The Tech Policy Press Podcast

In the wake of the most intense India-Pakistan escalation in two decades, experts are still trying to make sense of the role that the information war played in the physical one. In this episode, Tech Policy Press Associate Editor Ramsha Jahangir speaks to two experts from India and Pakistan who tirelessly navigated the deluge of rumor and disinformation during the crisis, and who came away with thoughts about the role of social media platforms and the incentives they create, particularly in times of conflict:Pratik Sinha, co-founder and editor at Alt News—one of India’s major fact-checking websites, and Asad Baig, founder of Media Matters for Democracy—a non-profit focused on media literacy and development in Pakistan.Sinha and Baig reflect on how the India-Pakistan conflict played out across digital platforms—and how it revealed a deeper, more dangerous dysfunction in the information ecosystem. 

 Last year, a United States federal judge ruled that Google is a monopolist in the market for online search. For the past three weeks, the company and the Justice Department have been in court to hash out what remedies might look like. Tech Policy Press associate editor Cristiano Lima-Strong spoke to two experts who are following the case closely, including Karina Montoya, a senior reporter and analyst for Center for Journalism and Liberty at the Open Markets Institute, and Joseph Coniglio, the director of antitrust and innovation at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

Last year, Elon Musk's xAI set up its "Colossus" supercomputer in an old Electrolux manufacturing facility in Memphis, Tennessee. Now, the residents of nearby neighborhoods are pushing for facts and fair treatment as the company looks to expand its footprint amid questions about its environmental impact. Justin Hendrix considers the state of play with Dara Kerr, a reporter for The Guardian; Amber Sherman, a Memphis activist; and artifacts from local media reporting over the past year.

Catherine Bracy is a civic technologist and community organizer whose work focuses on the intersection of technology and political and economic inequality. Justin Hendrix spoke with her about her new book, World Eaters: How Venture Capital is Cannibalizing the Economy. In it, she suggests how the venture capital industry must be reformed to deliver true innovation that advances society rather than merely outsized returns for an increasingly monolithic set of investors.

From visions of AI paradise to the project to defeat death, many dangerous and unscientific ideas are driving Silicon Valley leaders. Justin Hendrix spoke to Adam Becker, a science journalist and author of MORE EVERYTHING FOREVER: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley’s Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity, just out from Basic Books.

For a special series of episodes that will air throughout the year, Tech Policy Press fellow Anika Collier Navaroli is hosting a series of discussions intended to help us imagine possible futures—for tech and tech policy, for democracy, and society—beyond the moment we are in. Dubbed Through to Thriving, the first episode in the series features a discussion on how to build community and solidarity with Ellen Pao, currently the co-founder of a nonprofit called Project Include, which focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. Previously, Pao was the interim CEO of Reddit and a venture capitalist.

Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a data science professor at Brown University, discusses the urgent need for accountability in AI. He joins fellow researchers to defend their important letter advocating against bias and discrimination in artificial intelligence. They emphasize the growing recognition of these issues and the political challenges ahead, particularly in light of recent U.S. executive actions. Venkatasubramanian highlights the collective responsibility of academics in promoting fairness and transparency in AI systems to foster better governance.

William (Bill) Kovacic, a former FTC chair and legal expert, joins Gene Kimmelman, a senior policy fellow, to dissect the FTC's landmark case against Meta. They delve into the lengthy path to trial, contrasting it with the swift resolution of the Microsoft case. The duo explores the complexities of defining competition in the digital age, the pivotal role of witness testimony, and the slim chances of settlement amid lobbying pressures. Their insights reveal critical implications for future antitrust enforcement and tech regulation.

In a thought-provoking discussion, Matteo Fabbri, a PhD candidate at IMT School for Advanced Studies in Italy, shares insights on the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA). He highlights the challenges of transparency in investigations against platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Fabbri discusses the significance of Requests for Information in shaping enforcement strategies, and how they could potentially enhance understanding of platform practices. The dialogue also touches on the tensions between regulatory transparency and the protection of sensitive information.

Join Eryk Salvaggio, a tech policy fellow, Rebecca Williams from the ACLU, Georgetown's Emily Tavoulareas, and Matthew Kirschenbaum from the University of Maryland as they dissect the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its AI initiatives. They discuss the intersection of AI and politics, the risks of data centralization, and the ideological motivations shaping our digital landscape. The group emphasizes the importance of privacy, effective governance, and rethinking efficiency in the age of technology.