Professor Susan Crawford is one of the top legal thinkers and public thinkers in America. She has produced some of the world’s most important writing on how broadband, internet access, and digital power can be understood by those in government, regulation, and business. She is perhaps known foremost as making the case that high-speed internet is an essential service like electricity and water and therefore should be treated as a public rather than a monopoly interest.

Who Is Professor Susan Crawford?

Professor Susan Crawford is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in broadband and telecommunications policy in the United States.

She has served as:

• A Professor of Law at Harvard Law School

• A senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science, technology, and innovation

• A public-interest advocate focused on internet access, competition, and digital equity

What sets Crawford apart is her ability to translate complex legal and economic concepts into arguments that resonate with policymakers, business leaders, and the public. Over the years, I’ve seen her cited not only in academic journals, but also in congressional hearings, FCC filings, and global broadband strategy discussions.

Her influence extends well beyond academia—into how nations plan their digital futures.

Why Susan Crawford Matters in the Modern Internet Economy

The modern economy runs on connectivity. Cloud computing, AI systems, remote work, digital healthcare, and online education all depend on fast, reliable internet access.

Crawford’s central insight is simple but powerful: when broadband access is controlled by a small number of dominant providers, innovation and equality suffer.

She argues that:

• Broadband markets in the U.S. function as monopolies or duopolies

• Lack of competition leads to higher prices and slower innovation

• Market failures disproportionately harm rural, low-income, and marginalized communities

This perspective has become increasingly important as digital infrastructure now determines who can participate fully in economic and civic life.

How Susan Crawford Changed the Broadband Policy Conversation

Reframing Broadband as Infrastructure

One of Crawford’s most lasting contributions is reframing broadband as essential infrastructure, not a consumer luxury.

She compares internet networks to:

• Power grids

• Water systems

• Transportation networks

These systems share common traits:

• High upfront capital costs

• Limited duplication efficiency

• Public necessity

By placing broadband in this category, Crawford provided a legal and economic justification for public oversight, regulation, and investment.

This reframing has since been echoed by:

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• State broadband offices

• International bodies such as the OECD

How Does Susan Crawford View Competition in Telecom Markets?

The Myth of Broadband Competition

Crawford has consistently challenged the idea that broadband markets are meaningfully competitive.

In many regions:

• Consumers have only one realistic high-speed provider

• Switching costs are high

• Infrastructure duplication is economically irrational

She argues that this leads to:

• Price inflation

• Underinvestment in service quality

• Weak accountability

From my experience analyzing broadband data, these conclusions are supported by coverage maps, pricing models, and consumer choice metrics across multiple U.S. states.

Infrastructure Competition vs. Service Competition

Rather than pushing for endless infrastructure duplication, Crawford supports:

• Shared or open-access infrastructure

• Competition at the service level

• Strong rules preventing abuse of market power

This approach mirrors successful broadband models used in parts of:

• Scandinavia

• South Korea

• The Netherlands

These systems encourage innovation without sacrificing affordability or coverage.

Susan Crawford and Municipal Broadband

Why Municipal Networks Matter

Crawford is one of the most prominent advocates for municipal broadband—publicly owned internet infrastructure operated by cities or local utilities.

She emphasizes that municipal broadband:

• Introduces real competition

• Lowers consumer prices

• Improves service quality

Importantly, she frames municipal broadband not as government replacing private enterprise, but as correcting market failures where private providers fail to serve communities adequately.

Case Study: Chattanooga, Tennessee

One of the most frequently cited examples in Crawford’s work is Chattanooga’s publicly owned fiber network.

What happened:

• The city built a high-speed fiber network through its public utility

• Residents gained access to gigabit-speed internet

• Businesses relocated to take advantage of connectivity

Results included:

• Job creation and startup growth

• Increased regional economic output

• National recognition as a “Gig City”

Having reviewed independent economic assessments of Chattanooga, it’s clear why Crawford uses it as a model: it demonstrates how public infrastructure can catalyze private-sector innovation.

How Susan Crawford’s Ideas Affect Businesses and CIOs

Impact on Enterprise Connectivity Strategy

For CIOs, CTOs, and IT leaders, broadband policy is not abstract—it directly affects:

• Network reliability

• Cloud migration costs

• Disaster recovery planning

Regions with competitive or publicly supported broadband tend to offer:

• Lower enterprise connectivity costs

• More redundancy options

• Improved uptime and latency

Crawford’s advocacy indirectly supports better outcomes for enterprise IT operations.

Implications for B2B SaaS and Technology Companies

From a B2B growth perspective, widespread broadband access:

• Expands total addressable markets

• Reduces customer onboarding friction

• Enables AI and data-intensive services

Crawford’s work aligns with long-term business scalability by ensuring that connectivity bottlenecks don’t limit innovation.

Susan Crawford, Digital Equity, and Social Impact

Bridging the Digital Divide

Digital equity is central to Crawford’s philosophy.

She consistently highlights how broadband inequality affects:

• Education outcomes

• Healthcare access

• Workforce participation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, these disparities became impossible to ignore. Students without home internet, workers unable to telecommute, and patients lacking telehealth access all underscored Crawford’s warnings.

Her work helped shape the narrative that connectivity is a civil and economic issue, not just a technical one.

How Susan Crawford’s Thinking Aligns With Global Regulations

Crawford’s ideas resonate strongly with modern regulatory frameworks, including:

• GDPR, emphasizing fairness and access

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which depends on resilient infrastructure

• EU Digital Markets Act, addressing concentrated market power

• Emerging AI Act 2026, where reliable connectivity underpins safe AI deployment

As AI systems become embedded in everyday services, the quality and reach of broadband infrastructure will increasingly determine who benefits from technological progress.

Susan Crawford Compared to Other Technology Policy Thinkers

Crawford is often mentioned alongside influential figures such as:

• Tim Wu, architect of net neutrality

• Lina Khan, chair of the FTC and antitrust reform leader

• Shoshana Zuboff, critic of surveillance capitalism

What distinguishes Crawford is her focus on physical infrastructure—the foundation upon which all digital platforms depend.

While others analyze software platforms and data power, Crawford focuses on the wires, fiber, and governance structures that make digital life possible.

Why Susan Crawford Is Especially Relevant in the AI Era

AI systems require:

• High-speed, low-latency networks

• Distributed cloud access

• Massive data flows

Without equitable broadband infrastructure:

• AI benefits concentrate in urban and wealthy regions

• Small businesses struggle to adopt advanced tools

• Public services fall behind technological standards

Crawford’s work ensures that AI readiness starts with inclusive infrastructure, not just advanced algorithms.

From a strategic standpoint, ethical and people-first AI cannot exist without universal connectivity.

Key Takeaways: Susan Crawford’s Lasting Influence

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is Professor Susan Crawford?

She is a legal scholar and public policy expert specializing in broadband, telecommunications, and internet infrastructure.

What is Susan Crawford best known for?

Her argument that broadband should be treated as essential infrastructure and her advocacy for municipal broadband networks.

Did Susan Crawford work in government?

Yes. She served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy.

Is Susan Crawford opposed to private telecom companies?

No. She critiques monopolistic structures, not private innovation or entrepreneurship.

Why is Susan Crawford still relevant today?

Her work informs debates on digital equity, AI readiness, infrastructure resilience, and competition policy.

Conclusion: Susan Crawford’s Enduring Legacy

Susan Crawford permanently altered the way we think about the internet. Her approach to the internet, framed as an infrastructure, offered the roadmap that policymakers or business leaders sought on the matter.

Based on my analysis of technology policy trends, I would argue that her ideas are now beyond just theory, as they are increasingly implemented in policies, investors’ approaches, and globally in digital governance structures.

With economies becoming increasingly data-driven and dependent on AI technologies, the work by Susan Crawford serves as a reminder that an important truth regarding innovation cannot thrive without fair, open, and robust connectivity.