Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR)

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation is accepting abstracts for its 2025 Call for Papers on Industry Self-Regulation. We invite scholars in law, policy, business, marketing, economics, and related disciplines to submit abstracts exploring the past, present, or future of industry self-regulation. Selected submissions will receive $10,000 in research funding and be featured in CISR publications and programming throughout 2026. Abstracts are due by November 17, 2025. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/esngqw2N

At this month's #SoftLawSummit, The George Washington University Law School Aram Gavoor shared insights on regulatory innovation and the evolving role of soft law in tech policy. His remarks highlighted the importance of adaptive governance as technology outpaces traditional regulation. Stay tuned to our Research Center for the publication of this and other research presented at the Summit: https://hubs.la/Q03PwT810

The TeenAge Privacy Roadmap, developed by BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR), is intended to help companies be “privacy by design, safety by design, trust by design,” according to Dona J. Fraser, SVP Privacy Initiatives, BBB National Programs. Read the full Bloomberg Law article (Paywall):: https://lnkd.in/eewgQUdF

The Generative AI & Kids Risk Matrix is a set of realistic, actionable considerations and best practices to help companies identify and mitigate AI-related risks specific to children. A product of BBB National Programs' Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) AI Working Group—now expanded under the Center for Industry Self-Regulation—the resource also includes a guide that equips parents and consumers with tools to understand potential harms and take informed, protective actions. Download the Risk Matrix and join the AI Working Group here: https://hubs.la/Q03PtwvJ0

BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) today released the Generative AI & Kids Risk Matrix, safeguards designed to help companies developing or deploying AI systems to identify and mitigate risks specific to children, and to help parents understand the risks AI can pose to children and how to respond with informed, protective actions. The Risk Matrix was developed over a 15-month period through CARU’s AI Working Group, which will expand its scope under BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR). Read the full press release: https://hubs.ly/Q03PhX0t0

Designed to be plug-and-play, CISR’s course curriculum includes ready-to-use lecture slides, case studies, and assignments, along with opportunities for guest lectures by industry leaders. Its modular structure allows faculty to flexibly integrate the content into existing classes like administrative law, corporate governance, and legal ethics. Learn more and request the materials now: https://hubs.la/Q03Nlftw0

At last week’s #SoftLawSummit, Microsoft’s Suhail A. Khan delivered keynote remarks on the urgent need for responsible, human-centered AI. He emphasized industry self-regulation, transparency, and learning from social media’s past to build trust and maximize AI’s benefits for society. Make sure you’re following this page; we will be posting video clips from the Summit in the near future. Explore the Center for Industry Self-Regulation: https://lnkd.in/gNHmdX3a

I recently attended the "Soft Law Summit" at GW University, sponsored by the Center for Industry Self Regulation (CISR). https://lnkd.in/erjkabhK If you have never heard of Soft Law, join the club. It is a term that Wikipedia says refers to "quasi-legal" structures and encompasses industry self-regulation: standards, policies, practices adopted by industry itself that do not have the binding effect (or government intrusiveness) of law. https://lnkd.in/eaEFTije Nevertheless, industry-led self-regulatory efforts can be extremely effective at curbing systemic risk and improving behavior. Look no further than the National Advertising Division (NAD), which is widely recognized as one of the oldest and most effective industry self-regulatory regimes -- in that case applicable to advertising. The Summit is the brainchild of Eric Reicin, who heads up BBB National Programs, and my brilliant old friend and colleague Gary Marchant, a professor at ASU. Eric has been a passionate advocate for Soft Law. Gary has pioneered the first law school course on Soft Law, which I hope will become a very important skill for lawyers. It should always be part of the toolbox. Sometimes there are important opportunities for industry to self-regulate where government does not.

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation has opened a call for papers addressing the past, present, and/or future of industry self-regulation. We welcome proposals from scholars in law, public policy, business, marketing, economics, and related fields or interdisciplinary proposals. Selected scholars will be invited to present their work at a future CISR conference. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q03MWL2Z0

Live at the #SoftLawSummit: Self-Regulation Dynamics. Young Hou (University of Virginia Darden School of Business) is examining how firms strategically respond to regulatory pressures across industries, using cereal market self-regulation as a key illustrative case. See the full Summit agenda: https://lnkd.in/dcK_N2BM