From Ideas to IPOs: Potential Changes for Startups in a New Merger Landscape
Startup entrepreneurs generally view acquisitions by larger firms as a quick route to success and seek them out. These acquisitions have propelled the U.S. economy and benefited consumers by merging groundbreaking products with the resources of established companies. While current U.S. government guidelines and filing requirements for mergers already pose challenges to small businesses, some recent changes have been proposed that, unless significantly improved, would create a whole host of problems for our small business members. Earlier this fall, members [...]
Issue Brief: Why App Developers Care about FTC v. Amazon
Overview. You might be wondering, hasn’t the FTC already sued Amazon a few times in the past couple years? Yes, but this latest case is the most anticipated because it seeks to punish Amazon for its size through antitrust—rather than consumer protection—claims. If you’ve read recent headlines, you might also get the misimpression that the FTC is arguing that Amazon is price-gouging consumers like some sellers did in the early stages of the pandemic. That’s also not really what the [...]
The European Union’s proposal for a transparent, fair, and reliable standard-essential patent landscape
On 27 April 2023, the European Commission, backed by the European Parliament and Council, unveiled the EU SEP Regulation, a new proposal on standard-essential patents (SEPs). As long-time advocates for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the SEPs space, ACT | The App Association is excited to see the EC and Member States supporting a transparent, reliable, and balanced landscape for the EU economy on SEP licensing issues in this new regulation. Making SEPs FRANDly Technical standards for areas such [...]
Understanding the UK Online Safety Bill: An Update
Earlier this year, we updated you on the UK Online Safety Bill (OSB) and outlined a series of concerns, including an alarming threat to encryption. Since then, the OSB was passed by Parliament, and is now ready to become law. Here’s everything you need to know about what was included in the final version of the bill and what to expect during its implementation process. What is included in the final bill? "As developers, there is a paramount significance of [...]
Event Recap – Empathy Engine: Understanding Accessibility Tech and the Policies Impacting It
The accessibility tech space is booming with innovative solutions that transform users’ lives. But with policymakers from both sides of the aisle having shifted their targets for new regulation to tech-driven sectors, accessibility is unlikely to be an exception. This fireside chat exploredexciting accessibility tech tools and took a deep dive into potential bills and regulations that can help or hinder accessibility-driven tech solutions. During this event, attendees had the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of presenters to [...]
Event Recap – Beyond ChatGPT: How Experts Use Generative AI
In the past year, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated business leaders, consumers, and policymakers alike. And while AI has been around for decades, with app makers using it for a wide range of purposes, generative AI’s recent strides into consumer consciousness have brought more scrutiny to these technologies. Many ACT | The App Association members work with cutting edge technologies like AI and are excited about the prospect of generative AI’s applications when it comes to their [...]