Occupational Licensing in Digital Markets

Abstract

This chapter proceeds as follows. Section I begins with the background and recent history of the state action doctrine and its relation to occupational licensure, addressing the recent cases listed above. Section II discusses recent and current litigation involving competitors using the ‘Brother, May I?’ approach to prevent new technology in the digital economy from entering the market. Section III argues that the FTC’s targeted efforts in North Carolina Dental and Teladoc should extend to current issues in the digital economy by narrowing the use of occupational licensure for health services to regulations that actually protect health and safety. Section IV discusses the Commerce Clause implications caused by occupational licensure on new technology in the digital economy. Section V concludes this chapter.