The hottest Regulation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Death, and rebirth, of virtual reality

SuperJoost Playlist • 456 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Apple is changing the vocabulary around virtual reality to set itself apart from competitors like Meta.
  2. Regulators are updating policies on children's online privacy in response to the growing popularity of interactive entertainment.
  3. Significant job cuts are happening in big tech companies like Unity and Twitch, affecting the game development industry.

Food Safety News and Resources | January

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🍲 Food & Drink Regulation
  1. Several unusual and serious recalls are happening right now, including a global infant formula recall for the heat‑stable cereulide toxin that has sickened infants, a sea moss gel pulled over possible botulism risk, and frozen beef patties recalled for E. coli O157:H7.
  2. Surveillance and policy are evolving: French monitoring found low STEC prevalence in beef, and the UK/EU have updated shelf‑life guidance to help keep ready‑to‑eat foods safe from Listeria throughout their shelf life.
  3. Food safety risks are both microbial and chemical, with rare outbreaks like Salmonella from raw oysters and extreme lead contamination found in some spices, highlighting the need for strong supplier controls, proper pH/temperature records, and correct cooking or handling.

"Great features, not products," leveraging found productivity, and the era where we can no longer believe our eyes.

Implications, by Scott Belsky • 648 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Focus on creating great features, not just products, in the startup ecosystem.
  2. Consider how excess productivity from AI can be used in entertainment, philosophy, and creative projects.
  3. The rise of AI will shift jobs to industries less impacted by AI, emphasizing qualitative skills and the importance of imagination and creativity.

Things I wish the left got about economics

Philosophy bear • 801 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. The left should focus on offering positive solutions to economic problems, rather than just criticizing the existing system. Proposals need to be practical and beneficial in real life.
  2. Understanding key economic concepts, like public goods and externalities, is crucial. This knowledge helps in crafting effective policies and regulations.
  3. It's important to recognize that regulations aren't free solutions and need thoughtful design and expertise. A well-organized government can make these regulations work better for society.

⏩🎇 Awaiting the AI acceleration: A Quick Q&A with … researchers Anson Ho and Andrei Potlogea

Faster, Please! • 274 implied HN points • 07 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Many believe we are not investing enough in AI because there's a lot of uncertainty about its benefits. People are unsure how AI will impact jobs and the economy.
  2. Investors are cautious about putting money into AI because they don't know how to profit from it or if regulations might get in the way. This fear makes them hesitant to make big investments.
  3. Some economists underestimate AI's potential by comparing it to past technologies. They think AI won't bring as much change, but it could actually affect more areas and grow faster than we expect.
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Generative AI: What Happened, Where It's Going 2023-2024

Rod’s Blog • 416 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Generative AI is rapidly advancing and has a wide range of applications from enhancing creativity to solving real-world problems.
  2. In 2023, Generative AI saw explosive growth, with a significant number of organizations implementing it in various business functions.
  3. Expected trends in 2024 for Generative AI include more advanced language models, more creative applications, and increased focus on ethical and responsible considerations.

Issue #145: Nubank Secures US Charter Green Light, PicPay's IPO Breaks Brazil's Four-Year Drought, And Mastercard’s Agentic Payments Move in Australia

Fintech Radar • 14 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
💰 Finance Regulation
  1. Nubank got conditional OCC approval to form a US national bank and is building hubs in Miami, San Francisco, Northern Virginia, and the Research Triangle, signaling a fast start to US expansion. Regulators appear to be streamlining the charter process, making US entry easier for big neobanks.
  2. PicPay priced its Nasdaq IPO at the top of the range with heavy oversubscription, breaking a four-year drought of Brazilian companies listing in New York. The deal shows investors now favor fintechs that combine growth with profitability, reopening the IPO window for LatAm players.
  3. Mastercard completed authenticated agentic transactions in Australia, letting AI agents buy on users’ behalf but requiring biometric approval, which moves agentic commerce from concept to production. This makes payments networks a key trust and authentication layer if AI-driven shopping scales.

wind and rain and sun and data

Dan Davies - "Back of Mind" • 334 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Supply and demand for electricity become more unpredictable with an increasing proportion of wind and solar energy
  2. The profit motive drives the application of information processing power and bandwidth to solve energy planning problems
  3. Market trading and the profit motive are ways to match the variety of the energy problem with the regulatory system

How utilities and big oil broke the economic model of offshore wind

Jérôme à Paris • 1069 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Regulation
  1. Offshore wind is struggling right now because many companies are trying to sell their projects but are facing lower prices and high costs. Competition has dropped as big companies pushed out smaller players.
  2. Big utilities tried to regain control of the market through lobbying and moving into new areas, but this led to financial misjudgments and a bubble that has now burst, causing many to exit offshore wind.
  3. Despite the current challenges, offshore wind can still be a viable energy source especially in Europe, as countries look to create fair competition and avoid barriers that exclude smaller developers.

OpenAI is aligned (for now) but do ChatGPT ads threaten that?

Market Curve • 28 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Putting ads inside a conversational AI creates a conflict between being genuinely helpful and making money, and that pressure can push the assistant to favor sponsored recommendations over unbiased guidance, which erodes trust and undermines alignment goals.
  2. Huge economic pressures — big operating losses, the need to monetize free users, and IPO/shareholder incentives — make ads and in-chat commerce a likely path, so the service will optimize for growth and revenue rather than purely for user well‑being.
  3. Ads in chat are especially risky because people ask sensitive, personal questions there, and ad-driven recommendations plus agentic commerce can harm vulnerable users and amplify broader economic harms like job displacement and increased consumerism.

AI Steals the Show at WEF 2024

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 319 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. AI was the main topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos, showing how important it is becoming. Everyone talked about how we need to adopt AI quickly and talk about its effects.
  2. Education and retraining workers are key issues with AI's rise. Many discussions focused on how people can learn new skills to keep up with the changing job market.
  3. In India, only 26% of the workforce is exposed to AI, much lower than in advanced economies. This means there's a lot of room for growth in using AI in local jobs and industries.

What if tanker crew deaths are intolerable?

Gordian Knot News • 783 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Regulation
  1. When building ships, having clear rules helps keep everything running smoothly. If everyone knows the guidelines, they can work together to create quality ships on time.
  2. Bringing in third parties like the Ocean Safety Directorate can disrupt the process. Their focus on preventing accidents leads to extra paperwork and slowed productivity.
  3. If the rules are too strict or unclear, it can result in delays and lower quality. Maintaining a balance between safety and efficiency is key to successful shipbuilding.

Tokenomics Primer Part 1

DeFi Education • 1179 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Tokens are really important in the crypto world, acting as a way to raise money and attract users. Unlike stocks, tokens can be essential to the product itself.
  2. Good tokenomics is all about connecting the token's value to the success of the underlying project. If the project doesn't do well, the token's value can drop a lot.
  3. Demand for tokens can come from real use or from things the project does to create demand, like buybacks. It's important for projects to find the right balance to keep their tokens valuable.

Elon Musks Degradation Engine

GOOD INTERNET • 37 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. A mainstream platform added a nudify feature that let an AI undress and sexualize people’s photos at scale, producing thousands of nonconsensual sexual images — including of minors.
  2. Turning sexual imagination into an automated publishing tool industrializes the male gaze, creating a constant swarm-like pressure that degrades women’s dignity and harms identity formation, especially for teenage girls.
  3. Enabling and monetizing this tool shows a disregard for privacy and dignity, and has provoked regulatory backlash, legal risks, and calls for bans or stronger enforcement.

Why I don’t think neoliberalism is over

America in Crisis • 79 implied HN points • 10 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Neoliberalism post-1980 may not be defined by changes in regulation, but rather by tax policy, specifically tax cuts on high income individuals.
  2. The focus on shareholder primacy in economic culture has led to high executive compensation, stock buybacks, and low enterprise premium since Reaganomics, shaping the kind of capital growth favored in the economy.
  3. The decline in worker power, rise of inequality, and other neoliberal characteristics are tied to tax policies and economic culture, indicating that neoliberalism is still ongoing despite claims of its end.

First half of 2023: 7 big health insurers pulled in $683 billion in revenues – largely through taxpayer-supported programs and the pharmacy supply chain

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 619 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. In the first half of 2023, seven major health insurance companies made over $683 billion in revenue, mainly from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. This shows a lot of reliance on taxpayer-supported programs.
  2. Despite these huge profits, Wall Street is not satisfied with the health insurers. Investors believe the companies are not raising premiums enough to keep up with demand for healthcare after pandemic delays.
  3. To please investors, these insurers may increase premiums for customers and limit coverage for medical care. This trend highlights the struggle between corporate profit motives and patient care.

the planning trap: when more means less

Brain Pizza • 331 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Sometimes, trying to plan too much can actually lead to fewer good outcomes. Less can be more when it comes to effective planning.
  2. Smart regulations can help improve housing systems that are not working well. Finding simple solutions might be the key to fixing these complex problems.
  3. Looking at local housing issues can reveal lessons that apply everywhere. Solving problems in one area can help others too.

What can Colorado learn from Oregon about psilocybin?: 5 Questions for Healing Advocacy Fund’s Colorado director Tasia Poinsatte

The Microdose • 275 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. Colorado's psilocybin program is expected to be fully operational by early 2025.
  2. Oregon's program highlighted the importance of allowing licensed professionals to participate in psilocybin services.
  3. Colorado is considering a tiered licensing model and enhanced training requirements for safe facilitation in their psilocybin program.

✨ Central planning in the Age of AI: A Quick Q&A with … economist and regulation expert Lynne Kiesling

Faster, Please! • 1005 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Central planning has often failed in the past, but some people still find it appealing. It suggests that government control can better manage resources compared to free markets.
  2. Knowledge and data are different. Personal experience and understanding shape our knowledge, while data is just numbers generated from actions, like purchases.
  3. Markets are important because they turn personal knowledge into useful data. Through buying and selling, individual choices help coordinate production and drive innovation.

Some Regulatory Certainty

Points And Figures • 612 implied HN points • 28 Feb 25
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. The SEC has decided that crypto memecoins are not considered securities, giving the industry more regulatory clarity. This is a positive change compared to the confusion that existed before.
  2. While crypto hasn't become essential for everyone's daily life yet, there are potential future uses, like tokenizing assets or using stablecoins for easier international payments.
  3. Regulation can sometimes create unfair advantages for big companies and stifle competition. It's important to be aware of these effects while also ensuring that people aren't misled by things like memecoins.

Last Week in AI #252: DeepMind's real-world robots, NYT sues OpenAI, Baidu's Ernie bot hits 100M users, AI art generator controversy, and more! 🤖📰🚀🎨

Last Week in AI • 377 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. DeepMind is developing robots for real-world tasks like multitasking in different environments.
  2. The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for allegedly using its work to train AI without permission.
  3. Baidu's Ernie bot has over 100 million users, and is primarily used in Chinese but also supports English.

What Your Tokens Really Mean

DeFi Education • 839 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. The SEC is actively pursuing major crypto exchanges like Binance and Coinbase for selling what they consider unregistered securities. This shows they are serious about regulating the crypto market.
  2. Crypto tokens represent programmed code and their value is determined by market demand, unlike stocks and bonds which are backed by legal agreements. This can lead to confusion about what people are actually buying.
  3. People often misunderstand the real meaning of tokens, especially in times of market volatility. It's important to know that tokens can have different purposes and values, not all tied to money.

Coinbase v. SEC: Will the COIN Shorts Win?

DeFi Education • 959 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Coinbase is fighting back against the SEC, arguing that the digital assets they trade aren't securities. They believe the legal tests applied to these cases might not even fit.
  2. The SEC has raised concerns about Coinbase's business practices, particularly regarding staking services and crypto wallets. Coinbase argues that these services are more like IT support than investments.
  3. If Coinbase's legal arguments are successful, it could change how the government regulates crypto. This could provide much-needed clarity in the industry and potentially protect users and businesses.

The Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried

DeFi Education • 519 implied HN points • 09 Oct 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Sam Bankman-Fried's trial is focusing on accusations of fraud that led to big losses for FTX customers. It's important to pay attention to how the trial unfolds, especially the testimonies from key witnesses.
  2. People often trusted centralized exchanges like FTX instead of managing their own crypto safely. Understanding cognitive biases can help investors avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
  3. Investing in crypto without learning about it can lead to serious losses. Gaining knowledge and understanding the technology is key to making smart investments and avoiding scams.

Five Software M&A Observations for 2024

Next Big Teng • 314 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💼 Business Regulation
  1. Software M&A activity in 2024 is starting strong with notable deals happening early in the year.
  2. Financial sponsor-backed take-private deals are common, but the multiples are beginning to decrease.
  3. Regulatory scrutiny is impacting M&A activity, with implications for buyers and sellers alike.

⚡️ When Jimmy Carter proposed his own DOGE

Faster, Please! • 731 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Jimmy Carter's administration pushed for deregulation in industries like airlines and trucking to boost the economy. The goal was to make it easier for businesses to operate and compete.
  2. The Energy Mobilization Board was proposed to speed up energy project approvals, but it faced backlash from environmentalists and various interest groups. They were concerned it could weaken environmental protections.
  3. Carter's ideas for energy reform highlighted a struggle between meeting energy needs and protecting the environment. Ultimately, the board was rejected, showcasing the challenges of balancing these competing interests.

Q3 2023 In Review

DeFi Education • 519 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Crypto markets seem to be feeling a bit too excited right now, which some are calling an 'echo bubble'.
  2. Stronger performance in crypto might not happen until the monetary policy becomes more relaxed.
  3. Big changes and developments in the crypto world occurred in Q3, setting the stage for future predictions.

🤔 Is Sam Altman is being ... tricksy?

Faster, Please! • 2102 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. The OpenAI boss is downplaying the potential impact of human-level AI in the future.
  2. There is a debate on whether achieving artificial general intelligence would be a significant advancement or not.
  3. Sam Altman views AGI as an evolutionary development rather than a revolutionary one, comparing it to the progress of the iPhone.

US government bailout of Silicon Valley and banks is $300B gift to rich oligarchs

Geopolitical Economy Report • 518 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. The US government printed $300 billion in a week to bail out Silicon Valley and banks, ensuring all uninsured deposits were paid, benefitting wealthy oligarchs and venture capital firms.
  2. Silicon Valley Bank, while portrayed as supporting start-ups, actually catered mostly to venture capitalists and had risky practices, ultimately requiring a massive bailout.
  3. The Federal Reserve's $300 billion bailout exposed a double standard: the rich get bailed out while the government resists increased regulation that could prevent future crises, showing a system of privilege for the elite.

Japan Gets Options. China Gets the Wall.

Pekingnology • 49 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Regulation
  1. Japan forced Apple to open iOS to alternative app stores, alternative payments, and external purchase links, but Apple implements these changes with safety guardrails and says it won’t roll them out everywhere.
  2. China still faces Apple's strict App Store controls and high commissions, and rising antitrust suits and consumer complaints challenge that status quo while bespoke deals like Tencent’s 15% cut highlight uneven flexibility.
  3. Global enforcement and court rulings are shifting the center of gravity toward more choice without abandoning security, and China could push for simpler steps like allowing steering and regulated alternative payments rather than full distribution changes.

Dispatches from Denver: Day 4 at Psychedelic Science 2023

The Microdose • 511 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Regulation
  1. Attendees at the Psychedelic Science conference were surprised by the diverse perspectives and energy surrounding the use of psychedelics for mental health treatment and personal growth.
  2. Discussions at the conference highlighted the importance of patents in the development and innovation of psychedelic drugs, while also emphasizing the need for fair patent practices.
  3. Indigenous voices expressed feelings of marginalization and concerns about being excluded from conversations and decision-making in the psychedelic community.

🏗️ Permitting ourselves to build: A Quick Q&A with … energy policy expert James Coleman

Faster, Please! • 639 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Building infrastructure in America has become very slow and difficult mainly due to environmental regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act. These rules, which were made to protect the environment, now often delay important projects for years.
  2. Many energy projects are stuck in regulatory and court processes, making it hard to shift to cleaner energy sources. Reforming these regulations could help speed up the development of clean energy initiatives.
  3. Judicial reviews and the ability of courts to issue injunctions often hold up projects unnecessarily. There needs to be a limit on how long these reviews can take to encourage investment in new infrastructure.

Stablecoin Wildcat-Bank Roulette: The Genius Act Gambles with America’s Money

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 292 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
💰 Finance Regulation
  1. Congress is considering allowing companies to create their own currencies through stablecoins, which could lead to financial chaos like what happened in the past.
  2. There are concerns that regulators may struggle to manage the many stablecoins that could flood the market, posing a risk to the economy.
  3. Instead of issuing more currencies, a better approach might be to adopt practices from the European Union to focus on reducing fees and helping consumers without overloading regulators.

Reverse Engineering Crypto's Pain Points

DeFi Education • 659 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Crypto faces a big problem with not having enough users. Many people find it really complex to use, which makes them give up before they even start.
  2. There's also the issue of not having enough attractive things to do with crypto. Many projects don't solve real problems, leading to confusion for new users about what to do with it.
  3. Finally, scalability and regulation are major hurdles. Current blockchain networks have trouble handling lots of users without high fees, and regulations are changing, creating a lot of uncertainty.

Fending off the Regulatory Barrage

DeFi Education • 559 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🔮 Crypto Regulation
  1. Grayscale recently won a court case that could lead to the approval of a Bitcoin ETF. This is important because it could help investors get better prices for their Bitcoin investments.
  2. A court ruled that Uniswap, a decentralized exchange, is not responsible for scams involving tokens traded on its platform. This is good news for developers in the DeFi space, as it shows they can’t be held liable for the actions of others.
  3. The SEC has confirmed that some NFTs can be considered securities, as seen in a case where a company settled for not registering its NFT offering. This emphasizes that just because something is digital doesn't mean it escapes regulation.

Stuffing the Coffers

The Dollar Endgame • 279 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
💰 Finance Regulation
  1. Regulatory changes post-2008 require banks to hold more US Treasuries. However, banks are running out of space and time.
  2. The Fed made an exemption of Treasury bonds from the Supplementary Leverage Ratio (SLR) to boost lending and stabilize markets during the COVID-19 crisis.
  3. The SLR calculates a bank's solvency by dividing Tier 1 Capital against assets. Adjustments during crises help banks manage potential losses better.