The INFORMS Information Systems Society (ISS) is pleased to launch a new initiative: the ISS Spotlight Series. Unlike traditional research webinars, this series highlights the broader narratives, influence, and real-world impact of IS scholarship. Specifically, the ISS Spotlight Series aims to: (1) feature impactful research and the stories behind it from IS scholars; (2) showcase industry cases that bridge theory and practice; and (3) share innovative teaching experiences and educational resources within the IS community.
Each spotlight will be delivered in the form of either a webinar or a podcast. Through these sessions, scholars and practitioners will reflect on how ideas are developed, how research methods translate from academia into industry, policy, and practice, and how these insights, in turn, inform teaching and curriculum innovation. By bringing together these perspectives, the series seeks to foster deeper engagement within the IS community and to highlight the broader societal and practical relevance of the field.
We are delighted to announce that the inaugural speaker of the ISS Spotlight Series will be Dr. Anindya Ghose. He will discuss how academic research-including work by IS scholars-and widely adopted methodologies have influenced high-stakes antitrust and privacy litigation initiated by the U.S. government against major technology firms such as Google, Meta, and Apple.
Speaker: Dr. Anindya Ghose (Heinz Riehl Chair at the Stern School of Business at New York University; Department Editor for Management Science)
Time: 8:00–9:00 PM US Eastern Time, Monday, April 13
Title: How Academics Influence Economic Analyses in Global Antitrust Litigations
Abstract: This talk by Anindya Ghose of NYU Stern will discuss how academic papers (including by IS researchers) and commonly adopted research methodologies have influenced high stakes antitrust and privacy litigations launched by the US government against tech firms such as Google, Meta, and Apple. In the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) v. Google adTech case, the federal government mounted one of the most aggressive antitrust challenges to a technology company since the Microsoft case of the late 1990s, alleging that Google had monopolized the digital advertising technology stack. Anindya served as one of Google's testifying experts. His expert analysis provided a rigorous, empirically grounded framework for understanding competition in digital advertising markets, directly countering the government's theory of market dominance. Google prevailed on the critical advertiser-side antitrust claims against the DOJ, a result that validated the analytical rigor and persuasive force of expert testimony. In Federal Trade Commission (FTC) v. Meta, the FTC pursued a monopoly maintenance case, seeking to unwind Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Anindya served as one of Meta's testifying experts, tasked with dismantling the FTC's competition theories. His expert work in these cases drew directly on over a decade of peer-reviewed research in digital platforms, relying on academic research methodologies with a precision that proved decisive under the most intense legal scrutiny. Meta also defeated the FTC's antitrust claims in a historic win. Leveraging his ringside testifying experiences in these high-stakes global litigation matters, Anindya will dissect these landmark antitrust and privacy cases to showcase the impact academics can have. The talk will also include a discussion on potential antitrust trust issues emerging in the AI ecosystem.
If you plan to attend, please preregister using the following link (it takes less than one minute):
https://tulane.zoom.us/meeting/register/mXQhmSrwSzqmtuBHkikIUQ
You should receive a confirmation email with the Zoom login details immediately after registration. If you do not receive it, please check your junk or spam folder, or contact Dr. Ian Ho (ian.ho@tulane.edu).
We hope you will join us for this exciting new initiative.
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Jianqing Chen
Ashbel Smith Professor
Naveen Jindal School of Management
The University of Texas at Dallas
President, INFORMS Information Systems Society (ISS)
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