Internet

A well-calibrated approach that prevents Chinese companies like Shein and Temu from exploiting loopholes while incentivizing compliance and supporting vetted sellers on U.S. platforms would best serve U.S. economic and strategic interests.

Senators reintroduced the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which has many flaws, namely that it complicates compliance for platforms that already disallow children below age 13 and limits users’ ability to fully customize their online experience.

Congress needs to step in to prevent a patchwork of state age-verification laws and establish a child-flag system that would better balance adults' access to legal content versus children's access to material intended for mature audiences.

As part of the ongoing backlash against “Big Tech,” policymakers from both sides of the aisle and various stakeholders have raised a host of issues with social media ranging from potential harm to children to the alleged death of democracy.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez excoriated social media companies for a litany of harms in his Davos keynote, and above all for “harming the liberal order and the democratic system.” But the most startling thing was his proposed solution: radical reforms that would fundamentally curtail digital freedoms online.

By streamlining compliance costs, clarifying definitions, and easing the extraterritorial scope of the legislation, the Cyberspace Administration of China can foster a more business-friendly environment while still ensuring data security for personal information.

Rob Atkinson appeared on the POLITICO Tech podcast to discuss President Trump's initial executive orders aimed at the tech sector and why the industry should still have its guard up.

President Biden’s parting condemnation of what he called the “tech-industrial complex” underscored how deeply entrenched demonization of the tech industry has become among policymakers—a stance they must change to ensure America remains globally competitive.

Watch now for a virtual panel discussion with technology policy experts who highlighted and critiqued the most counterproductive tech policies of the past year, and considered how the incoming administration and Congress can turn the page.

Pakistan's frequent Internet shutdowns, justified by the government as measures to address political unrest, have significantly harmed the nation's economy, with estimated losses ranging from $892 million to $1.6 billion in 2024. To preserve economic activity and social value, policymakers should explore alternative approaches to addressing security concerns without restricting Internet access.