As the saying goes: there are those who’ve been hacked, and those who haven’t just don’t know they have. After over 140 million Americans saw their data compromised in the Equifax breach, they may be wondering: what is our government doing about it? With so many companies collecting our data, should the FTC crack down or would that have consequences for innovation? Evan is joined by Neil Chilson, Acting Chief Technologist at the Federal Trade Commission. For more, see the FTC’s upcoming workshop...
Dec 07, 2017•30 min•Ep. 77
The Fourth Amendment protects American citizens from unwarranted searches and seizures, but how far does that protection extend? The Carpenter v. United States case in front the Supreme Court seeks to determine whether or not the use of cell site location information requires law enforcement officials to obtain a warrant. Ashkhen Kazaryan, TechFreedom Legal Fellow is joined by Curt Levey, President of the Committee for Justice and Ashley Baker, Director of Public Policy to discuss.
Nov 30, 2017•21 min•Ep. 76
Today we discuss the end of net neutrality....or do we? Under the leadership of Chairman Ajit Pai, the FCC is set to undo broad claims on power over the Internet made in 2010 and 2015. That will also mean rolling back most – but not all – of the FCC's broadband rules. What is Pai planning to change, and what does he see as the future of Internet regulation? Is net neutrality really dying, or just changing? What difference will this make for consumers? We discuss these issues and more with our sp...
Nov 22, 2017•25 min•Ep. 75
You might not be able to see them but airwaves are very important, enabling all sorts of communication that we rely on. Given the exploding demand for access to the airwaves from new technologies like AR, VR, and 4K video, is the way we allocate spectrum good enough? Is there a better way? We discuss that and more with our guests, Ryan Radia, Research Fellow and Regulatory Council at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Joe Kane, Tech Policy Associate at the R Street Institute.
Nov 20, 2017•22 min•Ep. 74
While many classrooms have iPads and children rely on the Internet to do their homework, in many ways education is still an analog experience. Are we headed for a wave of disruption? Or are there certain human elements of education that simply can’t be digitized? Evan is joined by Jan Hein Hoogstad, founder and technology developer for Offcourse, an online education platform. They discuss the state of online education, the challenges it faces, and how government policies might change the game....
Nov 13, 2017•37 min•Ep. 73
Video games have presented a challenge for parents since their advent. “Get off the couch and play outside!” or “Read a book!” are phrases the host of this podcast heard plenty throughout his childhood. But it’s been over three decades since Pong was invented, and the landscape has changed dramatically. Video gaming has become a professional and spectator sport, and the industry’s impact on the economy is significant. But can gaming also help educate people and build a workforce fit for a high-t...
Nov 06, 2017•23 min•Ep. 72
Artificial intelligence is already transforming our lives in many ways, and it has the potential to do so much more. But it seems like news headlines only focus on potential job loss and the end of the world than increased productivity and social benefits. Is this because our mental imagery of AI is so influenced by dystopian sci-fi novels and movies like Terminator ? Or have policymakers not done enough to communicate honestly about the disruptions we face with AI? What can listeners of this po...
Oct 30, 2017•32 min•Ep. 71
In 1975, “media” essentially meant television, radio, and newspapers. Obviously, today’s market looks way different thanks to the Internet and other developments. We have cable and satellite TV, online news, podcasts, and social media. We have “cord cutters” and “cord nevers,” and there are more ways to consume more content than ever before. In this competitive environment, however, many of the media regulations passed by the FCC in the 1970s still apply to TV, radio, and newspapers. Are these r...
Oct 23, 2017•29 min•Ep. 70
Pop some champagne and untangle your headphones, as the Tech Policy Podcast is celebrating it's 200th episode. Woo! Evan sits down with Austin Carson, Executive Director of TechFreedom and an all-around normal guy. They celebrate this milestone, solving all of the world's problems in under 30 minutes and answering some of your burning questions. Are all New Yorkers this awful, or is it just Evan? Why can't Austin stop his hands hitting the table during recording? Is tech policy about to get real...
Oct 15, 2017•27 min•Ep. 69
The Internet has disrupted the way we communicate, entertain ourselves, and more. But what about how we take care of ourselves? While the Fitbit and Apple Watch are nice ways to track exercise, how often do we still have to fill out paper forms when we visit a doctor? Is there more to telemedicine than “counting steps?” Evan is joined by Nadia Morris, Director at the AT&T Connected Health Foundry in Houston, TX, an innovation center focusing on digital health technologies by working with sta...
Oct 07, 2017•26 min•Ep. 68
Russia's meddling in the 2016 election isn't exactly breaking news. But recently, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are facing an intense backlash from prominent Senators after revelations that Russian actors bought hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ads meant to stoke division among Americans on hot button issues like gun control, race relations, and even the recent NFL protests. Should the Federal Election Commission regulate social media ads the same way it does televisi...
Oct 02, 2017•31 min•Ep. 67
Germans head to the polls on Sunday for a national election. And while many political headlines are bemoaning what could be a “boring” victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel, the election could have serious implications for tech policy. Will Merkel’s coalition with the social democrats (SPD) survive, or might we see an unexpected contract with the up and coming libertarian-leaning “free democrats (FDP)?” Would continuity mean more government hacking, facial recognition in the subways, and stockpil...
Sep 22, 2017•23 min•Ep. 66
When it comes to voter turnout, America lags behind much of the world. Could online voting help spur more civic engagement? The 2016 election was plagued by headlines about Russian hacking, faulty voting machines, and frustration over the Electoral College. But with all the concern around cybersecurity and the integrity of elections, is online voting really the solution? Does the Internet make elections less or more secure? What can the U.S. learn from countries like Estonia? Evan is joined by A...
Sep 19, 2017•29 min•Ep. 65
When it comes to tech policy, New York seems to lead the way in… interesting ideas. The government has an important role in making sure our roads are safe for driving. This means there’s nothing abnormal about a police officer checking their blood alcohol levels with a breathalyzer. But the “textalyzer” is a different animal: law enforcement scanning phones to see if drivers were “texting” before an accident raises a host of privacy and cybersecurity concerns, among other issues. Manufactured by...
Sep 12, 2017•21 min•Ep. 64
When it comes to immigration policy, the headlines are naturally focused on DACA, Dreamers, and illegal immigration. But many in Congress are also looking to reduce legal immigration, namely Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA), who introduced the RAISE Act, aimed at cutting green cards issued in half over the next ten years. What kind of impact does legal immigration have on the tech sector, and how might the RAISE Act change that? What else could Congress do to address problems i...
Sep 06, 2017•22 min•Ep. 63
The North American Free Trade Agreement was a major sticking point in the 2016 election, with then-candidate Trump criticizing the trade deal for killing U.S. jobs, particularly in manufacturing. But how do policies like NAFTA impact technology and the everyday consumer experience? Recently, Canada, Mexico, and the United States began renegotiating the 1994 trade agreement, aiming to complete a new deal by the end of the year. Should tech stakeholders be worried about changes to NAFTA, or is thi...
Aug 31, 2017•26 min•Ep. 62
It seems like every week there are more headlines about cyber attacks. Should you be worried about the next Petya or WannaCry? What can we do to protect ourselves from getting hacked? With an endless stream of alarming incidents — Sony, HBO, North Korea, and federal agencies — are we at risk of falling into a “cyber fatigue?” Evan is joined by Heather West, Senior Policy Manager for the Americas at Mozilla, and Austin Carson, Executive Director of TechFreedom. They discuss the latest in cyber ne...
Aug 25, 2017•31 min•Ep. 61
The Internet has changed a lot over the past 20 years, and so has the music industry. CDs and record stores have been replaced by streaming and the iTunes store. While consumers are benefitting from more content and ways to listen to music than ever before, prominent artists like Taylor Swift have lamented declining revenues for artists in the digital age, even taking their gripes to the halls of Congress. Is streaming a viable future for online music, or will online piracy and low royalties spo...
Aug 21, 2017•27 min•Ep. 60
What does government have to do with video games? Censorship and the First Amendment may come to mind, but that’s only a small piece of the puzzle. The American video game industry is worth $30 billion, and everything from tax reform to NSA surveillance can have a huge impact on this growing sector of the economy. Why should gamers care about net neutrality and broadband deployment? Are there policy solutions to the dreaded “lag” problem? How do free trade and intellectual property fit in the mi...
Aug 15, 2017•29 min•Ep. 59
Recently, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduced the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act ( SESTA ). The bill is gaining co-sponsors and support on both sides of the aisle, and virtually everyone agrees that sex trafficking is a very real problem that Congress needs to address. But the bill is also getting pushback from voices across the spectrum, including right- and left-leaning civil society groups and tech companies big and small. Supporters of SESTA argue that long-...
Aug 11, 2017•29 min•Ep. 58
Sex offenders are often banned from playgrounds and schoolyards, but what about social networks? Should policymakers treat the virtual world the same as the real world? North Carolina passed a law in 2008 banning sex offenders from accessing websites where information is exchanged and minors can participate, including social media platforms like Facebook. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the North Carolina law violates free speech, meaning sex offenders can use Facebook as long...
Aug 04, 2017•23 min•Ep. 57
Like most things in Cuba, the Internet is complicated. While only a tiny percentage of homes have WiFi, nearly a third of Cubans went online in 2016, and the growing private sector is increasingly digital. While the previous administration opened up relations with Cuba in 2014, President Trump announced a rollback of some of those reforms in a speech in Miami last month. How will the potential changes affect Cuba’s digital future? Evan is joined by Celia Mendoza, founder of Concierge Havana , a ...
Jul 28, 2017•29 min•Ep. 56
As the autonomous future approaches, what will it mean for public transit? Cities across the world are testing new technologies, such as collision avoidance and emergency braking, in their transit systems. But the changes won’t just be limited to our vehicles, as credit card companies and payment apps get it on the action, too. What can the U.S. learn from Finland’s approach? Will fears over cybersecurity and privacy hold back the automation of public transit? Will workers feel threatened by new...
Jul 14, 2017•22 min•Ep. 54
In the Digital Age, your data could be stored anywhere in the world, regardless of where you live. So what happens when your police department is investigating a crime in the United States, but the relevant data are stored in Ireland? Do you need a U.S. warrant, or an Irish one? How much of a problem for law enforcement is cross-border data? What kinds of agreements can nations strike to facilitate investigations without trampling on civil liberties and human rights? Evan is joined by Jennifer D...
Jul 10, 2017•27 min•Ep. 53
Are vibrators, dildos, and other sex toys the next frontier in hacking and surveillance? Some tech experts say this creepy scenario has already arrived. Hackers have already broken into Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected dildos through password hacks, remote access, and script overrides. Evan is joined by Amie Stepanovich, US Policy Manager at Access Now, and Arthur Rizer, Senior Fellow at R Street. They discuss teledildonics, personal privacy, and the serious implications of sex you hacking. For mor...
Jun 30, 2017•27 min•Ep. 183
Cities like San Francisco and New York are at the cutting edge of technology. But are "progressives" friends or foes of innovation? City councils across the U.S. have had their share of spats with companies like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. Does the sharing economy pose problems for progressive values like job security and healthcare? Is all the focus on large, mostly Democratic cities distracting from anti-tech Republicans and conservatives? Evan is joined by Jared Meyer, Senior Fellow at the Founda...
Jun 27, 2017•23 min•Ep. 182
The Internet is nothing without electricity, and the increased demand for data and expanding “Internet of Things” means we need more and more power to stay online. One billion people worldwide lack electricity, and four billion remain offline. Bridging the Digital Divide will involve more data centers, wireless networks, smartphones, and other equipment that will strain energy grids. But could the Internet also be part of the solution to global power needs? Evan is joined by Nilmini Rubin, Vice ...
Jun 23, 2017•22 min•Ep. 181
Is our air traffic control (ATC) system outdated? The White House seems to think so. A couple weeks back, the president announced his support for transferring ATC from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to a nonprofit corporation governed by a board of directors, including representatives of airlines, unions, airports and others. The FAA has struggled for years to upgrade its technology from radar to GPS, and proponents of ATC reform say “privatizing” ATC will enable a NextGen system. Opp...
Jun 20, 2017•27 min•Ep. 180
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is pushing ahead with a controversial tech agenda, despite a grave political miscalculation that cost her Conservative party its majority in Parliament. Will a flimsy minority government supported by a Northern Irish party be enough to push through measures on online pornography, hate speech, and electronic surveillance? How will the UK's European neighbors and the United States react? Evan discusses with TechFreedom legal fellow Ashkhen Kazaryan and UK native Rober...
Jun 15, 2017•23 min•Ep. 179
Recent terrorist attacks in Portland, London, and Manchester have many calling for a crackdown on Internet hate speech. They argue that allowing toxic content to exist online, especially on social media, leads to violence, crime, and terrorism. But who should decide what we’re allowed to say? Government? Internet companies? A combination of the two? Having the government “clean up” the Internet may sound good in theory, but would you trust the president of the U.S. or other world leaders to make...
Jun 09, 2017•22 min•Ep. 178
