Small Biz Shouldn’t Worry Too Much About the Glimmer of Hope for FTC’s UMC Warpath
Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received one court’s implicit blessing to overreach on antitrust. The plaintiff had challenged the FTC’s authority to write rules under its antitrust (unfair methods of competition or “UMC”) authority and, against the odds, the judge declined to grant a preliminary injunction. Fortunately, however, this FTC victory is about as pyrrhic as they come. Earlier this month, a different court in Texas had enjoined the same rulemaking. And just five days before that, the [...]
European Accessibility Act: What Do Developers Need to Know?
In today’s interconnected world, digital accessibility is more important than ever. At ACT | The App Association, we and our small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) member companies believe that all technology users deserve a fully accessible software experience and, ultimately, way of life. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) was designed to ensure this inclusivity, setting new standards for digital products and services. Ahead of the EAA becoming effective in 2025, this blog outlines how the EAA is helping to ensure [...]
Event Recap: The Need to Protect Americans’ Privacy and the AI Accelerant
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation took its latest privacy steps with a July 11 hearing, “The Need to Protect Americans’ Privacy and the AI Accelerant.” Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association, testified alongside Dr. Ryan Calo, professor at the University of Washington School of Law and co-director of UW Tech Policy Lab; Amba Kak, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute; and Udbhav Tiwari, director of global product policy at Mozilla. The witnesses [...]
Copyright and AI Basics: A Software Perspective
The increasing ubiquity of artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced uncertainties around the copyright protection of software developed through both open- and closed-source models. For small business software developers, like ACT | The App Association members, who both deploy and use AI, these uncertainties disproportionately harm the ability to create competitive products across markets. The first blog in our “Copyright and AI Basics” series is designed to provide a foundational understanding of the copyright implications of using and deploying public-facing generative [...]
Decoding SEP Licensing: AI, IoT, and the Future of Precision Agriculture
In the heart of a modern farm, drones buzz over vast fields, sensors embedded in the soil relay real-time data, and AI-driven insights guide decisions from planting to harvest. This is the era of precision agriculture, where technology meets tradition to create a more efficient, sustainable, and productive farming landscape. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), farmers are transforming their operations, optimising resources, and reducing environmental impact. A critical aspect of this transformation is technology [...]
Statement from ACT President Morgan Reed on Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness Act (Senate Version)
WASHINGTON – ACT | The App Association today released the following statement from president Morgan Reed after Senators Chris Coons, Todd Young, John Hickenlooper, and Deb Fischer introduced the Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness (EPIC) Act on July 9, 2024. “As small businesses in the app economy, ACT | The App Association’s members have a comparative advantage in agility over their larger counterparts. They are leading the way in developing, adapting, and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) tools across virtually [...]