Rob Frieden, Academy and Emeritus Profess0r of Telecommunications and Law; rmf5@psu.edu; (814) 404-2717
Until July 2021, Rob Frieden held the Pioneers Chair and served as Professor of Telecommunications and Law at Penn State University. See Frieden Retirement. He was awarded Emeritus Professor status at retirement in 2021, and the new Academy Professor status, in 2023, recognizing continuing scholarship.
He taught courses in the law, regulation, management and technology of telecommunications and the Internet. As an Emeritus Professor, Rob remains active in both academic and applied endeavors. Rob provides consultancy services in a variety of areas including business development, forecasting, next generation networks, Internet commerce, cybersecurity, privacy, the Internet of Things, and regulatory reform. He has written four books, published over one hundred articles in academic journals and regularly handles queries from journalists.
For additional background, see my Penn State profiles: Bellisario College ; and Penn State Law
Here’s a link to my “long form” curriculum vitae: Frieden Nov 2023 CV and resume: Frieden Resume Nov. 2023.
Research and Service
TeleFrieden the Blog
I have created a provocative blog containing my thoughts and analyses of information communications, and entertainment (“ICE”) issues. See http://telefrieden.blogspot.com/. The blog will concentrate on important legal, regulatory, marketplace and cultural issues that warrant closer scrutiny particularly in light of the proliferation of “research” that supports a particular stakeholder’s viewpoint without having disclosed direct or indirect financial sponsorship.
Here’s an op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on growing risks from the weaponization of outer space: https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/guest-columns/2024/02/22/frieden-satellite-russian-space-warfare-nuclear/stories/202402280002. A more complete, academic paper on this subject is available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4628699.
Outreach
I prepared a “Friend of the Court” brief in the Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals consideration whether universal service funding constitutes an unlawful tax, and overreach by the Federal Communications Commission. See Universal Service Brief. The filing provides a helpful history of universal service funding and explains how Congress provided clear authority for the subsidy mechanism and reviewing courts, on several occasions, have approved.
I also served as the primary author of a brief filed in the Supreme Court’s consideration whether the Federal Communications Commission can lawfully relax regulations limiting further concentration of the broadcast marketplace. See Supreme Court Prometheus Brief
Here’s a recent op ed on the weaponization of inner space as exemplified by the Chinese surveillance balloon: Cleveland Plain Dealer Op Ed
For a Wall Street Journal piece on the shortage of electric vehicle changing stations, I provided background on how the number of cellular radio tower sites quickly increased: Why America Doesn’t Have Enough EV Charging Stations
Digital literary training; available at: Digital Literacy Basics
Works in Progress
Dangers From Regulatory Vacuums in Outer, Inner, and Near Space, Space Law and Paper
Recent Publications
How to Remedy Post-COVID Pandemic Setbacks in Bridging the Digital Divide, North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology, Volume 25, Issue 1: October 2023; https://ncjolt.org/articles/volume-25-articles/volume-25-issue-1/how-to-remedy-post-covid-19-pandemic-setbacks-in-bridging-the-digital-divide/
Remedies For Universal Service Funding Compassion Fatigue, 39 Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal 395 (2023); https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/chtlj/vol39/iss4/2
Recent Conference Presentations
Dangers From Regulatory Vacuums in Outer, Inner, and Near Space, A Presentation at the 52nd Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, (September 20, 2024); TPRC 2024 Space Presentation
Should Social Networks and Other Internet Platforms Curate the Content They Distribute?, A virtual Presentation to students at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden (October, 2023); Swedish Presentation Slides on Platforms 2023
How to Remedy Post Covid Pandemic Setbacks in Bridging the Digital Divide, A Presentation at the 51st Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, (September 22, 2023); TPRC 2023 USF Presentation
Rising Stress in Multilateral Space and Spectrum Resource Planning, A presentation at PTC’23, Honolulu, Hawaii (Jan. 18, 2023); PTC 2023 Presentation
Lessons from Facebook’s Recurring Violations of E.U. and U.S. Data Protection and Privacy Safeguards, A Virtual Presentation at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, October, 2022; BUPT Data Protection Presentation Oct, 2022
Why Has Multilateral Space and Spectrum Resource Management Become More Difficult?, A Presentation at the 50th Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, American University, Washington, D.C. (September 16, 2022); TPRC 2022 Slide Pack
Interconnection, Interoperability, and Universal Access to the Internet and Next Generation Networks, presented virtually to the Penn State Policy Innovation Lab of Tomorrow (2022); PSU Law 2022 IoT Presentation
Why Has Multilateral Space and Spectrum Resource Management Become More Difficult?, A Presentation at the 50th Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, American University, Washington, D.C., (September, 2022); TPRC 2022 Presentation
Remedies for Universal Service Funding Compassion Fatigue, A Federalist Society Webinar Presentation (July, 2022); Federalist Society Presentation July 2022
Interconnection, Interoperability, and Universal Access to the Internet and Next Generation Networks, A presentation to the Penn State Policy Innovation Lab of Tomorrow (March, 2022); PSU Law 2022 IoT Presentation
Digital Sovereignty and Weaponizing Radio Spectrum Management: The Risks and Rewards, A Work in Progress Presentation to Wilson Center Fellows (February 15, 2022); Wilson Center Work in Progress Presentation
Win, Lose and Draw: Outcomes and Lessons from the 2019 World Radio Conference, presented virtually at the 49th Annual Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy, American University, Washington, D.C. (2021); TPRC 2021 Slide Presentation
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: A Cost/Benefit Analysis, presented virtually at the University of Tennessee, College of Communication and Information (2021); Section 230 Presentation
There’s Probably a Blackout in Your Television Future: Tracking New Carriage Negotiation Strategies Between Video Content Programmers and Distributors, presented virtually at the 48th Annual Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy, American University, Washington, D.C. (2020); TPRC 2021 Blackouts Virtual Presentation
Challenges to the Conventional Wisdom About Mergers and Consumer Welfare in a Converging Internet Marketplace, presented virtually at the 48th Annual Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy, American University, Washington, D.C. (2020); TPRC 2021 Antitrust Virtual Presentation
Spectrum Planning at the ITU: A Brief Introduction, presented virtually at PTC’21, Honolulu, HI (2021); ITU Basics
Research on Improving Comprehensive Network Governance Ability under the Background of Digital Economy Development: Adapting Economic and Legal Models for Unicorn Digital Platform Intermediaries, A collaborative presentation for students and faculty, presented virtually at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2020); BUPT Nov. 2020 Presentation
WRC-19 and 5G Spectrum Planning, presented at the 47th Annual Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy, American University, Washington, D.C. (2019); TPRC 5G Presentation
An Introduction to Data Property Rights, presented at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (2019); BUPT June 2019 Data Protection Presentation
The Internet of Platforms and Two-Sided Markets: Implications for Competition and Consumers, presented at Internet Law Works-in-Progress, New York Law School, New York, N.Y. (2018); Internet Works in Progress Presentation March 2019
Sample of Courses Taught
International Telecommunications and Space Law
Telecommunications Law and Policy
Emerging Telecommunications and Information Processing Technologies
Honors or Awards for Scholarship or Professional Activity
Pacific Telecommunications Council, Honorary Individual Lifetime Membership (2023) (recognizing the value of a PTC Member, PTC staff, or volunteer who has provided exceptional service to the organization over a significant period of time – 25 years or more)
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Law and Policy Division, Best Faculty Paper at AEJMC 2020
Pacific Telecommunications Council, Meheroo Jussawalla Research Paper Prize (2017, 2008)
Penn State, College of Communications, Dean’s Excellence Award for Research (2016, 2012, 2004, 2000)
Academic Fellow, Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society (2015-16)
2014 ITERA Distinguished Research Award, Information and Telecommunications Education and Research Association
Top Three Faculty Paper, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Law and Policy Division (2013, 2009)
Top Three Faculty Paper, International Communications Association, Communications Law and Policy Division (2011, 2007)
Fulbright Specialist Program Registrant (2008-2009)(2021-2023); see http://www.cies.org/specialists/ProgramDescription.htm)
Winner, 1999 Cable Book Award, National Cable Television Center
Penn State, College of Communications, Alumni Society Excellence in Teaching Award (1995)
Who’s Who in America (various years)
Who’s Who in American Education (various years).
Who’s Who in American Law (various years)
Who’s Who in Communications and the Mass Media (various years)
Who’s Who in the World (various years)
Membership and Active Participation in Professional and Learned Societies
Appointed International Expert, at the Review College of the Research Foundation – Flanders Belgium (FWO)
Associate Editor, Telecommunications Policy (July, 2019-2023); Advisory Editor (July, 2023-present)
Faculty Associate, Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University (2015-2016)
Fellow, Columbia Institute for Tele-Information, Columbia University, School of Business (2012-present)
Pacific Telecommunications Council, elected to the Advisory Council (2005-2009); Program Committee (numerous years)
Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, Program Committee for the 29th, 30th, 34th, 35th and 36th Annual Conferences
Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, International Communications Studies Program (1999-2001)
Editorial Board, Info: the journal of policy regulation and strategy for telecommunications information and media (1998-present)
Editorial Board, Telecommunications Policy (1997-present)
Associate, Program on Information Resources Policy, Harvard University (1992-2011)
American Bar Association; Vice Chair, Communications Committee of the International Law Section (1992-1994)
Member Virginia, Supreme Court and 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Bars