Research Analysis
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To Protect Privacy Rights on the Internet, Common Law Needs a Reboot
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Since 1986, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which prohibits unauthorized access to a computer, has been the primary legal proscription against hacking and computer fraud. However, several recent cases surrounding social media and publicly accessible information underscore new concerns around private companies and their violations of the data privacy…
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Are We Better Off with Less Social Media? Evidence Says Yes
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Whether social media is good or bad for us remains a widely contested topic. Research shows that the same social media networks that can increase voter turnout can also leave us feeling lonely and depressed. So how do we really know if social media’s benefits justify its costs? The results of…
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Why Pandemics Don’t Always Increase Food Insecurity
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Basic economic theory says that public health lockdowns, such as the ones being imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, are likely to raise food prices and aggravate food insecurities in vulnerable communities. The resulting decline in market activity and the interruption of supply chains are expected to decrease household income —…
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How Changes in SNAP Policy Can Increase Domestic Violence
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What happens when a welfare program shifts from distributing benefits on the first of the month to a staggered schedule? Research shows that while this change can reduce theft and allow families to minimize food scarcity at the end of the month, there is risk of a dangerous unintended consequence:…
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Impacts of Local Ownership of Vacant Land on Crime
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Demographic and economic trends like suburbanization, deindustrialization, white flight, and foreclosures have resulted in an increase in vacant properties in cities like Chicago. High vacancy rates pose many challenges for cities and residents, including decreasing tax revenues and real estate values, while simultaneously increasing costs to the city and, potentially,…
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The Racial Wealth Gap and Recovering from Income Shocks
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The racial wealth gap in the United States is a legacy of nefarious actions and policies such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, and redlining. Based on data from the Survey of Consumer Finances in 2016, the median white family had a net worth of $188,200, nearly eight times that of…
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Why Are Mexican Political Candidates Getting Killed?
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The 2018 elections were not only the largest in Mexico’s history, but also the most violent. From September 2017 to June 2018, 48 political candidates were killed during their campaigns. Was this violence politically motivated? A consequence of the criminal activity of the drug cartels? Was it a combination of…
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Drunk Drivers: Beware the Economists
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Every year, traffic accidents cause 50 million injuries and 1.35 million deaths globally. A staggering 90% of these deaths happen in developing countries. Though it is difficult to isolate accidents caused by drunk driving, they are estimated to represent 30% of all accidents. In countries like India with high frequencies…
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Cleaner Electric Grid Key to Effective Electrification of Transportation
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Global efforts to mitigate climate change rely on strategies that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations Environment Programme has assessed that global emissions must drop by 7.6% annually from 2020 through 2030 to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal of limiting temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above…
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Microgrids Require Macro Investment
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The energy landscape is rapidly changing in response to concerns over resilience, climate change, and energy independence. Several cities around the world have pledged to become partially or completely carbon-free over the next couple of decades. But how does a city reach this goal? Municipalities often enter contracts with utilities…
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Risks of In-Person Voting During COVID-19
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When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency on March 13, the country was in the middle of primary election season. As states franticly adjusted plans for voting, Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court overruled Governor Tony Evers’ executive order to reschedule the election, just one day before the election was…