The “gig economy” has unlocked a wave of economic value in recent years. The direct impact of independent workers on the economy is almost $1 trillion, or 5% of GDP. Now, this extremely flexible segment of the economy is more important than ever in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, even the healthcare industry…
Publications
Millions of America’s smallest businesses have been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. They’ve seen revenue evaporate and have been forced to lay off millions of workers. Over two million small businesses had simply disappeared by June 2020. The U.S. economy now finds itself in a deep hole, with millions of small businesses gone for…
CAN A NEW DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION RECONSTRUCT DIGITAL TRADE POLICY WITH EUROPE FROM THE ASHES OF TTIP? As the global leader in digital trade, the United States has a big stake in ensuring that international rules facilitating its continued expansion are put in place. The Obama Administration’s bold agenda to establish these rules across Europe and…
Press
Fears about the novel coronavirus, the economic meltdown, and prolonged self-isolation are taking an emotional toll on Americans. Calls to the federal mental health crisis hotline are 900 percent greater than this time last year. In normal times, one in five American adults deals with mental health issues. Anxiety is the most common mental disorder; 6.8 million people in the…
Even before impeachment gained momentum, Americans overwhelmingly agreed that our country is “on the wrong track” and disapproved of the performance of the president and Congress. That’s largely because, even on issues where there is broad public agreement, the legislative and executive branches have been unable to find sensible solutions. Exhibit A is an issue…
For Immediate Release (3/6/19) WASHINGTON - "Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congressman Mike Doyle (PA-14) today unveiled a bill that will only continue to delay real action on net neutrality. Congress last passed significant legislation on our communications networks in 1996 and this new proposed bill is a continuation of the DC game of rhetoric…
Blog
A broadband connection has become an essential lifeline, especially during COVID for our shuttered offices, schools, places of worship, and retail stores. For many, a digital connection has become the safest and most timely way to seek medical attention, continue education, assist customers, and check-in with friends and loved ones. 95% of American homes have…
The failure of the app intended to collect results from the Democratic caucuses in Iowa wasn’t the best advertisement for the App Economy. But we have to remember that apps play a central role in the economy. As part of a global project measuring the size of the App Economy, we estimated the U.S. App…
The Canadian App Economy is strong both in terms of app exports and compared to its industrialized peers. The Canadian App Economy has 262,000 App Economy workers as of November 2018, according to a recently released report by the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI). App Economy workers are those that develop, maintain, or support mobile applications.…
