The George Mason University Law & Economics Center and the Program on Economics & Privacy (PEP) hosted the Workshop for Attorneys General and Regulators on the Economics of Information, Advertising, and Privacy at George Mason University’s Arlington, Virginia campus on Thursday, May 31 and Friday June 1, 2018.

Today’s vibrant internet economy is increasingly driven by the collection and use of consumer data. While the tech sector has provided tremendous benefits to consumers, the unintended consequences of data sharing can raise concerns, as evidenced by the recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica controversy. Naturally, policy discussions are focused on how best to protect consumers from harmful uses of their data without stifling innovation and economic growth.

This two-day program offered a combination of classroom-style lectures and panel discussions. On day one, leading experts lectured on the fundamental economic principles underlying the use of information and the regulation of commercial data flows. On day two, attendees took part in PEP’s 6th Annual Symposium on the Law & Economics of Privacy and Data Security. This year’s symposium explored topics such as algorithmic fairness, the impact of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the United States, and competition policy in the tech industry.