Understanding the US Service Sector, How Russia Weaponizes Data Laws, and More

September 29, 2022

All sectors of the U.S. economy have experienced extraordinary disruptions since early 2020. Mitchell Barnes, Lauren Bauer, and Wendy Edelberg present nine economic facts about the service sector that illustrate recent trends in spending, employment, and inflation as the country continues to rebalance.

The Russian flag flies over the Kremlin palace

Russia is weaponizing its data laws against foreign organizations

“The Russian government does not hesitate to wield the legal system against opponents or even those who irritate it, no matter the dubiousness of the claims or the obvious nature of the coercion.” Justin Sherman discusses how the Kremlin weaponizes data laws to combat its perceived enemies.

The racial wealth gap, financial aid, and college access

The current federal formula for estimating how much a family can afford to pay for college ignores a family’s home equity and the value of their retirement savings. Phillip Levine and Dubravka Ritter explain how failing to consider these assets contributes to substantive racial disparities in college affordability.