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 [...]
ACT | The App Association statement from president Morgan Reed on FTC suit against Amazon
Today, ACT | The App Association released a statement from president Morgan Reed on the FTC action against Amazon: “Today’s announcement is another attempt by the FTC to reshape innovation by challenging the value of digital marketplaces for small businesses. “The smallest companies, including our members, benefit the most from today’s digital marketplaces. By taking advantage of bundled services offered through online marketplaces such as reduced overhead costs, immediate global distribution, and most importantly, a fast track to consumer trust, [...]
FSAs and HSAs Miss Opportunities to Help Americans
Do you have a guess when menstrual products were first categorized as allowable expenses for health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs)? Although FSAs were first introduced in the Revenue Act of 1978, and the forerunner to HSAs became part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, menstrual products were not an allowable medical expense until the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) in 2020! This mind-boggling oversight is one [...]