Explain to Shane

Cyber threats are multidimensional; they can manifest as large-scale attacks carried out by nation states or private actors, targeted at critical infrastructure or individual devices. In the information age, they can also target vulnerable individuals via malware or on social media platforms in the form of false or misleading information. Across the board, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has made plugging vulnerabilities in all cyber domains a lead priority for government, industry, and civil society alike. What does a former top security official have to say about all of this? On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane sits down with Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, for an update on how both cybersecurity threats and best practices have progressed in a number of domains since Secretary Chertoff left office. They also discuss the security pitfalls of Congress’ attempts to weaken mobile device protections in the name of competition.

How are the American and European approaches to regulating the technology industry similar? How are they different? Can policymakers from the two continents find agreement on today’s most pressing tech policy issues?On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane is joined by Peter Brown, a Washington, DC-based diplomat for the European Parliament. Using Europe’s Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, and country-by-country approach to regulating autonomous vehicles as case studies, Peter compares and contrasts the US and European regulatory systems, and suggests key areas for transatlantic cooperation. He also discusses the importance of a unified US-European approach to technological standards-setting amidst China’s rise.

How can we achieve a real, certifiable level of comfort and trust between consumers and the companies that make our technologies? The standards for what constitutes trust and safety vary from user to user; we need to find a tractable way to build out indicators of trust that will allow both producers and users to see risks clearly.On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane is joined by Adam Golodner, co-chair of Trusted Future—a new think tank dedicated to enhancing trust in today’s digital ecosystem. Adam and Shane discuss the technical and engineering components of trust and safety, along with what these topics have to do with cybersecurity, privacy, and the supply chain.

As security risks to internet-enabled devices reach an all-time high, Nokia has been highlighting the most pressing threats to user devices through its annual threat intelligence reports. According to the 2020 and 2021 reports, malware infections on both computers and mobile devices are on the rise—specifically through downloadable software that poses as something helpful or fun for users. And yet, proposed federal laws would weaken mobile-device protections at this critical time by forcing all hardware manufacturers to accept unvetted software applications or “apps” in their digital marketplaces—a practice known as “sideloading” that has been called out by the Department of Homeland Security specifically. (The department’s 2017 Mobile Device Security report stated that “users should avoid—and enterprises should prohibit on their devices—sideloading of apps and the use of unauthorized app stores.”) This episode addresses the technical challenges sideloading brings into the process of keeping a secure mobile ecosystem.To discuss how we can protect consumers’ financial and other personal data, Kevin McNamee, the head of Nokia’s Threat Intelligence Lab, joins Shane on the latest episode of “Explain to Shane.” Under Kevin’s leadership, the Threat Intelligence Lab analyzes thousands of mobile malware samples per day to help power Nokia’s network-based malware detection program.

At a time when cybersecurity is more important than ever, Congress is taking steps to weaken the security of your mobile device. By forcing app-store operators to allow “sideloading” — the unvetted downloading of any app or software from the open internet — bad actors could have a fast lane to your personal data and information. Furthermore, letting these platforms retain control over their digital marketplaces is crucial as both a physical and information war rages on in Ukraine. Why is Congress considering this, and why now?To help make sense of the sideloading and app-security issues, Patrick Hedger, executive director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), joins Shane on the latest episode of “Explain to Shane.” The two of them discuss Congress’ app-store regulatory proposals, along with a new TPA initiative called the App Security Project. The project is “dedicated to protecting and enhancing consumer security and safety with mobile apps and software that have come to define today’s innovative, but ultimately vulnerable, digital ecosystem.”

Should US semiconductor chip manufacturers move their fabrication plants onto American soil? Should we be offering migration incentives for high-tech chip engineers from Taiwan in order to onshore design and engineering? What role, if at all, should the government play in subsidizing the construction of these plants for US companies? These and other questions remain unsettled when it comes to the geopolitical challenges around semiconductor design, production, and trade.On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane and AEI Senior Fellow Claude Barfield reunite for a joint conversation with Chris Miller — a new Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow in AEI’s Foreign and Defense Policy department. Chris is also an assistant professor at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and directs the Eurasia program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). Chris recently published an FPRI report titled “Labs over fabs: How the US should invest in the future of semiconductors,” and will be releasing a book on the geopolitical history of semiconductors this year. His work frequently appears in national news outlets and opinion columns — including Foreign Affairs and The New York Times.Chris joins the podcast to discuss his expansive portfolio on the semiconductor industry, Congress’ attempts to guide US chip production, and how chip manufacturing is indefinitely tied to national security. 

Is industrial policy making a comeback? Congressional legislation and industry representatives have encouraged the US government to put federal funds toward shoring up the domestic semiconductor industry to compete with China. Europe likewise appears poised to spend large sums of government money on its chip industry as part of a reaction to the global chip shortage.While free-market advocates who previously warned against heavy government spending seem to be on board, there are others who say the market is already on a corrective path. Is a national investment in semiconductor chips the right answer to today’s chip shortage? Are the security risks at hand pressing enough to prioritize a long-term investment in chip production on US soil?On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Shane and AEI Senior Fellow Claude Barfield co-interview Karl Wennberg, an innovation policy researcher and professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, on the pitfalls of industrial policy — even in vulnerable sectors. The three of them also discuss Karl’s upcoming book, “Questioning the Entrepreneurial State: Status-quo, Pitfalls, and the Need for Credible Innovation Policy” (Springer, 2022).

What does federal broadband funding mean for the physical side of US internet networks? How do interagency battles over next-generation network deployment impact the daily operations of tower climbers, technicians, and engineers?Shane interviews Todd Schlekeway, president and CEO of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, on the latest episode of “Explain to Shane.” They discuss how NATE’s members are navigating today’s telecommunications policy issues and working to power both our wired and wireless future networks

The next generation of the internet, also known as Web3, seeks to permanently change the way our online world functions — namely through blockchain technology, decentralization, and token-based economics. What are the underlying technologies behind Web3, and can it solve the many policy issues we still haven’t gotten right with today’s internet?On this episode, Shane is joined by Gabrielle Hibbert, a Web3 researcher and developer, to discuss the opportunities and challenges posed by Web3, and how policymakers should approach this new generation of the internet. In the coming year, Gabrielle will also serve as a fellow for the newly created Decentralized Future Council — an initiative to educate policymakers about the decentralized web.

Several bills seeking to restructure American antitrust law are moving forward in both bodies of Congress. The bills specifically target Big Tech firms — namely Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google — though they follow arbitrary metrics for “bigness,” and don’t address lawmakers’ main concerns with tech platforms. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are also stepping up enforcement against Big Tech. With a Senate markup approaching for one of the bills, we must ask: Is Congress really prepared to pass major antitrust legislation? On this episode, Shane is joined by Matt Perault, a former Facebook public policy director and professor at the University of North Carolina School of Information & Library Science, along with Blair Levin, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and policy advisor to New Street Research. The three of them discuss what consumers stand to lose if these bills become law, and the political forces at play in tech antitrust.