The Future of Work: Deciphering DOL’s Latest Rule on Employment Classification
Building on a public consultation held in 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized a new rule addressing whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Recognizing the impact on our community, ACT | The App Association has been engaged in advocacy on this issue for some time. Now that the rule is finalized, we’re recapping how we got here and what our members can expect moving forward. Background The [...]
AI Regulation in focus: balancing innovation and governance in the EU and UK
With global governments in a race to regulate, policymakers in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) are considering various approaches to rules around artificial intelligence (AI). Last year, we outlined a flexible, thoughtful approach to AI policy and governance that considers the latest data privacy security laws as well as the pros, cons, and challenges of AI in our Global AI Principles, and we hope to see those considered as policymakers debate the rules around AI. As these [...]
ACT | The App Association statement in support of the bipartisan Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act
“We applaud Senators Warner and Blackburn for introducing the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act, which can better position standards development organizations and standards participants for success. A strong, yet nimble approach to technical standards development is a foundational imperative for ACT | The App Association’s members as they create tomorrow’s innovations. Nurturing open and global participation in standardization activities, especially when hosted in the United States, can address shared technical challenges while advancing American technology leadership. This legislation [...]
ACT | The App Association statement from founder Mike Sax regarding the EU Parliament plenary vote on the EU SEP Regulation
Statement from Mike Sax, founder and chairperson of ACT | The App Association, on today’s European Parliament plenary vote regarding the Regulation addressing standard-essential patent (SEPs) licensing: ‘The App Association welcomes the overwhelming vote by the European Parliament (EP) plenary to improve transparency and predictability in the system for licensing standard-essential patents (SEPs). ‘Today’s vote is especially encouraging to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been unable to get the FRAND licenses they need to use standards in their [...]
Survey Says: AI and IP are Essential to Innovation
For ACT | The App Association’s small business members, generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has become an incredible tool to reduce the time and cost of bringing technologies to market. While some might think of large companies like OpenAI as the ultimate authority on public-facing GAI models, App Association members have been both creators and users of this technology for decades. Despite new GAI applications bringing excitement to various industries, the use cases alleging significant intellectual property (IP) concerns surrounding GAI [...]
Small Business Innovation and Job Creation Hang in the Balance – Will the World Trade Organization Extend the Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions?
A foundational international agreement, in place since 1998, that has enabled micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) around the world to grow and compete in the digital economy is currently facing expiration. Its renewal during the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) 13th Ministerial Conference taking place in Abu Dhabi next week (February 26-29) is a must for MSMEs to equitably and efficiently bring their innovations to new markets. MSMEs are the driving force behind innovation across countless consumer and enterprise use [...]