The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ostensibly outlaws barriers to the flow of personal data between EU countries, and in September 2017, the European Commission published a draft regulation for a similar rule on non-personal data transfers. Yet a plethora of questions remain. How should policymakers address the remaining obstacles to data flows outside the union?
Event Archive
December 6, 2017
In a deeply integrated global economy, with a growing number of goods and services readily tradeable across borders, nations face stiff competition to grow and attract high-value-added, traded-sector industries. Refusing to engage in this competition is not an option- so how can policymakers stem the dangerous decline in U.S. economic competitiveness.
December 5, 2017
From government chatbots that respond to citizen queries to municipal infrastructure that predicts necessary repairs, the public sector of tomorrow has the potential to be significantly smarter than it is today. While some government agencies have taken first steps towards smarter government, all levels of government face significant obstacles that limit their ability and willingness to embrace data-driven innovation. What steps should policymakers take to overcome these obstacles and accelerate the transformation to smarter government?
December 1, 2017
Join ITIF for two expert panels on the intersection of technology and the future of U.S. manufacturing.
November 28, 2017
Technology-based startups are key drivers of America’s economic growth because they make outsized contributions to employment, innovation, and productivity. Unfortunately, policymakers tend to focus indiscriminately on helping small business startups without specifically targeting technology-based startups that have high growth potential. How can policymakers support the formation and success of new technology firms at the national and local level?
November 15, 2017
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) fills key gaps in the U.S. energy innovation system. Its funding yields new science that is relevant to energy innovators and leads to the creation of a significant number of new companies, services, and products.
November 9, 2017
The emergence of hybrid infrastructure—infrastructure that integrates digital technology with physical infrastructure—will be more efficient and sustainable than the concrete roads and bridges of yesteryear. But the new technologies raise the question of whether to prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure or deploying innovative new infrastructure.
October 26, 2017
Many technology industries are characterized by relatively high levels of industry concentration, with one or a few firms holding significant market share. This has sparked alarm among some who assert that such concentration is anti-consumer and call for more aggressive antitrust enforcement. Yet antitrust scholars have shown that in many cases the concentration helps consumers and spurs economic growth.
October 12, 2017
Many privacy advocates argue businesses should have a legal obligation to obtain affirmative consent from consumers before collecting and processing data. However, opt-in policies often have negative impacts on business. Join ITIF for a discussion about this ongoing policy debate including the latest research in privacy.
October 10, 2017
As a host of new digital technologies have emerged over the last decade, data has become a key driver of economic growth, social progress, and innovation.