Alan McQuinn

Policymakers should encourage financial innovation by using regulatory processes and approaches that promote flexible oversight, including stakeholder engagement, coordination, experimentation, alternative supervision, and regtech.

Growing animus toward “Big Tech” companies and generalized opposition to technological innovation engenders support for policies that are expressly designed to inhibit it. That is deeply problematic for future progress, prosperity, and competitiveness.

ITIF has provided comments with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its implementation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

A national framework for digital economy rules would ensure the same protections for all U.S. residents, minimize transaction costs for businesses, enable opportunities to innovate, and increase efficiency in the policymaking process.

ITIF has provided comments with the U.S. State Department regarding its draft guidance for the export of surveillance technology.

ITIF has filed comments with the Federal Aviation Administration regarding its draft policy changes for testing of supersonic aircraft.

Federal legislation mirroring key provisions of privacy laws in Europe or California could cost the U.S. economy about $122 billion per year.

ITIF has filed comments with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, regarding its draft policy changes towards transborder data flows.

While there is a lot of misinformation circling about the Libra system, the goals of an open, general-purpose financial system are admirable. Policymakers should support these systems, whether they are facilitated by tech companies like Facebook, cryptocurrency businesses, banks, or any other organization.

Policymakers can and should do more to support blockchain innovation and adoption, such as ensuring regulations are targeted and flexible, so as to encourage blockchain experimentation.

Shouldn’t there be a law to make internet companies pay us for all the data they collect? It’s one of those appealing-at-first ideas that is gaining traction — echoed most recently by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called for a “data dividend” in his first State of the State address. But as Daniel Castro and Alan McQuinn write for the Sacramento Bee, the answer is no.

ITIF has filed comments with the California Attorney General regarding its preliminary rulemaking process for the California Consumer Privacy Act. ITIF argues the Attorney General should clarify its rules to minimize their burden on innovation.

Watch the panel discussion on what the NQIA got right, where there is room for improvement, and what policymakers should do next.

From flying taxis to hypersonic and suborbital flights, civil aviation companies are studying frontiers that were once reserved for science fiction. But, realizing the next wave of aviation innovation will require both the public and private sector to work together. Join ITIF for an expert panel discussion on the future of the U.S. aerospace industry and the polices needed to protect the safety of the national aerospace system without inhibiting innovation.

Alan McQuinn spoke on a panel on supersonic flight at the “Of Rockets and Robotics: The Regulation of Emerging Aerial Technology” event hosted by the Cato Institute. The event explored the market and policy barriers to the return of supersonic flight in the United States.

In a new report, ITIF evaluates nearly 300 of the most popular federal websites, ranks them across a variety of metrics including performance, security, design, and makes recommendations for how the federal government can improve. Join ITIF for a presentation of the report’s findings as well as a panel discussion on how the new administration can improve the federal digital services.

Please join ITIF for the release of a new report that will provide an overview of the innovations in financial technology, their impact on consumers and businesses, and the principles that should guide policymakers as they seek to encourage continued innovation in this sector. Following a presentation of the report, a panel of experts will discuss specific policy priorities and opportunities that Congress and the administration should consider to increase innovation in financial services that will better serve consumers, businesses, and investors.