The hottest Regulation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Everything I warned about in Taming Silicon Valley is rapidly becoming our reality

Marcus on AI • 7114 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. Tech companies are becoming very powerful and are often not regulated enough, which is a concern.
  2. People are worried about the risks of AI, like misinformation and bias, but governments seem too close to tech companies.
  3. It's important for citizens to speak up about how AI is used, as it could have serious negative effects on society.

Public Choice Links, 1/9/2026

In My Tribe • 258 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Basic goods and services like housing, healthcare, childcare, education, and electricity are getting less affordable even while the economy grows, and many argue the root causes are supply-restricting regulations and demand-boosting subsidies.
  2. Policies that subsidize consumers or providers can raise overall demand and costs, shift burdens to taxpayers, and create opportunities for fraud or misuse.
  3. Effective cooperation and lasting policy fixes depend on careful systems of monitoring and incentives rather than goodwill alone, but political realities — like tax rules that penalize rentals and powerful interest groups opposing liability reforms — make those fixes hard to implement.

Commodity Taxes

Points And Figures • 399 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
đź’° Finance Regulation
  1. Open prediction-market positions on December 31 can be treated like commodity contracts and must be marked to market, meaning you owe tax on any unrealized gains at year-end.
  2. Gains taxed under Section 1256 get a 60/40 split between capital gains and ordinary income, producing a blended rate often around 22%, and the tax is due even if the position later loses value.
  3. The 1986 tax reform closed a tax-sheltering loophole so losses after year-end can be carried forward, and consistency with commodity rules suggests prediction markets should follow the same tax treatment.

25 AI Predictions for 2025, from Marcus on AI

Marcus on AI • 8181 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. In 2025, we still won't have genius-level AI like 'artificial general intelligence,' despite ongoing hype. Many experts believe it is still a long way off.
  2. Profits from AI companies are likely to stay low or nonexistent. However, companies that make the hardware for AI, like chips, will continue to do well.
  3. Generative AI will keep having problems, like making mistakes and being inconsistent, which will hold back its reliability and wide usage.

How the Grift Works

The Crucial Years • 2531 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. The government is trying to make it harder to address climate change, claiming that greenhouse gases aren't dangerous anymore. This is similar to old tricks used by con artists, relying on speed and distractions.
  2. Despite the push to sell more fossil fuels to Europe, there's a lot of skepticism. Europe is moving towards renewable energy, and the U.S. can't possibly meet the unrealistic sales targets being set.
  3. Legal challenges are expected against the government's plans to ignore climate risks. Many people are aware that the science shows climate change is real, and they are ready to fight back.
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Jon Stewart is Right

a newsletter for infovores. • 132 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Economics usually models people as rational, self-interested agents and often prioritizes shareholder value, so it emphasizes market efficiency more than fairness or direct help for the poor.
  2. Behavioral nudges can move behavior a bit, but many problems—like healthcare or climate—need stronger interventions such as taxes, regulations, or system redesigns rather than only subtle nudges.
  3. Political feasibility and public sentiment matter a lot: an economically optimal policy can still fail if voters reject it, so persuading people and designing politically realistic solutions is essential.

This Week in Marketing: The New Age of Influencers vs. AI’s Irish Exit from Ads.

The Social Juice • 63 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Creator marketing is shifting — traditional influencers are losing ground while platforms and brands push subscriptions, gifting programs, and creator-first monetization. Brands will need better tracking and UGC management to prove real impact.
  2. AI is upending advertising and trust as companies struggle with moderation and harmful or hallucinated content; some firms are even dropping ads to protect credibility. Regulators and platforms are racing to limit or control AI-generated content and its monetization.
  3. The platform and ad ecosystem is being reshaped by major tech moves — Meta, Google, TikTok and others are rolling out new AI tools, ad products, and policy changes that shift attention and ad dollars. Marketers must adapt to new formats, measurement tools, and growing regulatory scrutiny.

Enablers

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 64 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
đź’° Finance Regulation
  1. Complex related‑party and off‑balance‑sheet transactions can make a company look profitable while the real losses are hidden elsewhere, masking its true financial health.
  2. Financial media and sell‑side analysts often accept surface answers because they rely on access and relationships, so they frequently fail to ask the follow‑up questions that would expose the substance behind the numbers.
  3. Retail investors end up paying the price for that selective incuriosity, so accounting, auditing, and journalism need more relentless, adversarial scrutiny — if the numbers are honest they will hold up, and if not investors will be harmed.

SEC Sues Consensys (Metamask) over Swap and Staking + Q&A

DeFi Education • 559 implied HN points • 29 Jun 24
đź”® Crypto Regulation
  1. The SEC has sued Consensys, which owns Metamask, over issues related to swapping and staking Ethereum. This means there are legal problems in the way these services operate.
  2. There seems to be a contradiction in the SEC's actions, as they recently approved an ETH spot ETF while also targeting staking services. This might confuse many in the crypto community.
  3. Some believe that the SEC's actions can actually help clarify regulations for decentralized finance (DeFi). It could discourage companies from trying to act like traditional middlemen in crypto.

I'll Take the Crypto Industry Seriously When Its Biggest Advocates Stop Saying "What Did You Expect?"

Freddie deBoer • 8384 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
đź”® Crypto Regulation
  1. The crypto industry has a problem with accepting responsibility for scams and fraud. Many people in the community brush off losses with a 'what did you expect?' attitude, which doesn't help their credibility.
  2. A serious industry should focus on cleaning up its image and ensuring accountability. If crypto enthusiasts want people to take their industry seriously, they need to demand better practices.
  3. If the crypto culture continues to mock victims of scams, it risks pushing more people towards stricter regulations. This could hurt the industry in the long run.

Infographics: How Liquidity Requirements Create Demand For Reserves/U.S. Treasuries

Concoda • 340 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
đź’° Finance Regulation
  1. Liquidity rules push big banks to hold safe, liquid assets like reserve balances and U.S. Treasuries, which creates steady demand for those assets.
  2. Large banks face intraday liquidity needs that force them to keep enough reserves available to settle payments and manage cash flows during the day.
  3. Visual diagrams help show how those intraday requirements link to central bank policy and Treasury demand, clarifying why reserves matter for markets.

5 Things To Know About "Prediction Markets" & Polymarket — The Official Sportsbook of Substack

JoeWrote • 74 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Prediction markets like Polymarket are essentially sportsbooks using a regulatory loophole, branding bets as "event derivatives" to avoid stricter gambling rules and oversight.
  2. These platforms can set their own rules, let insiders exploit pre-determined or already-known outcomes, and funnel users toward addictive sports betting, creating unfair and risky conditions for bettors.
  3. Market prices don’t reliably reflect true probabilities because professional oddsmakers, house incentives, and manipulation shape the lines, so these sites don’t actually deliver the impartial informational benefits they claim.

#50 - Why AI Won’t Magically Flip Your Bank’s Spend Pattern

OSS.fund Newsletter • 56 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
đź’° Finance Regulation
  1. AI won’t magically flip a bank’s spend from run to change because banks are tightly governed and face real costs like compliance, dual-run tax, and mandatory testing that prevent a quick switch. These constraints mean savings come slowly and require human-controlled policy and evidence gates.
  2. Treat modernization as a spectrum and manage it as a portfolio: Operate, Comply, Harden & Simplify, and Compete & Grow. Use a Good Bank/Bad Bank approach with a policy-driven bridge, deterministic routing, and continuous reconciliation so migrations are auditable, reversible, and lead to real decommissioning.
  3. Use AI as an assistant to cut toil, automate evidence, speed analysis, and help translate legacy code, but don’t give it authority to change policies or skip validation. Capture the realistic savings to fund simplification and growth, aiming for practical targets (for example ~50/50 over five years) rather than expecting an immediate 60/40 to 40/60 flip.

Confronting the Dangers of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care is Imperative

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 359 implied HN points • 17 Jul 24
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. AI in health care needs more rules to keep patients safe. Governments must step up to protect people from potential problems with these technologies.
  2. It's important to make AI decisions clear and understandable for patients. Patients should have the right to ask for a human to review any decision that affects their care.
  3. We need to ensure AI doesn't make health care inequality worse. AI programs should reflect diverse patient groups and focus on fairness, not just existing biases.

Top Links 957 The AI money machine. Against European self-denigration and a Louvre full of plan-relief.

Chartbook • 371 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. AI is presented as a powerful money machine that is reshaping where profits and investment flow.
  2. The piece pushes back against European self-denigration and urges Europeans not to underestimate their strengths and contributions.
  3. Economic analysis is paired with cultural and historical material, such as art and the Louvre, to broaden the conversation.

Labor Laundering

Doomberg • 6490 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Many electronic devices use cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where child labor is often involved in mining. This makes it hard for companies to claim their supply chains are free from issues.
  2. China plays a major role in the solar panel supply chain, often using polysilicon that comes from regions known for forced labor. This creates challenges in ensuring products are ethically sourced.
  3. The EU has introduced a law aimed at holding companies accountable for labor and environmental standards, but this could lead to conflicts, such as threats from Qatar to stop gas exports if they face penalties.

This Week in Marketing: Instagram Alerts, QuitGPT, Paramount-WBD deal, and Snap Awards

The Social Juice • 34 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Big social platforms are under pressure to protect kids and enforce age checks, leading to new safety features, fines, and delayed verification rollouts.
  2. AI is reshaping content, ads, and search at speed, but it’s also provoking user backlash, legal fights, and growing regulatory scrutiny.
  3. The creator economy and media landscape are shifting: user-generated content and creator tools are rising while big mergers and advertiser moves reshape where brands spend.

✨ Two cheers for the 'San Francisco Consensus' on AI

Faster, Please! • 456 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. The "San Francisco Consensus" is Silicon Valley’s maximalist, upbeat story that AI will produce huge progress and abundance.
  2. The author urges a dual approach: hope AI breaks history while planning as if it won’t, meaning be optimistic about big gains but still prepare for limited change.
  3. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt named this narrative, and it’s become a common view among pro-growth "Up Wingers" in the U.S. and around the world.

Europe's rigid labor markets are an economic death sentence

Economic Forces • 26 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. When it's hard to fire workers, companies treat employees like long‑lasting capital and are much more reluctant to hire, so labor supply can't adjust quickly.
  2. That rigidity makes uncertainty especially harmful: firms hold back hiring and investment during downturns because they can't easily unwind staff, which creates lasting scarring and reduces reallocation to more productive firms.
  3. The result is less economic dynamism and weaker growth, especially in risky, fast‑changing industries where firms need to experiment and scale quickly.

Food Safety News and Resources | March

The Rotten Apple • 21 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26
🍲 Food & Drink Regulation
  1. Several unusual and large recalls occurred: frozen grated coconut was recalled for confirmed Hepatitis A contamination, and U.S. producers expanded a recall to about 37 million pounds of frozen meals after glass was found in carrots.
  2. International risk guidance changed: the FAO/WHO panel recommends lowering the reference dose for gluten from 5 mg to 4 mg for risk assessments, while 'gluten-free' labeling remains defined as 20 mg/kg or less.
  3. Food safety threats and capacity concerns are rising: dietary PFAS—especially from freshwater fish, shellfish, eggs and milk—often exceed safety thresholds, and U.S. food agencies have lost many staff, which could weaken oversight and response.

Americans are ten times more likely to be fired than Germans

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 61 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Europe’s strict job protections, high severance costs, and long collective dismissal procedures make firing expensive, so companies avoid risky experiments that could require later layoffs.
  2. That incentive steers firms toward safe, incremental improvements, keeps startups small or drives them to relocate, and reduces ambitious acquisitions and radical innovation in Europe.
  3. Models like Danish flexicurity, Austria’s portable severance fund, and Switzerland’s looser rules show you can protect workers while lowering the cost of failure, meaning targeted reform could boost big, risky innovators without abandoning social safety nets.

A dying industry dies a bit more

Material World • 2647 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. The Wilton chemical plant that once thrived has become unsustainable due to factors like decreased oil supply and increased competition from Asia. It’s a sad story of change in the industry.
  2. The decline of the plant reflects a larger trend in the UK chemicals industry, highlighting how smaller job losses at various plants can go unnoticed compared to bigger closures like British Steel.
  3. As the UK loses its chemical production capacity, it becomes more reliant on imports, which could have serious implications for important products in everyday life.

The Press Is Beginning to Take Notice of How Health Insurers Are Raiding The Medicare Trust Fund

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 1019 implied HN points • 30 Apr 24
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. Health insurers are overcharging Medicare by about 22%, costing taxpayers a lot more than if seniors received care directly from traditional Medicare.
  2. Recent reports highlight how private Medicare Advantage plans have historically not saved money and often result in higher overall costs for the program.
  3. The media is beginning to spotlight the negative impacts of Medicare Advantage, leading to more scrutiny and awareness about how these plans operate.

UnitedHealth CEO Sold $5.6 Million in Shares the Same Day as Ransomware Attack

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 639 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. The CEO of UnitedHealth sold $5.6 million in shares on the same day as a major ransomware attack. This raised concerns about insider trading and ethical behavior.
  2. The ransomware attack cost UnitedHealth around $1.6 billion and affected many health services across the U.S., showing the serious consequences of poor cybersecurity.
  3. Executives sold large amounts of stock before important negative news became public, leading to calls for government investigations into their actions.

Humanity’s “Oh shit!” AI moment?

Marcus on AI • 6639 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. AI systems can say one thing and do another, which makes them unreliable. It’s important not to trust their words too blindly.
  2. The increasing power of AI could lead to significant risks, especially if misused by bad actors. We might see more cybercrime driven by these technologies soon.
  3. Delaying regulation on AI increases the risks we face. There is a growing need for rules to keep these powerful tools in check.

Top Links 953 The fiscal politics of gambling. Sanctions are biting. Ubuntu and the "Table of Drops".

Chartbook • 357 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Regulation
  1. US states have dramatically increased revenue from sports betting, with takings roughly quintupled; that boom is reshaping state budgets and the politics around gambling.
  2. Economic sanctions are starting to have real, tangible effects; they are biting and changing the leverage and dynamics in international relations.
  3. Ubuntu and the "Table of Drops" are highlighted as notable topics, pointing to a focus on communal or procedural ideas worth closer attention.

Hard-forked! Casey Newton’s distorted portrait of Gary Marcus and AI skepticism

Marcus on AI • 6679 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. We need to prepare for AI to become more dangerous than it is now. Even if some experts think its progress might slow, it's important to have safety measures in place just in case.
  2. AI doesn't always perform as promised and can be unreliable or harmful. It's already causing issues like misinformation and bias, which means we should be cautious about its use.
  3. AI skepticism is a valid and important perspective. It's fair for people to question the role of AI in society and to discuss how it can be better managed.

URGENT: Poll, reader thread, and podcast discussion today on what the ouster of Vinay Prasad means for the FDA and the future of medical reform in the United States

Unreported Truths • 24 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. The U.S. spends about $5 trillion a year on healthcare but still has poor outcomes, which has helped fuel the grassroots MAHA movement focused on personal responsibility and questioning the medical establishment.
  2. Political answers are unclear: Democrats mostly push more government-funded coverage that could raise costs, while Republicans lack a unified reform plan and many policymakers are tied to industry interests.
  3. The ouster of Vinay Prasad from the FDA feels like a pivotal setback for aggressive medical reform, suggesting big pharma influence remains strong as promised changes to drug advertising and other reforms stall.

Open Thread 388

Astral Codex Ten • 2477 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🚌 Education Regulation
  1. The Alpha School received mixed reviews, with some people sharing positive experiences while others had negative ones, often discussing issues related to admissions and tuition costs.
  2. There's a discussion about whether schools could shorten their curriculum to just two hours a day and still be effective, which raises questions about the current school system's structure.
  3. A reader is seeking professionals with FDA regulatory experience to provide feedback on a new tool for life science labs. This shows there's a need for better solutions in regulatory documentation.

Crypto Market Update

DeFi Education • 1039 implied HN points • 26 Apr 24
đź”® Crypto Regulation
  1. Crypto Twitter sentiment doesn't really affect the market directly. It's important to look beyond social media to understand the real market trends.
  2. Understanding where we are in the market cycle can help in making better investment decisions. It's helpful to break down complex ideas for clearer insights.
  3. Being aware of the overall market sentiment is crucial, but it shouldn't be the only factor when thinking about crypto investments. A well-rounded perspective is key.

226 | Herb fraud shock | Data exchange in traceability |

The Rotten Apple • 73 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Regulation
  1. Herbal products showed alarmingly high rates of mislabelling and adulteration, with some popular botanicals often replaced or diluted and many samples containing undeclared species.
  2. The choice of test matters: ITS2 metabarcoding found far more hidden ingredients and fungal contamination (including potential mycotoxin producers) than conventional DNA barcoding, revealing bigger safety risks.
  3. Traceability and supply-chain controls must be tightened — FSMA requires passing specific Key Data Elements at each handoff, industry is standardising on GS1/EDI methods, and small supplier maintenance failures (like frayed cables shedding copper) can cause massive, cross-border recalls so incoming packaging must be inspected and suppliers managed closely.

Meta seeks to hide harms from teens

Platformer • 2476 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Regulation
  1. Meta announced new measures to protect users under 18 from harmful content on its platforms.
  2. There is a growing focus on child safety in social media regulations, shifting from speech-related issues.
  3. Lawmakers and social networks need to find common ground to make real progress in improving teen mental health.

Brex’s exit isn’t a failure

Alex's Personal Blog • 164 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Brex's sale to Capital One for about $5.15 billion should be seen as a success, not a failure. Despite earlier frothy valuations, the company turned more than a billion of investor capital into a multi‑billion dollar exit.
  2. OpenAI is growing rapidly and is financially healthy; it added over $1 billion in ARR in a month and still has large cash reserves and access to new funding. That makes the 'running out of money' narrative unlikely in the near term.
  3. The tech landscape is mixed: regulators are signaling tougher scrutiny of big-company acquisitions and layoffs continue at major firms, even as self‑driving services expand into new cities. Growth and dealmaking will therefore occur under greater pressure and oversight.

Eric Adams’ Cryptocurrency Made No Sense. That Was the Point.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 190 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
đź”® Crypto Regulation
  1. Eric Adams launched a meme coin after leaving office and said its proceeds would fight anti-Americanism and antisemitism and teach kids about crypto, but he never explained how the token would actually deliver those goals.
  2. Hours after launch, anonymous transactions withdrew $2.5 million and then $1.5 million was oddly added back, a pattern that looks like a classic rug pull and left it unclear who profited.
  3. This episode matches a wider pattern where celebrity meme coins are opaque, often designed to confuse buyers and enrich creators, and can leave ordinary investors with big losses.

Public Choice Links, 12/11/2025

In My Tribe • 334 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Regulation
  1. Having many veto points makes it easy for projects to be blocked and reduces building. Eliminating even one veto point can meaningfully increase development and deliver more affordable housing.
  2. Rent control tends to help a lucky few but shrinks the overall housing supply and doesn’t make housing more affordable for society as a whole. Policies that restrict supply while subsidizing demand push prices up.
  3. EU institutions and incentives reward making laws, so bureaucrats and politicians are pushed to produce lots of regulation regardless of social costs. That creates agenda control, opaque deal‑making, and weak accountability, pointing to fixes like unanimity rules, sunset clauses, cost‑benefit tests, and greater transparency.

Long Take: Will BlackRock, Fidelity, Bitwise or GBTC win the Bitcoin ETF launch?

The Fintech Blueprint • 2181 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
đź’° Finance Regulation
  1. Recent approval of 11 Bitcoin ETFs by the SEC reflects growing acceptance of cryptocurrency among younger demographics.
  2. Bitcoin ETFs integrate crypto assets into traditional financial infrastructure, appealing to high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors.
  3. ETFs enable easier access to crypto assets through traditional sales channels and contribute to financial adoption of the crypto asset class.

Failures of Capitalism: Manufactured Needs and Planned Obsolescence

Erik Examines • 268 implied HN points • 30 Dec 25
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Companies often try to create desires through emotional marketing so people buy things they don’t really need, rather than just responding to clear, practical demands.
  2. Many products are built to wear out quickly or be hard to repair, and businesses use tactics like vendor lock‑in and expensive spare parts to keep customers spending.
  3. Individual shoppers can’t easily fix these incentives, so society needs rules—like warranties and limits on harmful advertising—to push companies toward more durable, honest products.

Are We at War with Grocery Stores Now?

Economic Forces • 10 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26
đź’Ľ Business Regulation
  1. Blaming grocery stores for post‑pandemic inflation misunderstands prices: higher prices together with higher profit margins point to broad demand increases (like monetary or fiscal stimulus), not just supply‑side cost gouging.
  2. Store entry and exit decisions hinge on large, sunk costs and the option value of waiting, so policies that raise operating or exit costs (stricter regulation, eminent domain threats, or tolerance of shoplifting) make marginal stores more likely to close and deter new entrants.
  3. Replacing market pricing with publicly run stores or price controls ignores the information‑and‑coordination role of prices and often worsens outcomes: taxpayers may subsidize lower sticker prices while overall costs, inefficiencies, and access problems rise.

Chartbook 399: Columbia University, the Trump administration and "ad hoc governance": Iterations of the "Unstate".

Chartbook • 1688 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. Columbia University's deal with the Trump administration shows a new way of governing through specific agreements, which raises concerns about fairness and legality.
  2. This kind of deal-making in governance is different from traditional regulation and could undermine the independence of universities and the law.
  3. The idea of governance being shaped by ad hoc deals reflects a bigger trend in how power operates today, impacting not just education but society as a whole.

American Express, the Roach Motel

Life Since the Baby Boom • 1844 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation
  1. It's often tricky to cancel subscriptions online, as companies make it complicated. People should be able to cancel with the same ease as they sign up.
  2. Companies like American Express can be difficult about cancellation, sometimes requiring phone calls. This can feel frustrating and unnecessary.
  3. Government agencies are working to make it easier for people to cancel subscriptions and accounts. Filing a complaint can help put pressure on companies to change their policies.