Meta Takes its Texas Rodeo Global
Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a bill that would require app stores to verify the age of their users and require parental consent for users under 18 to download apps. Among the bill’s top supporters, if the fact that it bankrolled a wildly expensive lobbying campaign is anything to go by, is Facebook and Instagram operator Meta. At first glance, it may seem odd that Meta would be so supportive of bills that will [...]
Driving Smarter Policy: European SMEs Tell Policymakers What They Need
Startups, scaleups, and small and medium-sized tech enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Europe’s economy and innovation ecosystem. They drive growth, competitiveness, and create jobs, acting as key drivers of progress and playing a vital role in making Europe more resilient, dynamic, and competitive. But often, Europe’s regulatory environment fails to match the ambition and agility of these businesses, resulting in a difficult environment for them to scale and grow.On 24 June, our Developed: Brussels event brought together EU [...]
EU vs. United States Small Tech vs. DMA Rent Seekers
Yesterday’s deadline for an expected announcement around U.S- European Union (EU) trade negotiations has come and gone, but given that the expected product will be a high-level framework, regardless of what it says, Uncle Sam faces a stark choice as negotiations continue: push back in earnest on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) or let it cripple small tech’s prospects. The good news is that the President is taking a strong stance against Brazil’s “continued attacks on Digital Trade activities [...]
ACT | The App Association Secures Research & Development Tax Deduction for Small Tech
WASHINGTON – ACT | The App Association celebrates the permanent restoration of full tax deductibility for domestic research and development expenses, an invaluable investment incentive for small tech companies. “This is a huge win by small tech for small tech. The App Association and our members succeeded where others had failed,” said Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association. “We are proud to see all our work come to fruition. Small tech companies are the leading edge [...]
Industry Workshop: A Fair Standard-Essential Patent Licensing Process for a Thriving Indian Economy
This May, to address the rapid development of India’s standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing landscape, ACT | The App Association hosted a timely event titled “A Fair Standard-Essential Patent Licensing Process for a Thriving Economy,” in collaboration with Jindal Initiative on Research in IP and Competition (JIRICO) at O.P. Jindal Global University and knowledge partners, Saikrishna and Associates. Hosted at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi, India, the event underscored the increasing importance of SEPs and invited stakeholders and government [...]
Always Be Filing: ACT | The App Association Filing Activity for June 2025
Throughout the year, our policy team submits filings with government bodies worldwide to advocate for a regulatory environment that inspires and rewards innovation. From issues around regulating artificial intelligence to digital trade, our team is ACTive on a wide range of topics that could have a positive or negative impact on our small business members driving the app economy. Below is a roundup of our filings from around the globe this past month. Title: CADE Investigation of Ericsson for [...]