Internet

Join ITIF for an expert panel discussion exploring how anti-tech conservatives would weaponize the government against technology, the legitimacy of conservatives’ anti-tech arguments, and the implications of their proposals for society.

Europe needs to pump the brakes on new regulations before it can properly assess the long-term effects of the GDPR, DSA, DMA, and AI Act.

Some conservatives have grievances with “Big Tech” companies and would marshal the power of government to punish them. But the policy proposals stemming from this conservative “techlash” would have significant costs for consumers, businesses, and the economy.

Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Stop the Scroll Act, which would require warning labels on social media platforms about potential mental health risks. However, the proposal is flawed due to the lack of scientific consensus linking social media to mental health harms and the ineffectiveness of pop-up warnings, which are often ignored by users, especially children.

While increasing children’s online safety and privacy are important goals, it is important not to infringe on others’ rights, or children’s own rights, in the process.

Age assurances are not the only available option to protect children online. But if policymakers are set on mandating age assurance systems, regulation should be limited to high-risk circumstances, avoid inflexible requirements, and be designed to be technologically and commercially agnostic.

The use of cloud computing by firms has been proven to increase productivity and innovation and to lower costs.

A recent working paper found that a 10 percent increase in broadband Internet access among county residents leads to 0.11 fewer suicide deaths per county, a 1.02 percent reduction in suicides overall.

The Center for Data Innovation submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding the disclosure and transparency of AI-generated content in political advertisements.

Global trade relies heavily on trust, and the Internet amplifies trust challenges due to distance, anonymity, and the vast scale of interactions. To address these challenges, APEC economies should focus on developing socio-technical solutions, like digital IDs and content provenance tools, to improve trust in the digital environment and ensure the safety and security of the digital economy.