Explain to Shane

Will the Biden administration release a national cybersecurity strategy? Can federal agencies’ responsibilities be reorganized and redistributed among one another to increase our national cyber resilience? These and several other questions remain up in the air as cyber threats continue to proliferate.On this episode, Shane is joined by Jason Blessing, a Jeane Kirkpatrick visiting research fellow on AEI’s Foreign and Defense Policy Team, to discuss ways for both the government and private sector to establish comprehensive strategies for confronting cyber threats and combatting authoritarian influence in the digital sphere. They also discuss Jason's latest report, The Advantage Gained: Building on USCYBERCOM-NSA’s “Dual Hat” Synergy Model, which looks at the equities around sharing government data-gathering and information-sharing capabilities.

What are “microbusinesses” and why do they matter to our economic outlook? How can state and local governments learn about and help sustain these local businesses?On this episode, Shane interviews Alex Rosen, a senior director for GoDaddy’s Venture Forward team. Alex explains the rise of online microbusinesses during the pandemic, and how we need to capture these businesses’ importance and continue to foster their growth as part of the buildout of local economies. She also discusses the value that technological innovation has created for small businesses and shares lessons for policymakers who want to protect niche, tech-enabled markets. 

Domain name abuse is a constant challenge, as it’s the entry point for many online activities that are harmful to consumers such as malware, botnets, phishing scams, and spam. Protecting the domain name system (DNS) is a priority for security and stability, and creating an efficient way to track abusers is key to this mission. But what exactly does DNS abuse look like in practice, and how do we catch those who adversely affect the health of the internet’s vast infrastructure?On this episode, Shane sits down with Graeme Bunton, the inaugural director of the DNS Abuse Institute (DNSAI). DNSAI recently partnered with CleanDNS to create NetBeacon—a DNS abuse reporting tool that helps mitigate and process abuse claims. Graeme gives his perspective on the issue of DNS abuse and explains why tools like NetBeacon are necessary in today’s DNS landscape.

Criminals are constantly looking for holes in online identity verification—a key reason why the US government lost $163 billion in unemployment-related fraud during the pandemic. Can technology make identity verification systems more resilient, despite everyone being on separate networks?On this episode, Shane and AEI Nonresident Senior Fellow Jim Harper interview Jordan Burris, senior director for product market strategy at Socure—a platform that combines machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide accurate, trusted digital identity verification. The three of them discuss how fraud prevention is a “team sport” that requires balancing best practices and robust information sharing with careful protection of citizens’ personal information from government overreach.

How has China gained influence at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and what type of agenda will they continue to pursue if the US and our allies do not step up our participation? If China and Russia win the upcoming ITU election, we’re going to find out. Coined recently as “the most important election you have never heard of,” the ITU’s plenipotentiary conference in late September will give members the chance to vote on a new secretary general and group of high officials. If China’s favored candidates succeed, they will continue to dictate the rules, standards, and best practices around emerging technologies like 5G networks.Failure on the part of the US to thwart this effort will have tangible effects on everyday Americans. As two of our guests today have warned, “What is at stake is secure air travel, privacy in every sphere of modern life, and the ability of the US military to protect the American people. The stakes could not be higher.”On this episode, Shane sits down with AEI Distinguished Senior Fellow Danielle Pletka and Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow Brett Schaefer, who co-authored a report titled Countering China’s Growing Influence at the International Telecommunication Union. They’re also joined by Dominique Lazanski, a global internet governance expert and previous Explain to Shane guest who last came on the show to discuss her 2020 essay, Standardising the Splinternet: How China’s Technical Standards Could Fragment the Internet. The four of them discuss the upcoming ITU election, remind us of its high stakes, and explain how China’s quest to dominate the ITU is emblematic of a larger strategy to intimidate rivals and erode the United States’ global influence.

Everyone loves a good “life hack”: Whether it’s through an organizational app, a new productivity strategy, or a novel way to use technology, we’re all looking for ways to be more efficient. What life hacks would a startup and entrepreneurship expert recommend? Shane’s latest guest is Jason Feifer. Jason is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, a podcast host, keynote speaker, startup advisor, and the author of an upcoming book titled Build for Tomorrow: An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career (releasing September 6). He joins the show to share his strategies for career and life success, along with a preview of his book.

As the demand for remote work, schooling, medical services, and retail continues to rise, augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) are proving worthwhile to both the providers and consumers of these services. How can we integrate these technologies into our daily lives as smoothly as possible?On this episode, Shane is joined by David Scurlock, founder and CEO of In Your FACE Learning and Training Academy, which aims to bring XR and other cutting-edge innovations to those with limited access to emerging technology. David’s programs seek to leverage young people’s interest in technology and gaming applications through interactive and immersive educational activities, but are also highly portable for all ages. He joins the podcast to discuss these and other endeavors he’s been pursuing around AR and XR. See here for more of David’s work.

When one thinks about today’s tech leaders in Silicon Valley, PayPal is probably not the first name that comes to mind. But PayPal’s founders and earliest employees have gone on to create, found, and advise companies like Tesla, SpaceX, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Yelp, and Palantir. What happened in PayPal’s early days to set these individuals and future companies up for success?On this episode, Shane is joined by Jimmy Soni, author of The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley. As her AEI colleague James Pethokoukis described it, The Founders is a “quintessential tale of Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurship in the early internet age” that was largely untold before Jimmy chronicled it. Jimmy joins the podcast to discuss his intentions behind the book and what it can teach us about Silicon Valley, tech industry competition, and the innovation landscape today.

While the $52 billion of federal funding in the CHIPS for America Act has strong bipartisan support, it’s caught in a larger fight between the two legislative chambers over an attempt to reconcile the bill with other Democrat spending priorities. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has built a coalition against the larger bill that will stop it from passing unless the process is focused exclusively on semiconductors. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has also agreed that the CHIPS Act should be passed on its own immediately.To make sense of this situation and predict what comes next, Shane and AEI’s Claude Barfield sit down with Peter Cleveland of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation and Jon Hoganson of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The four of them discuss the ins and outs of Congress’ battle over chip funding, along with key opportunities that could be missed if action isn’t taken soon.

Following the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a Department of Commerce branch known as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has been tasked with allocating $42.5 billion of federal broadband infrastructure funding to state and local governments through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This $42.5 billion is part of a larger $65 billion sum that the IIJA puts toward broadband infrastructure. How can NTIA and the states ensure the money is spent effectively and that people are held accountable? How can remaining barriers to broadband adoption be overcome without just throwing money at the issue?On this episode, Shane welcomes AEI Nonresident Senior Fellow Mark Jamison back to the podcast. Dr. Jamison has previously appeared on the show to talk about tech antitrust issues, but is an internet and telecommunications expert by training. In addition to his fellowship at AEI, Dr. Jamison directs the Public Utility Research Center at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business—where he also teaches. Dr. Jamison previously served on the Federal Communications Commission transition team for President-elect Trump, and as a special adviser to the governor of Florida’s internet task force. He is currently working with the Florida state government to help write the state’s strategic broadband plan.See here and here for more information on NTIA’s state-level broadband initiatives.