Upcoming event

A fireside chat with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Nathan Simington and telecommunications expert Joel Thayer Attorney at Phillips Lytle LLP and Outside Policy Counsel for Lincoln Network.

The FCC’s agenda on broadband buildout and how the FCC’s policies will develop in the coming months with this new administration.

A discussion on whether and how market power could lead to political power.

Sarah Miller, Executive Director, American Economic Liberties Project

As schools rely on technology and data to provide instruction amidst COVID-19, they continue to grapple with issues of privacy protection, responsible technology use, and digital equity. Our recent research found that twice as many teachers described edtech as “very important” during COVID-19 as they did prior to the pandemic, yet a third of parents and teachers reported increased concerns about student privacy during the pandemic.

Twenty-five years after it was signed into law, Section 230 is more endangered than ever. Republicans blame it for censorship, Democrats blame it for misinformation, and nearly everyone thinks it needs reform. But if policymakers aren’t smart about structuring reform, there could be broad, unanticipated consequences for free expression and commerce.

Keynote from Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) that broadly addresses her vision for reining in big tech, antitrust enforcement, and her new bill which touches on 230 reform, the SAFE TECH Act. 

Antitrust is on a roll. Major new lawsuits have been introduced against tech platforms Google and Facebook by the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general. And Congress is considering a revamp of the law. Undergirding much of the discussion and debate is this question: What role should the consumer welfare standard play in assessing harm to competition?

Panelists include:

With broadband access disparities placed in sharp relief due to the pandemic, new grant and subsidy programs present the biggest opportunity in a decade (or more) to obtain support for broadband infrastructure expansion and the provision of affordable service.

Technology has always been an integral part of the tools people use at their jobs and to create solidarity and exercise their voices at work. Change is inevitable, but the form it takes is not. At issue are how workplaces implement new technologies and the impact these technologies have on workers’ lives. How these technological changes are implemented, in turn, depends on the underlying economic and legal structures, as well as the extent to which workers are empowered to be full and active partners in technological adoption and integration.

Our information ecosystem is related to the health of our democracy. How can we reduce misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms while also ensuring that platforms promote the free exchange of ideas?