sallet reflect on lessons from the history of telecommunications...

When Governments Stop Publishing Notices in Newspapers, Does Anyone Notice?

In new research providing the first systematic evidence on public notices, Kimberlyn Munevar, Anya Nakhmurina, and Delphine Samuels examine how Florida's 2023 law allowing local governments to stop publishing public notices in newspapers has affected citizen engagement in local governance.

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