Category: Regulation and Deregulation of Industry

Seeking the ‘Right’ Customers, an Insurer Is Accused of Discrimination

Erie Insurance defends its practice of telling agents to use subjective factors when judging a potential customer. Maryland regulators say the company sought to exclude Black and Hispanic people.
Eyedrops From Major Brands May Cause Infection, F.D.A. Says

Target, CVS and Rite Aid are pulling products from shelves after federal investigators found unsanitary conditions and recommended a recall.
Inside Google’s Plan to Stop Apple From Getting Serious About Search

Google has worried for years that Apple would one day expand its internet search technology, and has been working on ways to prevent that from happening.
The Multimillion Dollar Machines at the Center of the U.S.-China Rivalry

The United States is taking unusual action to clamp down on sales of chip-making machinery to China, even as Chinese firms are racing to stockpile the equipment.
F.C.C. Moves Toward Restoring Net Neutrality Rules, Igniting Regulatory Fight

The regulations, which would bar broadband providers from blocking or slowing down services like Google and Netflix, were repealed during the Trump administration.
Stanford Is Ranking Major A.I. Models on Transparency

Stanford researchers have ranked 10 major A.I. models on how openly they operate.
California’s Ban on Red Food Dye Puts FDA on the Spot

The dye was banned in cosmetics after a study suggested it might be a carcinogen. Yet federal regulations still permit its use in foods, stoking concerns that helped build support for the new state law.
FDA Moves to Ban Sale of Vuse Menthol Vapes

R.J. Reynolds menthol e-cigarettes are top sellers with an estimated $1.6 billion in annual sales. The company vowed to fight the ruling in court.
The Upshot of Microsoft’s Activision Deal: Big Tech Can Get Even Bigger

With the completion of the blockbuster acquisition, the notion that tech giants can grow through “vertical transactions” remains intact.
How Microsoft Turned the Tide in Its Regulatory Fight Over Activision

The company found a way to placate three of the most powerful regulatory bodies in the world, along with a federal judge in San Francisco.
‘Xbox Wins?’ Gamers Cautiously Celebrate Microsoft Activision Deal

They could save money if Activision’s titles are added to Xbox Game Pass, a monthly subscription service. But some are reserving judgment.
Microsoft Closes $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Deal

The megadeal could strengthen Microsoft’s standing in the video game industry, after a year and a half of negotiations with regulators around the world.