Technology — Online Journal — Columbia Undergraduate Law Review

Gatekeepers of Innovation: Antitrust Challenges in the Digital Marketplace

In April 2013, AppGratis—a popular app-discovery platform with over 12 million iOS users—was abruptly removed from Apple’s App Store. [1] Apple cited violations of App Store guidelines, specifically in regards to restrictions against apps promoting or marketing other apps in a manner similar to the App Store itself. [2] This sudden removal left AppGratis unable to reach its target user base, underscoring broader concerns about Apple’s gatekeeping role in the digital marketplace. While Apple maintains that its stringent App Store policies are designed to ensure security, quality, and a consistent user experience, critics argue that these practices can stifle innovation and limit consumer choice. By controlling which apps are allowed on its platform and enforcing strict guidelines, Apple holds substantial power over developers’ access to the market, raising questions about fair competition and the need for regulatory oversight.

Zoie GeronimiMay 26, 2025Technology, Antitrust, Fair Competition, Digital Marketplace

Heroes or Criminals: The Legality of American Volunteers in the Russo-Ukrainian War

With the outbreak of hostilities in the Russo-Ukrainian War, the arrival and participation of foreign volunteer fighters has been one of the defining characteristics of the conflict. According to a March 2022 statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dymetro Kuleba, over 20,000 volunteers have joined the Ukrainian armed forces, of which an estimated several thousand are American citizens. [1] Despite the uncertainty about precise numbers, it is important to consider the legality under U.S. law of U.S. citizens volunteering in foreign nations. Throughout the two and a half centuries during which American volunteers have participated in foreign wars, there have been a series of acts by Congress and rulings by the Courts on the legality of such participation.

Phillip YanOctober 12, 2022Volunteer Fighters, Russo-Ukrainian War, U.S. Jurisdiction, Technology

The New Public Square of Opinions: Technocratic Giants and Public Utilities

Following a series of state-led cases against technocratic giants, Ohio attorney general David Yost attempted another path to regulation through a 2021 lawsuit demanding that Google be declared a public utility and Google Search become a public utility in the state of Ohio. Such a lawsuit, if successful, would subsequently place Google under the supervision of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). Public utilities are generally defined as private and public entities that provide essential service to the public, most often in association with energy and telecommunication establishments.