Posts
Bitcoin Model Policies
Through my work as a consumer advocate, both as the deputy director of the Consumer Choice Center and a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, I’ve contributed to various model policies that can be enacted at a state-level in the United States to help advance Bitcoin. Working with state lawmakers, policy organizations, and fellow passionate…
Bitcoin’s Fight for Freedom: U.S. Regulations, Court Battles, and the Future of Financial Privacy
In this episode, Nik Bhatia speaks with Yaël Ossowski of Consumer Choice Center and Bitcoin Policy Institute to explore the intersection of Bitcoin and U.S. banking laws. They dive into how regulations like the Bank Secrecy Act have shaped Bitcoin’s evolution, the impact of financial surveillance on privacy, and the growing issue of debanking for…
Carrboro’s flimsy climate lawsuit against Duke Energy
Driving past Lake Norman over Thanksgiving weekend, I was once again struck by the fact that this body of water helps power millions of homes across the region and in the state of North Carolina. Using water from the lake to feed the towering condensers, the two nuclear reactors at McGuire Nuclear Station generate over…
Class action hunters take aim at Australia
In line with common law tradition, the class action system was set up in Australia to address wrongs and deliver justice for ordinary people. But because of a lack of action from politicians and policymakers, it has instead funnelled rivers of gold to faceless foreign investors with a stake in gaming the system. It’s become…
Spectrum News Interview: Climate Lawsuits Come to North Carolina and Duke Energy
The Town Council of Carrboro has filed a lawsuit against Duke Energy, alleging the utility misled the public about fossil fuel emissions and the timeline for renewable energy adoption. Supported and funded by NC WARN, the suit seeks damages for climate-related harms, pointing to Hurricane Helene’s impact as an example. The suit was filed in…
Downgrading the Bank Secrecy Act is a Powerful Reform for Bitcoin
Reforming the Bank Secrecy Act would empower Bitcoin innovation, protect user privacy, and foster a better balance between regulatory compliance and financial sovereignty. Though Bitcoin was born in the world of computers and code, it was destined to eventually face-off with the legacy banking system. The first block ever mined on the blockchain, Satoshi’s Genesis…
Oops, your data’s been exposed. What can you do?
This week, I received a letter from an employer of mine from when I was in high school, a local car wash. It turns out there was a “data breach” that resulted in “unauthorized access” to my social security number. Millions of Americans receive letters like this each year. Usually, the company will offer free access to…
Diddy Will Face Justice, but This Legal Tactic Needs Reform
After Texas trial attorney Tony Buzbee took to a podium in October to reveal he had gathered 120 victims to sue Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, it unleashed a flood of more allegations against the billionaire rapper and record executive. There are now close to two dozen civil lawsuits pending against Combs in both federal and state courts, along with…
Europe can’t achieve AI prosperity on the data of others
If you’ve heard anything from the swanky flag-draped corner offices in Brussels, you know the EU wants “in” on the AI arms race. It’s been an obsession of the Commission and related bodies. Now that the AI Act is at least partly in force, and the European AI Office is beefing up its staff to help implement the regulations…
The Biden DOJ doomed Spirit Airlines with its antitrust polices
Consumer Choice Center Deputy Director Yaël Ossowski is interviewed on Schwab Network to discuss the looming bankruptcy of Spirit Airlines, and how the Biden administration’s antitrust and competition policies have precipitated its downfall. If we want more airline competition, we should look to repealing cabotage laws and boosting the ability for global airlines to serve…