Innovation Files Blog

Twenty-one states have enacted privacy laws with provisions similar to the SECURE Data Act. This bill is a clear bipartisan attempt at meaningful data privacy legislation.

As AI capabilities continue to advance, some people have begun raising concerns about the long-term implications for the tax base. But this concern is likely overstated. Policymakers should refrain from changing the tax base on the assumption that labor income will decline.

Philadelphia’s proposed $1 rideshare tax attempts to address school funding shortfalls. The city should reject narrowly targeted taxes on app-based services and instead pursue broader, more neutral revenue mechanisms such as property or income taxes.

EU regulations, many have cost European businesses about $176 billion annually, equivalent to almost 1 percent of the bloc’s GDP, and this cost doesn’t include the lost innovation and forgone growth that may have occurred if those rules were not in place.

A New Mexico ruling against Meta highlights how the growing patchwork of state digital regulations could fragment the U.S. internet by forcing companies to restrict or withdraw online services in certain states, underscoring the need for Congress to establish a unified federal digital policy framework.

China has overtaken the United States in R&D investment for the first time amid slowing U.S. R&D growth. Without stronger policy action, America risks falling further behind.

Cyberattacks are rising across state and local governments, and the blog recommends that all states adopt coordinated strategies, clear standards, and stronger cyber capabilities to close security gaps and improve resilience.

In 2024, researchers and scientists in China were responsible for developing more than 1,250 new drugs, more than the EU and just slightly less than the United States, which developed 1,440. In total, China developed 30 percent of the world's new innovative drugs.

Organized retail crime is increasingly exploiting e-commerce platforms, and while companies like Amazon and eBay are investing in detection and transparency, governments must strengthen law enforcement and coordination to effectively combat these organized criminal networks.

An increasing share of U.S. doctoral degrees are awarded in STEM fields, and many of these graduates pursue positions that depend heavily on federal research funding. Yet the Trump administration has proposed significant cuts to key science agencies in its FY 2027 budget request.