Cristiano Lima-Strong

Women have exerted historic levels of influence over technology policy in the past four years, holding prominent roles across the federal government and overseeing major issues including artificial intelligence, antitrust, chip manufacturing and internet connectivity. The Republican sweep in this year’s elections, coupled with at least one key retirement, is poised to usher many out of power—with men set to step in. Incoming changes in the Trump administration represent a setback for women’s representation in top tech roles in government after it had reached unprecedented heights.

When it comes to tech policy, the next Congress has a seemingly endless to-do list. It includes hashing out a deal on an elusive federal privacy law, coalescing on how to address booming products driven by artificial intelligence and countering harms on social media.

Donald Trump clinched the presidency for a second time on November 6, delivering a victory for tech and business magnates such as Elon Musk who rallied around his campaign. Trump’s first term was marked by a wave of deregulation across the tech and telecom sectors and punctuated by 

The upcoming election is poised to have major ramifications for regulation of the tech industry, with control of Congress and the White House virtually a toss-up just two weeks out. A look at the three top races to watch this cycle:

A group of lawmakers is making a major push to extend a key internet subsidy program in their upcoming government spending talks, part of a last-ditch effort to head off a lapse in funding. In recent days, top Democratic lawmakers and officials at the Federal Communications Commission have held numerous rallies calling for the $14 billion Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, to receive a new round of appropriations from Congress. The ACP “allowed some 23 million low-income households to receive discounts on their internet bills of up to $30 a month,” or higher for tribal lands.

As government officials increasingly scrutinize how digital platforms may harm kids, a growing number of states are proposing sweeping restrictions to limit their access to social media. But a top federal enforcer active on kids’ safety issues said that he opposes such limits, arguing they are unlikely to work and may run afoul of the Constitution. “Meet a teenager, they will find a way to get around that,” said Federal Trade Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya.