TechTank

Teens are using AI—but not how we think

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

A recent survey examined how U.S. teens use and view AI, finding the majority have used chatbots for schoolwork or searching for information. Teens reported varying opinions about how AI would impact them personally versus society, and these feelings and use cases varied across certain demographics. In this episode, Co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Monica Anderson, co-author of the study, to discuss these findings and how they relate to past studies on teens and technology.

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Does the Anthropic–Pentagon feud mean the end of responsible AI?

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

In February, Anthropic faced an ultimatum from the Pentagon to provide unrestricted use of its AI models. When the company refused, the defense secretary labeled it as a "supply-chain risk" and soon after entered into a contract with OpenAI. In this episode, guest host Josie Stewart is joined by Stephanie Pell and Valerie Wirtschafter to discuss this feud, how it may affect perceptions of AI, and additional questions around who controls AI systems and more broadly how they are used within the federal government.

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Going back to the moon

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The U.S. will soon launch a crewed ship to circle the moon and test equipment for takeoff and reentry, raising interesting questions about space exploration and the role of private companies. In this episode, co-host Darrell West is joined by Casey Dreier of the Planetary Society to discuss this mission and the China-U.S. rivalry over space.

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What to expect from the India AI Impact Summit

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT

India will host the latest in a series of global AI summits this month, marking the first of these convenings to take place in the Global South. The event will feature keynotes, panels, and an expo of deployable AI applications—all with a focus on impact. In this episode, guest host Brooke Tanner is joined by Brookings scholars Elham Tabassi and Cameron Kerry to discuss their expectations for the summit.

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Tech outlooks for 2026

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT

From advances in generative AI to crackdowns on kids' use of social media, various discussions around technology are likely to continue or expand in 2026. This includes questions about how states and the federal government might regulate these technologies and what areas will be at the forefront of legislation. In this episode, co-hosts Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee share their thoughts on what's ahead for tech in 2026.

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Universities tackled digital inclusion—now they are accelerating AI use

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Some surveys show the majority of college students are using AI for academics, and several institutions are also embracing the technology, looking for the best ways to make the technology accessible and understandable for all. In this episode, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Lev Gonick to discuss these efforts and how they connect to prior work around digital inclusion.

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Why water is important for data centers

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Data centers are crucial for AI, but with thousands of file servers, they also require large amounts of energy and water. As more facilities are built, it’s important to understand this usage and how it might affect surrounding communities. In this episode, co-host Darrell West is joined by Joseph Kane to discuss how data centers use water and the policy questions surrounding these resources.

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'Navigating Technology and National Security’ with author Justin Sherman

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Many of today’s conversations about AI and emerging technologies are increasingly driven by questions about national security. These conversations are the latest in a longstanding debate over how the government uses a complex set of regulatory tools to protect critical technologies. In this episode, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Justin Sherman to discuss these patterns and his new book, “Navigating Technology and National Security.”

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'Wired Wisdom': A conversation with author Eszter Hargittai on older populations

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT

As the internet emerged, so did stereotypes about older people's use of it. Yet research has countered some of these common beliefs and led to greater understanding of these generations' online activity. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Eszter Hargittai, the co-author of "Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online," about these findings and more.

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The Age of Extraction: A discussion on Tim Wu's new book

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Marketplaces look different in the digital age and are controlled by a few large companies with immense economic and cultural power. Co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by legal scholar and tech expert, Tim Wu, to discuss his new book, “The Age of Extraction” and the future of these platforms.

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Why data centers are important for AI

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:00:00 GMT

AI is the transformative technology of our time, yet undergirding the growing use of AI is the need for state-of-the-art data centers that host the file servers and networking equipment that store, process, and analyze information. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West discuss what data centers are, their number and distribution, barriers to development, and ways to overcome those challenges.

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On European digital sovereignty and platform regulation with Marietje Schaake

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Europe created regulatory frameworks, including the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, in attempt to reassert control, but these laws have recently faced backlash from the Trump administration. In this episode of the TechTank podcast, Courtney Radsch speaks with Marietje Schaake about these challenges and the digital sovereignty debate.

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Will AI democratize financial services?

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:13:36 GMT

Financial services have long relied on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for a range of duties, from administrative tasks to decision-making, but these uses can have major implications for consumers subject to the technology’s decisions. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Aaron Klein about these consequences and the importance of oversight in deploying these technologies.

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FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez talks about the future of the communications landscape

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:00:00 GMT

The media and communications landscapes are in flux as the administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to implement its priorities, including around free speech and access to public media. In this episode, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks with FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez about these developments and the future of the agency.

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How the NFL is using technology to improve performance

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:00:08 GMT

Digital technologies and data analytics are increasingly being used to help athletes and coaches better monitor their performance and find areas for improvement. In this episode, Darrell West is joined by NFL player Kelvin Beachum and professor Arthur Daemmrich about how these developments could transform sports and the experience of fans.

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Measuring Black women’s trust in AI

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Some historically marginalized groups, including Black women, have a complex relationship with the scientific community and institutions, yet their concerns and experiences with emerging technologies like AI are often left out of discussions around trust and design. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Raj Korpan and Zarah Guillemet to discuss their new research centering Black women’s trust in AI and the importance of this perspective in creating equitable technologies.

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Examining Section 230’s impact on Black Americans

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Section 230 has shaped the internet since its passage in 1996 and has had far-reaching implications for marginalized groups, including Black Americans. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Danielle Davis to discuss her recent work examining these consequences and the difficulty of addressing them.

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Understanding and regulating crypto harms

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Conversations on cryptocurrency have been dominated by the industry and experts, leaving out the public, who will be impacted by Congress’ legislative efforts. In this episode, Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Tonantzin Carmona to discuss her research and recommendations on how Americans can be protected from the risks and harms posed by crypto.

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How autonomous vehicles can talk to one another

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

As driverless cars hit the roads in more cities, some researchers are trying to improve their efficiency and navigational systems by creating social networks of autonomous vehicles. In this episode, Darrell West speaks with Yong Liu about this research project and how it might improve the reliability of these systems while protecting passengers’ privacy.

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Big Tech monopoly maintenance: Is a ‘go and sin no more’ remedy sufficient?

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Several major tech companies are facing legal challenges from antitrust enforcers who allege they have monopolized their respective markets. As courts determine proper redress in some cases, the remedies they choose might shape the future of digital competition. In this episode, guest host Bill Baer speaks with Rebecca Slaughter and Doha Mekki about these decisions.

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What experts and the public think about AI

Mon, 19 May 2025 12:31:38 GMT

A recent report from Pew Research Center analyzed how U.S. adults and tech experts feel about AI, finding areas where the two groups were widely apart and where there was consensus. In this episode, co-host Nicol Turner lee speaks with author of the study Monica Anderson from Pew about these opinions on AI and where these groups want to see more policies.

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How much influence do private firms have over space policy?

Mon, 05 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Amid excitement around advancements in space exploration, there are unresolved issues concerning the role of private firms. Some companies receive billions of dollars in federal money and private sector leaders have been appointed to top positions at agencies like NASA. In this episode, co-host Darrell West speaks with investigative journalist Eric Lipton of the New York Times about the implications of these partnerships and what it means for space policy.

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How DOGE is Using AI in Government

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT

There is talk of “unleashing AI” and removing burdensome regulations on its use within the new Trump administration. Staff members associated with the Department of Government Efficiency are using AI to analyze agency operations, gaining extraordinary access to government data. In this episode, co-host Darrell West speaks with Professor Allison Stanger on how DOGE is using AI in government and the risks presented by its access to government information.

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‘Signalgate’ and the Use of Commercial Apps in Government

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:26:06 GMT

After The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief revealed he was inadvertently added to a group chat with high-ranking national security officials on the commercial app Signal, there have been widespread discussions and concerns about how government officials communicate sensitive information. Co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, speaks to Brookings’ experts Stephanie Pell and Scott Anderson on this story’s implications for cybersecurity and privacy under the Trump administration.

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What to expect from Trump’s FCC?

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:24:51 GMT

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has a new Chair, Brendan Carr, and his priorities are quickly taking shape. The FCC is responsible for universal access to communications. Hear from former FCC Chair, Tom Wheeler, on the power of the chairmanship to shape the future priorities for American consumers and businesses, and what's in store for the independent agency under the Trump administration.

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How Black Tech Founders Are Advancing Innovation

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:14:12 GMT

African Americans have had long standing impacts in the field of innovation as inventors to entrepreneurs. In this episode, we will talk to serial entrepreneurs Erin Horne McKinney and John Pasmore to share how Black Tech founders are advancing their ideas, while navigating barriers that limit access to capital and relevant networks.

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What’s next for TikTok?

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

To ban or not to ban the social media app, Tik Tok? This has been the question since President Trump’s first term in office, largely due to a host of national security concerns. The recent extension to the ban for identifying a U.S.-based buyer may have saved the app for online users but was it an overreach of Trump’s power. In this episode, guests discuss the implications for the future of Tik Tok in the U.S.

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Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Conversation with Book Author, Landry Signé

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:57:51 GMT

By 2050, Africa will be home to 25% of the world’s population with more than $16 trillion in combined business and consumer spending. The dividends of innovation must be part of the continent’s growth, as well as the global digital economy. On this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host and Brookings fellow, Chinasa Okolo, speaks with author and Brookings Senior Fellow, Landry Signé about his new book, Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Journey to Potential.

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New Developments in State Technology Policy

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:18:36 GMT

Congress has not passed many bills on the emerging digital economy. But that does not mean nothing is happening policy-wise. At the state level, there were 238 new pieces of regulatory legislation, according to a new report from New York University. That is a 163 percent increase over 2023. New laws cover AI, non-consensual sexual imagery, political deepfakes, and copyright protection, among other topics. Joining us today is one of the authors of that report. Scott Brennen is the director of the NYU Center on Technology Policy. Darrell M. West and he will discuss why state lawmaking has accelerated and areas such as AI, non-consensual sexual imagery, political deepfakes, and copyright protection where bills have passed. They also will consider the state outlook for 2025.

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What to Expect from the Trump Administration on Cybersecurity

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:00:38 GMT

The digital world has become a dangerous place. We have seen foreign entities burrow into

telecom networks and extract highly confidential information. There have been hacks of vital

infrastructure, ransomware attacks, and thefts of sensitive data bases.

The Biden Administration sought to deal with emerging threats by defending critical

infrastructure, disrupting threat actors, use market forces to improve security, and forging

international partnerships.

What remains to be seen, though, is how many of these initiatives will be maintained by the new

Trump Administration. How the new president handles cybersecurity is an important topic

because a CyberNews study recently found 65 percent of American companies scored a D or

worse on cybersecurity and only 7 percent earned an A. It is clear that we all need to do a better

job on protecting our digital assets.

To help us understand these issues, Brookings colleagues Stephanie Pell and Darrell M. West

ways to safeguard critical infrastructure, disrupt threat actors, and use market forces to improve

security and the manner in which Trump may move on cybersecurity.

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Will the US Become the new Crypto Capital of the World?

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump's election could set the stage for a sweeping policy overhaul, fueled by ambitious plans to make the United States the crypto capital of the world. From a potential national Bitcoin reserve to pro-crypto regulatory leadership, the sector is gearing up for a transformative period. With a Republican-controlled Congress and big industry campaign contributions in the 2024 election, the stakes are set for dramatic changes in crypto-policy and the overall crypto-landscape.

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-hosts Darrell West is joined by Aaron Klein, a Senior Fellow at the Center on Regulation and Markets at the Brookings Institution to discuss if the U.S will become the crypto capital of the world.

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What a Trump Presidency Means for Tech

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:00:53 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, Cohost Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee sit down to discuss what to expect in the coming years in regard to AI, antitrust enforcement, the digital divide, China, cryptocurrency, and disinformation and what people should watch from Capitol Hill and the administration.

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Is climate change a forgotten priority for election 2024?

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:34 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank podcast guest host Xavier Freeman-Edwards is joined by Barry Rabe, Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and professor at the University of Michigan to discuss if the 2024 election will bring more attention to climate change.

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Can social media platforms engage in their own self-regulation?

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:20:09 GMT

On this episode of the TechTank Podcast co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, shares her new paper on this topic with Mary K. Engle Executive Vice President, Policy at BBB National Programs, and David Vladeck, the A.B. Chettle Chair in Civil Procedure and former Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. They discuss the path forward for social media regulation and unpack the issues that are of main focus to teens and adults on the internet.

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How Does Tech Affect Inequality?

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:01:12 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, Darrell West talks with Zia Qureshi a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development about how cutting-edge tech like AI, quantum computing, and cloud storage are shaping inequality. They dive into whether these innovations will widen the gap between those with access to tech and those without, and what we can do to make sure technology benefits everyone.

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What do Vance and Walz have to say about tech policy ?

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:00:48 GMT

This week on The TechTank Podcast, Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West explore how the Vice President candidate's tech policy stances might influence the campaigns and the election, and whether they will ultimately shape the future of technology in the United States.

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A Citizen's Guide to Disinformation

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:18:21 GMT

This week on the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by her colleagues, co-host Darrell West, and Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Founding Director of the Center for Effective Public Management. Together, they will discuss the impact of disinformation on society and explore solutions presented in the new book authored by Darrell and Elaine titled Lies That Kill: A Citizen's Guide to Disinformation.

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Will VP Harris close the gaps for the digitally invisible if elected?

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 07:00:52 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host, Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, co-host and author of Digitally Invisible, to discuss what can be done by policymakers, industry, and civil society to talk about her new book, and share her thoughts on what it will take to narrow the widening disparities that exist around connectivity.

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What Project 2025 says about AI, antitrust, and public radio

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:19:00 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West is joined by Roxana Mika Muenster, COMPASS fellow at Brookings’ Center for Technology and a doctoral student at Cornell University. Together, they explore what Project 2025 envisions for tech and media policy, and try to understand the impact their agenda would have on industry politics, and the voters themselves.

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Where was tech policy in the presidential race before Biden dropped out?

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:00:30 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Steven Overly, the host of POLITICO Tech at POLITICO, and Darrell West, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and TechTank co-host. Together, they discuss where tech and tech policies are in the upcoming election and understand what hotbed issues resonate with candidates and voters alike. [Note: This episode was recorded before the announcement of Biden's exit from the race on July 21, 2024.]

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Creating Queer Inclusive Research and Experiences in AI

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:41 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee welcomes two distinguished guests: Arjun Subramonian, a Computer Science PhD candidate at the University of California, and Raj Korpan, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Hunter College, City University of New York. Together, they discuss their groundbreaking paper, "Queer in AI: A Case Study in Community-Led Participatory AI." This insightful episode dives into the significant risks AI poses to queer communities and explores innovative, community-driven solutions. Don’t miss this compelling conversation on the intersection of technology and social justice.

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What to make of the new AI Roadmap from the Senate’s Bipartisan Commission

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:13 GMT

Join us on the latest episode of the TechTank Podcast, where co-hosts Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee dive into the opportunities and challenges of the AI roadmap developed by Senator Schumer (D-NY) and the bipartisan commission. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the complexities and implications of this new initiative.

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Embracing AI in Legal Practice: Opportunities and Challenges

Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:51 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee talks about the state of artificial intelligence in the law with Mark Brennan, a tech and telecoms lawyer, and John Villasenor, a nonresident senior fellow at the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. The conversation offers valuable insights into how AI is shaping the future of legal practice and the opportunities and liabilities for legal professionals.

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A Conversation with the U.S. Chief Data Scientist: Dominique Duval-Diop

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:00:11 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Dr. Dominique Duval-Diop, the Chief Data Scientist for the United States, who reports directly to the Biden-Harris administration. Hear more about the White House’s focus on equitable data and strategies for its effective implementation within our rapidly evolving systems. Dr. Duval-Diop also provides insights into how the nation navigates the plethora of data needs, including at federal agencies.

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From The TechTank Archives: Civil rights and artificial intelligence

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:00:49 GMT

This week on the TechTank Podcast, we revisit a crucial discussion from 2022 on civil rights and artificial intelligence. On this previous episode Co-host Nicol Turner Lee was joined by Renee Cummings, a data activist in residence and criminologist at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science, along with Lisa Rice, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. Together, they conducted a thorough exploration of these complex issues and provided valuable insights into addressing the urgent issue of equitable AI.

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The road back to the moon

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:55 GMT

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, Co-host Darrell West will delve into the significance of the mission to the Moon and its implications for future US space exploration policy. Joining Darrell is distinguished expert Marina Koren, a staff writer at The Atlantic. Marina regularly contributes to the magazine and recently authored an article titled “Apollo’s Sequel Will Be a Gold Rush.” Together, they will explore the future of space exploration and the role of private companies.

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Navigating the Future of AI Governance

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:47:08 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell delves into the intricacies of AI governance and provides insights into what to anticipate in the future of AI. To help address these critical questions, the podcast features a conversation with the distinguished expert, Steve Overly, the Host of Politico Tech, a daily podcast that explores technology's impact. Join us as we embark on this insightful journey into the evolving landscape of AI governance

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Will Ending the Affordable Broadband Connectivity Program (ACP) Halt Digital Equity?

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:18 GMT

Currently benefiting over 23 million households, the ACP has provided affordable broadband to those in need. But in recent weeks, it may be abruptly eliminated, and questions arise on whether it will hamper existing efforts to close the digital divide. On this episode of Tech Tank, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Colin Rhinesmith, the Founder and Director of Digital Equity Research Center, and Fallon Wilson, the Founder and Director of Black Churches for Digital Equity.

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The Future of Quantum Computing

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:13:08 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West delves into the future and capabilities of powerful quantum computers. To aid in comprehending these revolutionary machines, Darrell West is joined by Joseph Keller, Visiting Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology. Tune in for a highly informative conversation.

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What is the future of children’s online data privacy in the U.S.?

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:39:59 GMT

In the latest episode of the TechTank Podcast, cohost Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Jennifer Huddleston, a Technology Policy Research Fellow at the CATO Institute, and Christopher Wood, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of LGBT Tech Partnership & Institute. Together, they delve into the complexities surrounding regulatory efforts and explore the evolving landscape of how our kids interact with technology. They also offer their predictions on what may be next for Congress, states, and other stakeholders in the policy debates over children’s privacy.

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The State of State Technology Policy

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:03:48 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-hosts Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West kick

off 2024 with an insightful conversation on the state of tech policy with returning guests, Matt

Perault, Director of the Center on Science & Technology Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Scott

Brennen, the Head of Online Expression Policy at the Center on Technology Policy at UNC-

Chapel Hill. Together, they discuss the intricacies of state policy within the dynamic and ever-

evolving tech landscape, exploring key challenges and potential solutions that shape the future of

technology governance.

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Tech Outlook for 2024

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:00:36 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast Co-host Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee discuss what lies ahead for tech policy in 2024 and what people should watch for from Congress, the Biden Administration, state and local government, and court cases. They cover topics such as AI, infrastructure implementation, problems of bias, safety, and transparency, and competition policy. A number of initiatives are pending, which likely will make the coming year an exciting time for technology policy.

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Generative AI, parents, and teens

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:42 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Stephen

Balkam, founder and CEO of FOSI, and Kara Sundby, Senior Director at KANTAR, to delve into

the findings of a new report focused on how teens and parents interact with generative AI.

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How AI Will Affect the 2024 Elections

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:00:39 GMT

In this episode of The TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West engages in a conversation with

Elaine Kamarck, the Founding Director of the Center for Effective Public Management, and a

Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. Together, they explore the

transformative impact of AI on the political landscape and explore what lies ahead for the

upcoming election.

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A conversation with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) on AI accountability and election integrity

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:00:08 GMT

In this episode of the #TechTank podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee talks with Congresswoman

Yvette D. Clarke about her prior and current legislative directives focused on AI regulation, and

the urgency given the explosion of generative AI systems. The Congresswoman is a Senior

Member of both the House Energy and Commerce Commission, and the House Committee on

Homeland Security.

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From The TechTank Archives: Taylor Lorenz on Gen Z, Influencer Culture, and the Future of Social Media

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:13 GMT

From December 13 2021: How have teens, the most tech-savvy population of all, been navigating the internet, rife with the spread of misinformation, algorithmic discrimination and more? On TechTank, Samantha Lai will be joined by Taylor Lorenz, technology reporter for the New York Times and affiliate at the Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, to discuss how young people use the internet and why it matters.

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California Congressman Ted Lieu talks about the state of AI governance

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:36 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks to Congressman Ted (D-CA) about these and other areas concerning AI regulation, oversight, and guidance in the United States. They also discuss how AI’s regulation from other countries will influence national policymaking.

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Exploring the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:00:01 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-Host Nicol Turner Lee discusses what is new in the more recently updated Cybersecurity Framework 2.0. Joining the podcast to discuss those changes is Cherilyn Pascoe, Director of the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), who also shares resources and tools that all organizations of any size and sector can access.

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Why Should We Go Back to the Moon?

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 07:09:41 GMT

In this episode, co-host Darrell West will be joined by Tom Colvin, a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) at NASA. In light of recent international interest in returning to the moon, they will discuss the implications of new lunar landings for the future of space exploration.

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Will Courts Allow Technology to Mitigate Climate Change?

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:45 GMT

In this episode, co-host Darrell West explores the ramifications of judicial constraints on executive agencies. Joining the conversation is Barry Rabe, a professor of political science and public policy at the University of Michigan and a nonresident senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. Together, they will discuss what the recent court decisions mean for new climate technologies, historical precedents on checks-and-balances, and the US as a leader in global trade and clean energy.

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AI Rules for the Metaverse

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:01:32 GMT

The explosive popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies has allowed the metaverse to escape public attention and regulators’ notice, even as interest, investment, and development in virtual realities has increased worldwide. In this episode of TechTank, co-host Nicol Turner Lee examines the potential pitfalls of a virtual landscape and discusses the urgent need for guardrails with Tom Wheeler, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of “AI makes rules for the metaverse even more important.” Together, they explore how virtual realities can revolutionize how we engage with each other, while also exacerbating existing concerns and introducing new risks, including discrimination and digital larceny.

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Ways to Protect Children Online

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:11 GMT

In this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West explores potential paths forward in the

safety of kids online with Matt Perault, a professor at UNC's School of Information and Library Science,

and Scott Brennen, the head of online expression policy at UNC's Center on Technology Policy. As co-

authors of the report "Keeping Kids Safe Online: How Should Policymakers Approach Age Verification",

both scholars will discuss current methods for age verification, consider the key trade-offs for each, and

share informed recommendations for policymakers.

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How to Address Issues of Racial Equity and Justice

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 07:00:01 GMT

On this episode of the TechTank podcast, co-host Darrell M. West engages in an enlightening

conversation with Dr. Camille Busette, the interim Vice President of Governance Studies at the

Brookings Institution, and Dr. Andre Perry, a senior fellow in the Metro program and Director of

the Valuing Black Assets Initiative. As project co-leads, these esteemed researchers will share

their plans for the new Center and why they believe it will help us address issues of racial equity

and justice.

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Social media and teens: How do they think it impacts them?

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:00:26 GMT

In this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee will be joined by Monica Anderson, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center, Camisha Covington Parker, Dean at Northern Virginia Community College, and Girl Scout leader for Chloe Lee and Camdyn Parker, both high school students, who will share what policymakers and parents should consider when addressing the increasing use and impacts of social media on teens. Together, the guests will delve into a thought-provoking conversation around what policymakers, parents, and communities can do to ensure protections around teens and social media use, and the blind spots of current debates.

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How AI Disrupts Elections and Influences Voter Choices

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:31:33 GMT

With the 2024 elections around the corner, political tensions are running high, and there is

considerable concern about how generative AI will affect campaigns and election turnout. This

week, on the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West will engage in a conversation on these

crucial matters with Sarah M.L. Bender, an accomplished JD candidate from the University of

Michigan and the author of the article titled "Algorithmic Elections" in the Michigan Law

Review.

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From The TechTank Archives: Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech

Mon, 22 May 2023 07:35:31 GMT

From November 28, 2022: In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings and Tom Wheeler, a visiting fellow in Governance Studies and the author of a forthcoming Brookings book, “Techlash” about Twitter's future, and the consequences of recent tumultuous changes at the company.

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Bank failures and the tech sector: For better or for worse?

Mon, 08 May 2023 07:08:57 GMT

In the last year, bank failures have dominated the news cycle. On this episode of the TechTank podcast,

co-host Nicol Turner Lee will discuss why the technology sector has been particularly sensitive to recent

bank failures, and what the future of banking looks like in the digital age. Joining the TechTank podcast

to help discuss the future of banking is Aaron Klein, who is the Miriam K. Carliner Chair in Economic

Studies and Senior Fellow at the Center on Regulation and Markets at the Brookings Institution.

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Will the U.S. attain a competitive global spectrum strategy?

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 07:09:31 GMT

Consumer demand for wireless services continue to increase in the U.S., prioritizing the need for more licensed and unlicensed spectrum as more services migrate to mobile platforms. On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee sits down with Scott Blake Harris, Senior Spectrum Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary, National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) about the forthcoming National Spectrum Strategy.

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Will Generative AI Kill Jobs?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 07:14:10 GMT

There has been considerable interest in recent months in generative AI that can answer questions, develop videos, write code, and perform many other tasks. On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host, Darrell West, is joined by a distinguished expert, John Villasenor, professor of engineering, law, public policy, and management at UCLA and co-director of its Institute for Technology, Law, and Policy to discuss if generative AI will take jobs. Will it be possible for organizations to use these new tools to automate job tasks and reduce dependence on human labor?

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How Wikipedia Works

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:00:41 GMT

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host, Darrell West, dives into how

Wikipedia handles content moderation, disinformation, and bias. The site is a trusted source of

information for many people, but little is known about how it makes decisions and handles

controversies surrounding its material. Guests are Isabelle Langrock, a PhD candidate at the

Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, who is writing a

dissertation on Open Knowledge Production and Digital Access; and Kent Campbell, a

Strategist at Reputation X, a firm that researches Wikipedia references, talk pages, and historical

editing patterns.

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How social media is changing politics

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:00:20 GMT

In this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, guest host Mishaela Robison, research assistant in Brookings Center for Technology Innovation, talks with Annie Wu Henry, former social media producer and strategist for U.S. Senator John Fetterman’s campaign. Described as Fetterman’s “TikTok Whisperer” by the New York Times, Henry discusses how social media and technology are changing the way voters, and society more generally engage with politics.

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How Memes Are Impacting Democracy

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:05:18 GMT

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, guest host Mishaela Robison will sit down with Dr. Joan

Donovan, Research Director of Harvard Kennedy’s Shorenstein Center and Emily Dreyfuss, a journalist,

who leads the Shorenstein Center News Leaders Program, to discuss their book, Meme Wars: The Untold

Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022).

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Reclaiming local news in the age of the internet

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 08:00:22 GMT

On this week's episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee will discuss the

future of local news and the effects of the internet on traditional business models and the quality

of investigative journalism. The episode will also correlate rising levels of misinformation to an

eroding local news landscape. Podcast guests are Courtney Radsch, postdoctoral research fellow

at UCLA, and Steve Waldman, founder and president of Rebuild Local News.

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Is Economic Decoupling Possible for the United States?

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 08:00:53 GMT

On this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Darrell West is joined by two distinguished experts to discuss if economic decoupling is possible for the United States. Melanie Sisson is a fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, where she focuses on national security in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology. Emily Weinstein is a research fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, where she focuses on U.S.-China technological competition.

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What to expect for big tech, broadband, anti-trust, and other tech issues under the new Congress

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 08:12:18 GMT

On this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-hosts Darrell West, and Nicol Turner Lee discuss the

future of Biden’s tech policy agenda under the new 118 th Congress, including broadband infrastructure,

anti-trust, big tech accountability, data privacy, and AI, among other issues. With a GOP majority in the

House of Representatives and a Democrat-led Senate, this episode dives into which policy areas show

the most promise for consensus, and where there may be challenges to gain cooperation within a

divided Congress.

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Is it time to regulate social media platforms and search engines?

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 08:12:40 GMT

On this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, moderator Darrell West, Vice President of Governance

Studies at the Brookings Institution, will discuss if it's time for the Supreme Court to regulate social

media platforms and the search engines that have become prominent amongst society. To help with this

conversation, the Podcast is happily joined by John Villasenor, a Professor of Engineering, Law, and

Public Policy at UCLA and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings. Mark MacCarthy is a Senior Fellow

at the Institute for Technology, Law, and Policy at Georgetown University and a Nonresident Senior

Fellow at Brookings.

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Technology adoption in Africa: current and future use cases for development

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:19:15 GMT

On this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee explores technology adoption in Africa and universal access throughout the continent with guests Yolanda Jinxin Ma, head of Digital Policy and Global Partnerships at the United Nations Development Programme, Addisu Lashitew, Global Economy and Development nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Jane Munga, Africa Program fellow at Carnegie who focuses on technology policy.

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Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:00:47 GMT

In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings and Tom Wheeler, a visiting fellow in Governance Studies and the author of a forthcoming Brookings book, “Techlash” about Twitter's future, and the consequences of recent tumultuous changes at the company.

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What will it take to create inclusive AR/VR for a more diverse metaverse?

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:00:13 GMT

In this episode of Tech Tank, co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, speaks with Rashawn Ray, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution, and Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research, University of Maryland; and Kinnis Gosha, Executive Director and Chief Research Officer of the Center for Broadening Participation in Computing, Morehouse College. These experts discuss the current and future possibilities of AR/VR, and the metaverse and the impact on public sector applications. We also dive into how to attract more diverse developers and subscribers

on these spaces.

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Latino voters, midterm elections, and the effects of misinformation, and disinformation

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 07:00:48 GMT

Latino voters registered and voted in higher numbers in the 2020 presidential election than in prior years, according to a 2021 report, and recent findings from the Pew Research Center count 34.5 million eligible Latino voters, which is a significant increase since the last midterm elections. The results of the 2022 midterms will have lasting consequences on American politics and policy, making it critical to protect and amplify Latino voices along with the type of information they receive to make credible opinions about potential candidates and their platforms

Tech Tank co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, spoke with Gabriel Sanchez, a David M. Rubenstein fellow in Governance Studies and faculty at the University of New Mexico, and Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights at Free Press, about the ecosystem of Spanish-language media. The experts discussed how the prevalence of mis- and disinformation can be better identified and mitigated to avoid potential voter suppression efforts impacting Latino voters as the midterm elections near.

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How to improve election security

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:00:24 GMT

To protect public integrity and faith our election, it is integral for the United States to work to combat

existing misinformation, protect the safety of election officials, and guarantee that existing cybersecurity

measures are adequate in protecting the vote of the American people. On TechTank, Darrell West is

joined by Elaine Kamarck and Elizabeth Howard to discuss these topics and more.

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Can AI Developers Be Incentivized to Debias their Algorithms?

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 07:16:54 GMT

The prevalence and technical relevance of machine learning algorithms have increased over the years, making predictive decision-making tools part of the everyday lives of online users. Today, it is harder to discern what decisions are made by humans, and the others that rely upon the cognition of machines. On this new episode of the Tech Tank podcast, Darrell West is joined by Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Center for Technology Innovation who explores the need for a proposed Energy Star rating, or incentive-based rating system to improve the performance and optimization of these online tools.

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Undersecretary Xochitl Torres-Small on expanding access to rural broadband

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 07:00:38 GMT

On this episode of TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Undersecretary Xochitl Torres Small.

Together, they discuss the administration’s ongoing work to close the urban-rural digital divide, how IIJA

funding has helped the USDA expand programs such as the ReConnect program, and how the USDA has

been working to meet different communities’ hyperlocal needs.

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Do you know where your spectrum is? The U.S.’s never- ending quest for more bandwidth

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 07:00:35 GMT

Spectrum policy has been essential in determining how to encourage communications technology

development, while ensuring equitable access. On TechTank, Nicol Turner Lee, Andrew Von Ah, Shane

Tews and Kathleen Burke discuss pressing topics in spectrum policy and interrogate if the lack of

available spectrum will be a dealbreaker in closing the digital divide.

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The weaponization of information threatens American democracy. What should we do about that?

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:00:21 GMT

On TechTank, Samantha Lai and Darrell West discusses his most recent book, “Power Politics: Trump and the Assault on American Democracy.” Together, they contend with how the weaponization of information threatens American democracy, and what could be done to protect it.

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How does tech policy fall short in protecting people with disabilities?

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 07:00:49 GMT

On TechTank, guest host Samantha Lai is joined by Lydia X.Z. Brown, Alex Engler and Henry Claypool to

discuss how people with disabilities are affected by existing technologies. They investigate issues with

privacy, AI bias, surveillance technology and more, and consider what is needed to rectify these wrongs.

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How does the internet facilitate worsening gun violence?

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:24:23 GMT

Not a single week of 2022 has passed without multiple mass shootings. 343 people have been killed

and 1,391 injured through July 4th of this year. On TechTank, host Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Carol Graham and

Darrell West examine the role social media has played in past mass shootings and look into how the

public has reacted online to prospects of gun legislation and rising political polarization in the US.

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How do we center equity in the future of telehealth?

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 07:00:25 GMT

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency orders and pandemic-era flexibilities for telehealth are quickly expiring, thus ending the many conveniences of telehealth that people benefited from. On TechTank, Samantha Lai is joined by Nicol Turner Lee and Niam Yaraghi to discuss their forthcoming research paper on the future of telehealth, “The roadmap to telehealth efficacy: care, health, and digital equities.”

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Will Americans finally see bipartisan federal privacy legislation?

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 07:04:09 GMT

On TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Cameron Kerry and Jennifer King to discuss the current bipartisan and bicameral draft of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act and whether the U.S. can soon expect national legislation.

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Exploring the intersection of tech policy and LGBTQ+ rights

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 07:00:21 GMT

This year’s Pride Month comes at a difficult time for LGBTQ+ rights. Over the past year, there have been over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills proposed in at least 28 states, including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill that aims to limit LGBTQ+ discussion in schools, and a bill in Ohio that would ban transgender women from participating in high school and college athletics that includes a “verification process” of checking the genitals of those accused of being transgender.

On TechTank, Samantha Lai, guest host and research assistant at the Center for Technology Innovation, is joined by David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, and Chris Wood, executive director and co-founder of LGBT Tech, to discuss how technology concerns surrounding privacy, content moderation, facial recognition, and more shape the online experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.

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Deciphering the Metaverse

Mon, 30 May 2022 07:00:28 GMT

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the concept of the Metaverse, but questions surrounding issues of privacy, security, virtual content moderation, the sale of virtual goods, and data ownership remain. On TechTank, host Darrell West is joined by Tom Wheeler and Katherine Cross to discuss the Metaverse and what issues it raises for consumers and businesses.

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Can policymakers level the playing field in the computer sciences?

Mon, 16 May 2022 07:29:10 GMT

In this technological age, workforce demands for computer science skills have evolved and keep evolving. On TechTank, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Michael Hansen, Nicolas Zerbino and Kimberly Scott to discuss what it means to equitably expand access to computer science education for K-12 students. They also look at a recently-released report authored by Hansen and Zerbino, “Exploring the state of computer science education amid rapid policy expansion”.

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What should we do about computer chip shortages?

Mon, 02 May 2022 07:00:24 GMT

Semiconductor chips powered the digital revolution. However, recent shortages exacerbated by the global pandemic and geopolitical tensions have slowed production and imperiled economic activity. On TechTank, Darrell West is joined by Jeremy Mark and Emily Kilcrease to discuss what to expect going forward, ways to improve supply chain resiliency and more.

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A conversation on improving the STEM pipeline with UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 07:20:56 GMT

On #TechTank, Dr. Turner Lee and Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, unpack the challenges of having a more inclusive tech workforce and discuss a pathway toward student success and professional achievement for under-represented students and professionals.

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How to discourage extremism and harmful activities on social media platforms

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 07:00:37 GMT

The Internet democratized the information ecosystem and generated many different uses. But at the same time, there are concerns about ways that social media platforms enable violent speech, extremism, and human abuses. On TechTank, Darrell West is joined by Ben Wittes and Quinta Jurecic to discuss how policymakers and regulators could proceed with content moderation on social media sites.

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A conversation with Jessica Brandt and Emerson Brooking on the information wars in the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:00:03 GMT

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought forward many important questions about the social media landscape. In this episode of TechTank, guest host Samantha Lai is joined by Jessica Brandt and Emerson Brooking to discuss the role disinformation has played in this conflict, how social media companies and the American government have responded, and what precedence this sets for the future of the global internet.

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Civil rights and artificial intelligence: Can the two concepts coexist?

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:00:44 GMT

Nicol Turner Lee speaks to Renee Cummings and Lisa Rice on biases in artificial intelligence and how

they disproportionately impact historically marginalized groups in financial services, hiring, policing, and

more. Together, they will conduct a deep dive into these difficult questions and offer insight on

remedies to this pressing question of equitable AI.

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Laura Coates on racial inequities in our criminal justice system

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:00:54 GMT

On TechTank, Darrell West interviews Laura Coates on her new book, Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness. They talk about her views of the criminal justice system, racial and gender inequities, and ways digital technologies are complicating the works of prosecutors, defenders, and suspects. The two also discuss ways to improve the legal system and overcome existing injustices.

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Rep. Ro Khanna on democratizing our digital transformation

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 08:00:27 GMT

Darrell West interviews Congressman Ro Khanna about his new book, Dignity in a Digital

Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us. They discuss challenges from the ever-widening scope of

the digital world: how it has accentuated inequality, widened our political divide, threatened

personal privacy and more, as well as how improved policy can address these issues.

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How Digital Technology Is Reshaping Espionage and Intelligence-Gathering

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 08:00:22 GMT

Darrell West interviews Dr. Amy Zegart, author of a new book entitled Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The

History and Future of American Intelligence. They discuss how digital technology is transforming

espionage and why America needs to move towards more open-source data gathering.

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What to expect from Biden's 2022 tech agenda

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:00:03 GMT

2022 is shaping up to be an eventful year in tech policy. President Biden has laid out an ambitious agenda on infrastructure investment, tech regulation, COVID mitigation, antitrust policy, and AI investment, among other topics. He has nominated a number of tough-minded individuals to major administrative agencies and has signaled a strong stance on large tech platforms. At the same time, technology is playing a major role in governance and democracy problems. Some worry about the extent to which technology is fueling polarization and extremism, and endangering the future of American democracy. In this episode, Darrell West and Nicol Turner Lee delve into what to expect from Biden’s tech policy agenda in 2022.

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Taylor Lorenz on Gen Z, Influencer Culture, and the Future of Social Media

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 08:24:30 GMT

How have teens, the most tech-savvy population of all, been navigating the internet, rife with the spread of misinformation, algorithmic discrimination and more? On TechTank, Samantha Lai will be joined by Taylor Lorenz, technology reporter for the New York Times and affiliate at the Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, to discuss how young people use the internet and why it matters.

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How to Build Back Better with Telehealth

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 08:00:04 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated the unprecedented growth of telehealth. What should

lawmakers keep in mind to create an equitable and inclusive healthcare system for all? On this episode

of TechTank, Brookings researcher and guest host Samantha Lai is joined by Nicol Turner Lee and Niam

Yaraghi to discuss these important questions.

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In the U.S.A.’s tech-driven economy, is enough being done to protect consumer choice and privacy?

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 14:04:30 GMT

There is much public debate about whether big tech giants, airlines, and even cable providers are monopolists that maximize shareholder profit at the expense of consumers and workers. Is enough being done to protect consumer privacy and choice? On this episode, guest host Bill Baer is joined by Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, to discuss the FTC’s efforts to promote competition, protect consumer privacy, and challenge unfair and deceptive business practices.

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What lies ahead for the US-China tech race?

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 07:00:12 GMT

The US’s relationship with China has grown complicated over the years, with increasing tensions on issues ranging from trade and commerce to technology innovation and national security. On this episode of TechTank, host Darrell West is joined by Tom Wheeler and David Simpson to talk about the state of the US-China tech race, and what to expect going forward.

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What life in space teaches astronauts about solving challenges on planet Earth

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:00:29 GMT

On this episode of TechTank, veteran NASA astronaut Nicole Stott joins host Darrell West to discuss space tourism, the future of space exploration, and her new book, “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet – And Our Mission to Protect It.”

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Online behavioral advertising can be discriminatory, so what’s the plan to fix this?

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT

On social media, advertisers can use online tools to target people of color in housing, banking, and employment, resulting in limits to the opportunities available to them, and even violations of their civil rights. In this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Jinyan Zang, Harvard Kennedy School fellow, and Dominique Harrison of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies to discuss new research on Facebook’s ad model and proposals to remedy such biases.

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Why schools still need a remote option to mitigate COVID-19

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 07:00:18 GMT

As the new school year begins, COVID cases are on the rise again – this time hitting K-12 students, especially those who are unvaccinated and under 12, placing them at risk of hospitalizations and dangerous complications. School closures may once again be imminent if the virus is not better controlled. But students without reliable access to the internet will be left behind once again, and unable to access remote classes and the resources necessary for them to continue their education. Have we closed the digital divide for students since the first wave of the pandemic? And what do schools need to do to ensure that technology is complementing traditional education?

Brookings TechTank co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Jon Valant, Amina Fazlullah, and Alejandro Roark to discuss these important questions.

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Which U.S. Cities Are Poised for AI Growth?

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 07:00:58 GMT

As the AI economy grows, there is tremendous variation across local and regional economies in how

well-positioned cities are. Some metropolitan areas have tremendous assets and lots of AI-related

activity while others see little activity. Those variations raise interesting questions about which places

are doing well, why, and what other communities can do to boost technology innovation in their local

economies. To learn more, Darrell West is joined by Mark Muro and Sifan Liu, co-authors of a new paper

entitled “AI Cities: The Geography of the AI Economy.”

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How will Biden’s broadband infrastructure plan address rural poverty while closing the digital divide?

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 07:00:48 GMT

The bipartisan infrastructure plan championed by President Biden and passed by the U.S. Senate aims to close America’s racial and rural broadband gaps. What local challenges lie ahead in the deployment of these resources? And what else can policymakers, industry, and civil society do to support these unconnected communities? Host Nicol Turner Lee dives into these issues and more with the Children’s Defense Fund’s Oleta Fitzgerald; Joe Kapp from the National Center for Resources Development, and Barry Toser of Declaration Networks Group.

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Why State Unemployment Insurance Programs Failed Workers During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 12:06:20 GMT

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government enacted a relief package designed to help Americans cope with the pandemic and resulting economic downturn. However, inadequate unemployment insurance programs left many people in need without help. To understand the challenges, Darrell West and Annelies Goger discuss the poor performance of unemployment insurance programs due to IT infrastructure, government procurement and inadequate data collection.

You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the TechTank podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Acast.

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Managing Privacy, Equity, and Access in COVID Vaccine Passports

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:02:10 GMT

Vaccination rates are on the rise and several countries, including the United States, are relaxing public health restrictions as they steer toward a full reopening. Digital health certificates, or vaccine passports, are part of these efforts as a number of organizations are requiring proof of vaccination. But while digital health certificates may facilitate a safer reopening and faster economic recovery, technological solutions to vaccine verification also raise valid concerns about the privacy of personal health data and their potential to exacerbate racial and socioeconomic inequities.

To discuss these issues, host Nicol Turner-Lee is joined by Mark Hall, Jay Stanley and Emily Skahill.

You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the TechTank podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Acast.

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How Should Universities Deal with Student Cheating?

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 07:00:04 GMT

The COVID pandemic forced many schools and universities to remote education where students logged onto video calls for their classes. At one level, technology was helpful in giving students opportunities to continue learning despite being limited to their homes. Yet during the pandemic, there was a startling increase in the use of online monitoring software designed to prevent student cheating on exams. To discuss these issues, host Darrell West is joined by David Rettinger and Lindsey Barrett. David is a professor of psychological science and director of academic integrity programs at the University of Mary Washington. He also is the president emeritus of the International Center for Academic Integrity. Lindsey is the Fritz Family Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center and the author of a paper entitled “Rejecting Test Surveillance in Higher Education”

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Protecting Your Online Reputation

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 07:13:06 GMT

In the wild west known as the internet and social media, digital sliming is quite real. There are internet sites that spread information about people and then charge them to remove the negative material. Being subject to gossip and innuendo is just one more risk we face in the digital world. This so-called slander industry spreads lies, damages people’s reputations, and creates havoc in terms of employment, livelihoods, and community persona. Once someone’s reputation is damaged, it can be difficult to get a job, borrow money, and engage in a whole host of societal activities. In this episode, host Darrell West speaks with Quinta Jurecic, Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a former Senior Editor at Lawfare. She offers valuable advice regarding how to manage digital activities and protect your online reputation.

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Is Biden’s American Jobs Plan the beginning of a Tech New Deal?

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 07:02:36 GMT

President Biden’s American Jobs Plan promises to generate more than 19 million jobs for U.S. workers, with an emphasis on blue collar occupations, rural communities, and communities most impacted by climate change. A key component of the plan is to expand high-quality and reliable broadband internet to all Americans.

On this episode of the TechTank podcast, host Nicol Turner Lee talks with experts about economic trends associated with the critical infrastructure investments included in the plan, Why America Needs a Tech New Deal, and what opportunities and challenges exist for job growth in the tech sector.

Guests include Algernon Austin, senior researcher at the Thurgood Marshall Institute, Allison Scott, chief executive officer of the Kapor Center Foundation, and Rikin Thakker, chief technology officer of the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

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Did citizens' use of technology deliver justice for George Floyd and implicate bad policing?

Mon, 31 May 2021 07:00:01 GMT

On the anniversary of George Floyd's murder by police officer Derek Chauvin, questions remain about the emerging role of technology in the criminal justice process. Bystanders like Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded the death of Mr. Floyd on her smartphone, are now empowered to film police officers engaged in egregious and potentially unlawful acts. And footage from police body cameras can provide the public an opportunity to view violent incidents with their own eyes. In this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Brookings scholars Rashawn Ray and Makada Henry-Nickie, and Keesha Middlemass, Associate Professor in Political Science at Howard University, about the benefits, risks, and limitations of technology in the criminal justice process.

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Facebook Oversight Board Decision Banning Trump

Mon, 17 May 2021 07:00:22 GMT

Should a powerful technology company such as Facebook have the power to ban public officials from its platform?

On January 7th, the day after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building, Facebook temporarily banned then President Donald Trump on the grounds that he had used a video and online statement to incite violence. Since then, the company referred the Trump case to an oversight board composed of 20 independent experts to determine whether to make the ban permanent and to provide guidance for other world leaders.

Last week, the Facebook Oversight Board reached its decision and affirmed the initial ban — but turned the issue of a permanent ban back to Facebook, with a request the company issue a decision on Trump within the next six months. The case raises important questions regarding the actual decision itself as well as the governance model of having a board of experts make decisions about platform access for national political leaders.

In this episode, host Darrell West speaks with Quinta Jurecic, Senior Editor at Lawfare and a Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, about the appropriateness of the Facebook Oversight Board’s decision on Trump and the governance model represented by the board itself.

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What to Expect from the Biden Administration on Antitrust Regulation and Big Tech

Mon, 03 May 2021 07:00:41 GMT

The nation’s current antitrust laws have historical regulatory and enforcement precedents. Recent hearings targeting Big Tech companies are beginning to question whether the existing laws are adaptable to current corporate behaviors and provide sufficient policing of deceptive or anti competitive behaviors or practices. In this episode of TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee discusses the Biden administration's potential approach to antitrust and competition policies, particularly those affecting Big Tech, with Brookings Fellows Bill Baer and Tom Wheeler, and MIT Professor Nancy Rose.

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With new investments in broadband infrastructure, can we finally close the digital divide once and for all?

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:00:38 GMT

President Biden has put forth an agenda to Build Back Better that now includes physical infrastructure and job creation in an effort to stir economic recovery in the United States. Broadband infrastructure is included in his trillion dollar plan, alongside water, roads, and bridges, as well as the modernization of schools, and other institutional assets. Making high-speed broadband and the applications it enables available to all citizens are at the core of his agenda, which resonates with the recent proposal of a Tech New Deal by podcast co-host, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee. Prior to President Biden’s announcement, Congressman and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn released the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act with Senator Amy Klobuchar and other Democratic co-sponsors. The Act introduced comprehensive bicameral broadband infrastructure legislation to get high-speed broadband access to all Americans, with the specific focus on closing the digital divide. The proposed legislation will invest over $94 billion in infrastructure, and ensure internet access for citizens to learn, earn, and access telehealth from a viable broadband connection.

In this episode of TechTank, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Congressman Jim Clyburn about his new legislation and former Federal Communications Commission Interim Acting Chair and Commissioner, Mignon Clyburn. The discussion will touch upon Dr. Turner Lee’s proposed Tech New Deal as a path for reaching the proposed legislative goals of the Majority Whip’s proposed legislation.

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What We Can Learn About Mars From The Perseverance Exploration?

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT

In February, the latest US rover named Perseverance landed on Mars and began what is expected to be a historic exploration of the Red Planet. Equipped with high-resolution cameras, microphones, drills, scoopers, and a helicopter, the mission aims to find evidence of microbial life from 3.5 billion years and decipher what happened to that planet. Already, Perseverance is navigating its landing spot in Jezero Crater, finding rocks that appear to have been molded by water and wind, taking pictures of volcanic rocks, and starting to move around the crater.

In this episode of TechTank, Darrell West speaks with NASA specialist and planetary geologist Vicky Hamilton of the Southwest Research Institute. The two of them discuss the benefits of space exploration, what we have learned from past missions, and how scientists are testing for ancient life on Mars.

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To Build Back Better, The U.S. Needs A Digital Service Corps

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 07:00:57 GMT

This podcast is part of a three-part series on the various parts of the Tech New Deal. This episode explores the necessity of digital service in the U.S.

How do we establish programs that improve upon the tech pipeline, while at the same time, ensuring that we have enough workers to nourish and grow our burgeoning broadband networks and services?

Further, how do we ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate to make national service an over-arching bridge builder as we make our way out of this pandemic and the more prominent racial divides that we are currently experiencing?

In this episode of Tech Tank, Nicol Turner Lee speaks with Amanda Renteria and Nick Sinai about a digital service corps.

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How Companies Surveil Workers And Ways Employees Can Protect Themselves

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:00:15 GMT

Today, under the coronavirus quarantines and lockdowns, most of us are working from home. This transition to a virtual world has blurred the lines between professional and personal life… in more ways than one.

We’ve all heard some of the scarier versions of Big Brother. Companies installing technology in their employees’ chairs, that tracks how long they spend at their desks each day. Required employee tracking bracelets, which record how many minutes you spend on your lunch break.

Though the pandemic has isolated us in so many ways, that doesn’t mean we’re entirely alone. In fact, some of us are being watched like never before.

Darrell West invites attorney John Ella to the podcast, to discuss how companies surveil employees and what workers can do to protect themselves.

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Should Free Speech Be Regulated Online?

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:00:22 GMT

In the days leading up to the U.S. Capitol insurrection on January 6, social media platforms were flooded with hate speech and misinformation. Months before, there were also denouncements by former President Donald J. Trump about the proposed content moderation practices of private companies, as well as their use of Section 230 protections.

It took only days after armed mobs stormed the U.S. Capitol, for platforms like Facebook and Twitter to decide Trump’s tweets were more than just “saber rattling.”

Relying on section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, for immunity from civil suit, Twitter permanently banned President Trump’s account, wiping out his contact with 88 million followers, and banned thousands of conservative social media accounts. Facebook banned Trump’s account “at least until his term was over.” Google and Apple blocked the conservative-leaning social networking service Parler from their stores, and Amazon Web Services denied Parler access to its cloud network. Parler was forced to shut down for a time.

To many, January 8 seemed two days, two years, or two decades too late. Nonetheless, the question remains: Should free speech be regulated online? And if so, what should the content moderation practices be of private companies? Further, what voices should be subjected to greater scrutiny, and will those from more marginalized populations be questioned?

In this episode of Tech Tank, Nicol Turner Lee speaks with David Johns of the National Black Justice Coalition and CTI scholars John Morris and Tom Wheeler.

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How To Protect Yourself From Cybersecurity Attacks

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:00:08 GMT

At the end of 2020, reporting revealed the dramatic SolarWinds hack of major American businesses and government agencies. Russia broke into leading institutions and cybersecurity experts still are gauging the scope of the damage. But this isn’t the only hack that Americans need to be wary of. The pandemic has also revealed the weakness of private business and ordinary citizens to protect themselves against malware, phishing attacks, and unwanted intrusions. Taking advantage of the security lapses exposed by remote work, hackers have held whole cities and companies hostage. Ransomware skyrocketed over the last year and exposed our fundamental vulnerabilities.

In this situation, Congress and the Biden Administration must act to stop nation-state actors and lone wolf attackers that target Americans all the time. The United States needs a clear plan to combat cyber intrusions and ordinary people need to exercise much better digital hygiene.

In this episode of Tech Tank, Darrell West speaks with Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island on how government, business, and regular people can protect themselves from cybersecurity attacks.

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How To Protect Your Privacy with Online Dating Apps

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:00:20 GMT

Online dating apps like Tinder collect a large amount of personal information on their users. Tinder’s privacy policy clearly states your data may be used to deliver “targeted advertising”. Even a step beyond that, the policy says “you should not expect that your personal information, chats, or other communications will always remain secure”.

Your online data affects what job offers you have access to on LinkedIn, how much you pay for insuring your car, ads you will see on Youtube and if you can get approved for a loan. The lack of a national privacy standard and the weakness of security guidelines leave many online daters with inadequate protections and creates regulatory uncertainty for the dating apps and websites themselves. So in the meantime, how can people using online dating apps protect their privacy and security?

In this episode, Darrell West, Caitlin Chin, and Mishaela Robison discuss the risks of dating apps and what can be done to improve personal safety.

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How Fair Is The Gig Economy?

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:18:00 GMT

Many people participate in jobs associated with the gig economy. This includes those who drive for ride-sharing services, deliver food, or otherwise get paid based on services or deliveries, or car rides, as opposed to a set salary or hourly basis.

People take these jobs for all kinds of reasons. They need flexible work schedules or are in school and aren’t available for a traditional job. These positions provide extra cash and allows people to take care of young children or aging relatives.

Yet others worry because such workers generally don't qualify for healthcare benefits, disability insurance, or retirement matches from their companies. While the gig economy might seem like a positive evolution for our workforce, we need to make sure gig workers are treated fairly and are able to get healthcare insurance and disability benefits.

A gig job might allow you more flexibility and more freedom…but at what cost?

In today’s episode, Darrell West discusses the implications of the gig economy with guests Makada Henri Nicky and Aaron Klein.

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Will Telehealth Continue Under The Biden Administration?

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:00:50 GMT

Within the coronavirus era, doctor’s visits have gone virtual--much like nearly every aspect of everyday life. So telehealth means a patient talks to their doctor right from the epicenter of their personal world. And those little things that make us human? They’re front and center.

And beyond the convenience of taking a check up from your living room, without having to pay for childcare or transportation, telehealth is helpful in lots of ways. Take, for example, its ability to connect rural hospitals with nurses or surgeons at huge medical centers during emergencies that don’t afford the time to transfer a patient. That’s built in teamwork, support, collaboration. Or, the fact that telehealth allows trans people to see their doctor without the often awkward or negative confrontations at a physical office. That’s insured protection, comfort, confidence.

But, of course, the steady march of technology doesn’t stop at doctor to patient Zoom calls.

In this episode host Nicol Turner-Lee discusses the rise of telehealth and its implications, with Ross Friedberg and Niam Yaraghi.

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What Will Tech Policy Look Like In The Next Administration?

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:00:13 GMT

With Election 2020 coming to a close, President-Elect Joe Biden is moving to assemble his administration and set his policy priorities. The new leader faces many challenging technology issues, from antitrust, privacy, and content moderation to China and digital disparities made worse by COVID-19. He'll also have to make decisions regarding key tech policy positions. He does this at a time of diminished Democratic numbers in the House of Representatives and a Senate where party control is yet to be determined. Against this backdrop, Brookings scholars Darrell West, Nicol Turner-Lee, and Tom Wheeler discuss key issues facing the new administration and how they will approach technology challenges.

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How Can We Cope With Zoom Fatigue?

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:53:47 GMT

The phrase “telecommuting” was first coined in the early 1970s by a NASA employee named Jack Nilles. Nilles claimed telecommuting could offset traffic congestion, promote resource conservation, and be a major convenience for those so engaged. In addition to the societal and environmental benefits, CEOs of major companies said it increased productivity and offered greater flexibility for workers, as workplaces across the country adopted it as an option.

But when COVID-19 hit, telework quickly went from an option to a necessity. Overnight, more than half of Americans went to work over Zoom. Months into the pandemic, we’re starting to see the consequences. But in the current environment, many major companies have announced that their employees will work remotely on a long term basis. Are we ready for this?

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Is There a Way to Keep Schools Open Safely?

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:00:13 GMT

Early in March, the COVID-19 pandemic began burning a furious path across the U.S., shuttering schools and sending 50 million students home. Some of the nation’s largest public school districts, including New York City and Los Angeles, were the first to close their doors for the remainder of the academic year.

Many parents were forced to become educators for the first time in their lives. And school districts quickly tried to become fully equipped for distance learning - an experiment that laid bare the digital divide in America, and exposed a modern inequality exacerbated by the virus.

As the effort to reopen schools happens across the country, one thing is certain: All will be forced to navigate this new normal in education while still in the middle of a public health crisis. But what does reopening look like, and how can it happen safely? And how will it evolve as COVID-19 remains uncontained in America?

With the school year well underway, we need answers, good answers, and fast.

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Will Disinformation and Voter Suppression Help Trump Win Reelection?

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 07:00:24 GMT

With the 2020 presidential election about to take place, concerns about foreign interference, disinformation, mail ballot snafus, and voter suppression remain high. Already, there have been major phishing attacks against leading campaigns and Facebook has removed hundreds of thousands of fake accounts operated by foreign entities. With countries such as Russia, China, and Iran having a major stake in the outcome, what should U.S. election officials be doing to safeguard the election? Are American policymakers prepared for what likely will be the most important election in decades?

In this episode, Brookings experts Elaine Kamarck, Chris Meserole, and Darrell West identify the major threats to our election system, highlight lessons learned from 2016 that could help protect voters, and discuss whether disinformation and voter suppression will enable President Donald Trump to win reelection.

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Should Trump Ban TikTok and WeChat?

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 07:00:31 GMT

On June 20th, President Donald Trump showed up in Tulsa, Oklahoma for his first campaign rally after a three-month hiatus. Before the rally, the Trump campaign bragged about the million tickets that had been pre-requested. But when the rally started only 6200 people showed up at the arena, and the President addressed a sea of empty chairs. Politically active young people used TikTok to encourage others to reserve tickets but not show up, thereby forcing Trump to play to an empty room.

Soon thereafter, President Trump released an Executive Order banning Chinese applications TikTok and WeChat in the United States and ordering TikTok’s sale to an American company. He argued the companies could release personal data to the Chinese government and therefore represented a national security threat. TikTok now is in talks with Oracle for the sale of its American operations.

In this episode, we address the broader issues represented by these presidential actions and whether they signal a trend toward a fractured internet divided by national boundaries and security fears. If the President makes good on his order to ban these applications or force TikTok to be sold to a US firm, will the concept of an open, borderless internet vanish? These are the crucial questions that will shape the future of the internet and U.S. tech policy.

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Congressman David Cicilline on Why We Need a Glass-Steagall Act for the Internet

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 07:00:29 GMT

In 1932, Senator Carter Glass and Congressman Henry Steagall joined forces to pass a new banking law that divided investment from commercial banking. They argued there was an inherent conflict of interest in banks performing both activities and that it was harmful to consumers. As we move into the digital world, there are firms that perform a number of different business functions and there are questions whether this hurts consumers and creates unfair advantages for particular firms.

Over the past year, the House Antitrust Committee has held a series of hearings and heard complaints from businesses about unfair practices by large internet platforms. In a recent hearing with CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, subcommittee chair David Cicilline outlined a number of abuses.

Now the subcommittee is finalizing its report, and Congressman Cicilline sat down with Brookings Vice President Darrell West for a candid conversation about problems in the digital economy and why America needs Glass-Steagall legislation for the internet. He explains why large internet platforms have unfair advantages and harm small and medium-sized businesses. He says it is time for Congress to enact new rules of the road for the digital economy.

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How Has COVID-19 Transformed Work, Education, and Healthcare?

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 05:57:53 GMT

As the pandemic spring has turned into the pandemic summer—and with no sign of abating once fall arrives—Americans are beginning to grapple with how the disease will change daily life forever. Across the country, empty streets and empty office towers don’t just mean a change in how we work—entire communities have relocated to new places.

“Reopen the economy” has entered the pantheon of American political catchphrases. And while white collar workers may reap the benefits of a post-COVID world—one in which employers recognize that—with a powerful enough internet connection, anyone can work from home—blue collar workers won’t see those benefits.

But it’s not just in the workplace. Medicine and education are also being rethought in real time. Come September, school will look radically different than it did a year ago—but who are the students that stand to gain from at-home learning? How can we ensure that all students—regardless of race and family wealth—can thrive while learning digitally? And how do we make sure that doctor’s appointments conducted over the internet are accessible to everyone who needs care?

One day the pandemic will end. But before that happens, we need to make sure that the world it leaves in its wake is a just and equitable one. Finding the answers to these questions is the first step.

In this episode, CTI Senior Fellow Darrell West hosts a conversation with Annelies Goger, a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program, and Makada Henry-Nickie, a fellow in Governance Studies. The three discuss how COVID-19 is impacting employment, healthcare, and education during pandemic-related shutdowns and how its effects may be felt in these areas long after the virus subsides.

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How Can We Fight Racial Bias in Technology?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:33:28 GMT

Algorithms are the tools by which the modern world plans, programs, and conducts itself. But they’re also the tools by which the modern world perpetuates racism in the digital age. If algorithms are going to rule technology, and therefore, our lives, how can we ensure they rule fairly?

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