HS 434 FBF – The Monopoly Telecom Industry with Susan Crawford

Today’s Flash Back Friday comes from Episode 159, originally published in July 2013.

Susan Crawford is the Professor at the Cardozo School of Law, former Special Assistant for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy to President Obama, columnist for Bloomberg View, former Board Member of ICANN, and founder of OneWebDay. She is also the author of, “Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age.”

Crawford believes the telecom industry now has a monopoly. American are paying much more for Internet access yet getting much less. Other countries are beating America in this space.

Crawford helps answer whether the FCC will ever enforce free wifi for anyone in the US.

In 2009, Crawford served as special assistant to President Obama for science, technology, and innovation policy. She is a former law partner at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale). She is the founder of OneWeb Day, a global Earth Day for the Internet held each Sept. 22. In January 2013, Yale University Press published her book, “Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age.” She earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, and a law degree from Yale University.

Speaking of the FCC, its Chairman position is open, and there is a chance that Crawford ends up on the hot seat.