Emerging technologies need regulatory reform, experts say

If the United States wants to lead the next technological revolutions, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman and others said at the Freedom to Connect conference here, the right leaders are needed to establish the proper incentives, along with smart regulations. Now is the time for regulatory reform, they said at the two-day conference about the emerging Internet economy. The recent collapse of the financial sector has seriously challenged the Chicago economic school of thought, which advocates for minimal government intervention in the market, giving policymakers a rare opportunity to institute regulations that favor consumers over business interests, said Chris Savage, an attorney for Davis Wright Tremaine who specializes in Internet and telecommunications.