Defending US Technology Leadership From Nontariff Attacks

President Trump is pressing America’s trading partners to address unfair and unbalanced trade practices. But while the policy debate thus far has focused on questions surrounding tariffs and traditional nontariff barriers to trade, U.S. tech firms also face a growing proliferation of outright nontariff attacks—laws and regulations that are strategically calibrated to restrict their growth in foreign markets or extract profits from them.

As ITIF has documented in its Big Tech Policy Tracker, these nontariff attacks include discriminatory regulations, excessive fines, and complex compliance requirements, among others. They are often implemented in the name of “digital sovereignty” or consumer protection, but they function as protectionist measures that disproportionately target U.S. tech companies. What are the implications of this trend, and how should the Trump administration address it in the context of broader trade negotiations?

Watch ITIF’s Aegis Project for Defending U.S. Technology Leadership's webinar discussion featuring expert panelists as they examine the growing trend of nontariff attacks on American technology companies and exploring ways U.S. policymakers can respond.