Tech Policy Podcast

This is the story of two brilliant Black women — Aerica Shimizu Banks and Ifeoma Ozoma . Pinterest, the company they gave their talents and dedication to, mistreated them and discriminated against them. Pinterest still hasn't done right by them.  You can read coverage of their story in The Washington Post , The Business Insider , The Protocol , Politico , The LA Times , Forbes , NPR , USA Today an...

The current economic and social upheaval has made cryptocurrency more important than ever, Andrea O’Sullivan , director of the Center for Technology and Innovation at the James Madison Institute joins the show to discuss the latest policy developments in the area, as well as an update on the state of tech policy in Florida.

Given the importance of staying home to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, telehealth is more vital than ever. Recently, the federal government has eased regulations to allow easier access to alternatives to in-person doctor visits. Rene Quashie, Vice President of Digital Health for the Consumer Technology Association, joins the show to discuss the implications of these regulatory rollbacks,...

While 5G wireless technology is beginning to be rolled out, we’re only just starting to see how new innovations will affect our lives. John Godfrey, senior vice president for public policy at Samsung Electronics America joins the show to discuss what Samsung’s work in 5G innovation and how the technology will influence the future of work and society as a whole, as well as the company’s efforts dur...

Spectrum allocation can make or break the development of new wireless technologies like 5G, but in recent years, interagency conflicts have held up the policymaking process. Nathan Leamer , vice president at Targeted Victory, joins the show to discuss how these conflicts hold back innovation, and to answer once and for all whether 5G caused the coronavirus (spoiler alert: it didn’t).

Given the importance of economic impact in informing policy decisions, the Technology Policy Institute focuses on economic analysis within the tech policy space. The organization’s president Scott Wallston and senior fellow Sarah Oh join the show to discuss their policy work, the COVID-19 Economic Impact Dashboard , and this year’s Aspen policy forum .

While the use of algorithms has proven incredibly valuable in a range of applications, their implementation can often lead to harmful discriminatory outcomes. Dr. Ignacio Cofone, assistant professor at McGill University Faculty of Law, joins the show to discuss how this happens, as well as potential policy solutions for minimizing discrimination without hindering the use of algorithms. For more, s...

E-cigarettes have provided an important harm-reduction tool in lessening the health hazards of smoking. Despite this, many government agencies and public health organizations have engaged in advocacy that has muddied the waters over the subject, including fearmongering over ingredients,  overstating the extent of youth vaping, and misrepresenting cases of vaping-related illness and death. To discu...

California has often been among the most active states in passing new legislation to regulate the tech industry. These policies can potentially impact not just Californian consumers and companies, but those across the United States. Cathy Gellis, a lawyer in the Bay area, joins the show to discuss the latest developments in the west coast affecting privacy, the sharing economy, and free speech.

Encryption is a vital tool, not just for privacy, but for cybersecurity as well. However, law enforcement and legislators have been pushing to undermine access to encryption, often in the name of preventing crime and protecting children. Jim Baker, director of national security and cybersecurity at the R Street Institute and former general counsel for the FBI, joins the show to discuss the latest...

As new niches in the sharing economy develop and provide consumers with new opportunities, governments at both the national and state level continue to attempt to keep up with their laws and regulations. Spence Purnell, policy analyst at the Reason Foundation, joins the show to discuss new Florida legislation that would create a framework to regulate car sharing services.

The American tech industry has led the world in innovation, in part because principled decisions by the industry. However, government officials have increasingly applied pressure on the industry to compromise user privacy and limit online speech. Jesse Blumenthal, vice president of technology and innovation at Stand Together, joins the show to discuss the organization’s “Principles for Continued A...

The liability protections in Section 230 that make digital free speech possible have faced nearly constant threats from both sides of the aisle. Late last year, Sen. Josh Hawley introduced the Ending Support for Online Censorship Act that would require the government to certify that platforms were being neutral in their content moderation. Diane Katz , senior research fellow in regulatory policy a...

One of the largest challenges online platforms face is finding the best approach to content moderation on a large scale. Aerica Shimizu Banks , public policy and social impact manager at Pinterest, joins the show to discuss how Pinterest has built its platform, the challenges of content moderation, and the importance of Section 230 for digital speech.

While 5G continues to be a major buzzword within the wireless industry, 2020 will likely see important steps forward in bringing the new technology to consumers. Marie Sylla-Dixon , vice president of federal government and external affairs for T-Mobile, joins the show to discuss the company’s work, including the “5G for Good” program, which aims to ensure that first responders, students, and other...

The gig economy has given workers important new opportunities to earn extra income or work a job that gives them freedom over their schedule. However, a recent push from several state legislatures to reclassify contractors as employees threatens the flexibility that’s made the gig economy so valuable to both workers and consumers. Patrice Onwuka , Senior Policy Analyst at the Independent Women’s F...

Deep fake technology, which uses artificial intelligence to convincingly alter video, has become the source of the latest panic over the spread of misinformation. While the technology can certainly be put to creative and entertaining uses , are those benefits outweighed by the threat it poses to democracy and the media? Or is it simply the next step in a history of deceptive practices that we’ve m...

Despite the fact that the Internet is more intertwined with our daily lives than ever before, far too many people in America lack a reliable connection and are left behind. Karima Zedan, Vice President of Digital Inclusion and Internet Essentials at Comcast, joins the show to discuss how Comcast is working to bridge the digital divide by offering low-cost service, the option to purchase a heavily...

As the technology behind self-driving cars becomes increasingly viable for more widespread use, lawmakers and regulators have grappled with creating a legal framework for them. Jamie Boone, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Consumer Technology Association , and Ian Adams, Vice President of Policy at TechFreedom, join the show to discuss the current regulatory landscape for autonomous veh...

Despite an ever-growing body of evidence showing that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than traditional combustible cigarettes and can serve as a valuable smoking cessation tool, efforts continue to restrict or outright ban them in the name of public health. Paul Blair , director of strategic initiatives at Americans for Tax Reform, joins the show to discuss the latest developments in vaping regu...

Last year, Congress passed SESTA/FOSTA, legislation intended to help law enforcement fight sex trafficking online. However, as numerous experts ( including us ) predicted, the law has ultimately pushed sex workers into more dangerous practices and made online platforms less likely to assist law enforcement due to fear of liability. Kendra Albert , clinical instructional fellow at the Cyberlaw Clin...

Apps increasingly rely on user location data as part of their services, but how private is that data kept? Ash is joined by Tom Lee, policy lead at Mapbox , which provides mapping and location services to a range of companies including Snapchat, TikTok, and the Weather Channel. Lee discusses how Mapbox provides useful location services while still protecting user privacy, and how the US can develo...

On the previous episode of the show we covered a new legal concept of information fiduciaries and how it can apply to tech policy. Today we are diving in deeper and applying the concept to privacy with Lindsey Barrett , staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic at Georgetown University, joins the show to discuss the difference...

The reaction against the ever-growing amount of information collected by tech giants has led to proposals ranging from self-regulation to strict GDPR-style privacy, and even the potential break-up of larger companies. But could treating tech companies as information fiduciaries — creating a legal obligation to be trustworthy in their use of our data — help solve this privacy problem? Ash is joined...

Growing anti-tech sentiment both in the government and the general public has led to calls for policies that threaten to stifle innovation. Despite this rising techlash, there’s reason to be optimistic about the future of innovation, according to Jesse Blumenthal, director of technology and innovation policy at the Charles Koch Institute, who joins the show to discuss the latest developments in co...