Policy & Regulation
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Right to Repair Gains Ground on Three Fronts as State Laws Multiply, EPA Backs Farmers, and Congress Stalls on Military Equipment
Seven U.S. states now enforce consumer electronics right-to-repair laws, the EPA has clarified that farmers can fix their own diesel equipment, and defense contractors blocked military repair provisions from the 2026 defense bill.
FDA Pursues Most Sweeping Food Chemical Safety Overhaul in Decades as GRAS Reform, Dye Phase-Out, and PFAS Limits Converge
The FDA is simultaneously overhauling its GRAS ingredient notification system, phasing out petroleum-based food dyes by year-end, and confronting PFAS contamination in produce, marking the broadest transformation of US food chemical regulation since the 1958 Food Additives Amendment.
Accessibility Technology Converges on AI, Wearables, and Regulation as ADA and EAA Deadlines Loom
A convergence of AI-powered assistive tools, smart wearable devices, and looming regulatory deadlines in the US and EU is reshaping the accessibility technology landscape in 2026.
FCC Votes March 26 to Dismantle Copper Retirement Barriers as AT&T Prepares to Shut Down 30 Percent of Its Wire Centers by 2029
The FCC will vote on March 26 to eliminate Section 214 and Section 251 barriers that slow copper network retirement, potentially freeing billions in carrier capital for fiber and wireless broadband.
Buy Now, Pay Later Faces Its Regulatory Reckoning as UK Finalizes Rules and New York Proposes Nation's First Licensing Regime
The UK's FCA will enforce full oversight of BNPL products from July 15, while New York has proposed the first comprehensive state licensing framework — filling a gap left by the CFPB's withdrawal of federal consumer protections.
2026 Farm Bill Offers 90 Percent Subsidies for Precision Agriculture as Critics Warn of Big Tech Entrenchment in American Farming
The 2026 Farm Bill would subsidize 90 percent of precision agriculture adoption costs and let the tech industry set standards, drawing criticism over corporate control of farming.
SEC and CFTC Issue Joint Crypto Taxonomy, Classifying 16 Tokens as Digital Commodities in Landmark Regulatory Shift
U.S. regulators end a decade of ambiguity by jointly defining five crypto asset categories, explicitly naming Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana as commodities — not securities.
U.S. Army Nears Dark Eagle Fielding but Pentagon Testers Say Data Is Insufficient to Verify Combat Effectiveness
The Army says its first hypersonic missile battery is weeks from full fielding, yet the Pentagon's testing office warns it lacks the data to assess whether the weapon actually works in combat.
Bipartisan Bill Seeks Warrant Requirements for Section 702 Searches as FISA Surveillance Authority Nears April Expiration
Senators Lee and Wyden introduce the Government Surveillance Reform Act to close warrantless search loopholes and ban government data broker purchases, with Section 702 set to expire on April 20, 2026.
EU Council Backs Delayed AI Act Enforcement as Civil Society Warns of Regulatory Retreat
The EU Council agreed to delay high-risk AI system rules to late 2027 and 2028, adding a deepfake ban while drawing civil society warnings of deregulation disguised as simplification.
EU Antitrust Chief Declares the 'Entire AI Stack' Under Investigation as Brussels Targets Nvidia, Meta, and Google Simultaneously
Teresa Ribera signals the EU will examine every layer of AI infrastructure for competition distortions, from chips to cloud to models.
FTC Relaxes COPPA Enforcement on Age Verification as April Deadline Looms for the Biggest Overhaul of Children's Privacy Rules in a Decade
The FTC will not enforce COPPA against companies collecting children's data solely for age verification, even as sweeping new rules on biometrics, data retention, and parental consent take effect April 22.