A Crucial Hearing You May Have Missed: Protecting U.S. Innovators and Small Businesses from Patent Licensing Abuses
While you may have missed it, a vital hearing on issues at the core of small business innovation took place in the final days of the 118th Congress that will shape key legislative objectives starting in 2025. On December 18, 2024, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet convened to explore the role of standard-essential patents (SEPs) in the strategic competition between the United States and China. By highlighting the manipulation of SEP licensing by [...]
Policymakers Should Pass a Federal Privacy Law to Protect Women’s Health Data
In December 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a doctor in New York for mailing abortion medication to a pregnant woman in Texas. While the doctor is protected under New York’s shield law, which shields healthcare providers who prescribe and mail abortion medications to patients located in states with severe abortion restrictions, the case underscores the risks women and their providers face in the wake of an overturned Roe v. Wade. These risks are amplified by the widespread [...]
What the UK’s New AI Strategy Means for Innovators
On 13 January 2025, the United Kingdom unveiled its long-awaited AI Opportunities Action Plan, marking a significant step in shaping the country’s future with artificial intelligence (AI). With £14 billion in private sector commitments and transformative ambitions spanning public and private sectors, this plan represents a major shift in how the UK approaches artificial intelligence and could create substantial opportunities for the UK’s small businesses and independent developers. What is in the plan? At its core, the UK’s AI [...]
A Scroll Down Memory Lane: December 2024’s Member Mondays
ACT | The App Association’s members are at the forefront of innovation, leveraging technology to create meaningful solutions that drive positive change. Each month, we spotlight these trailblazing small businesses through our Member Monday series. In December, we closed out the year by reflecting on the incredible impact our members have made across major regions and industries. From cybersecurity to workforce development and digital transformation, these innovators continue to push boundaries and drive meaningful change in the global app economy. [...]
2025 Global Policy Passport
Members of ACT | The App Association are innovative small businesses and independent developers driving change in the global app economy. From artificial intelligence and digital trade to connected health and decentralized technologies, our members build the tools and services that power today’s digital world. Just as a passport enables global movement, thoughtful policies open doors for small businesses to innovate, create jobs, and connect with communities worldwide. To sustain this progress, government policies must encourage innovation and growth rather [...]
Event Recap: UK Parliament Member Drop-In Day
On 4 December 2024, ACT | The App Association members took their innovative products to the UK Houses of Parliament for our inaugural UK Member Drop-In Day. This event marked a significant step in amplifying our members' voices, ensuring that their businesses and innovations are at the forefront of UK policymakers’ discussions. Below is a recap of our exciting day of small business activation and advocacy. Drop-In Day Highlights Over the course of two hours, we packed as many [...]