

TechTank
Brookings Institution
TechTank is a biweekly podcast from The Brookings Institution exploring the most consequential technology issues of our time. From artificial intelligence and racial bias in algorithms, to Big Tech, the future of work, and the digital divide, TechTank takes abstract ideas and makes them accessible. Moderators Dr. Nicol Turner Lee and Darrell West speak with leading technology experts and policymakers to share new data, ideas, and policy solutions to address the challenges of our new digital world. Sign up to receive the TechTank newsletter for more research and analysis from the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 2, 2023 • 32min
Is it time to regulate social media platforms and search engines?
On this week’s episode of the TechTank Podcast, moderator Darrell West, Vice President of GovernanceStudies at the Brookings Institution, will discuss if it's time for the Supreme Court to regulate socialmedia platforms and the search engines that have become prominent amongst society. To help with thisconversation, the Podcast is happily joined by John Villasenor, a Professor of Engineering, Law, andPublic Policy at UCLA and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings. Mark MacCarthy is a Senior Fellowat the Institute for Technology, Law, and Policy at Georgetown University and a Nonresident SeniorFellow at Brookings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 12, 2022 • 33min
Technology adoption in Africa: current and future use cases for development
On this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee explores technology adoption in Africa and universal access throughout the continent with guests Yolanda Jinxin Ma, head of Digital Policy and Global Partnerships at the United Nations Development Programme, Addisu Lashitew, Global Economy and Development nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Jane Munga, Africa Program fellow at Carnegie who focuses on technology policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 28, 2022 • 34min
Twitter, Trump, and Online Speech
In this episode of the podcast, co-host Darrell West speaks to Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings and Tom Wheeler, a visiting fellow in Governance Studies and the author of a forthcoming Brookings book, “Techlash” about Twitter's future, and the consequences of recent tumultuous changes at the company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 14, 2022 • 37min
What will it take to create inclusive AR/VR for a more diverse metaverse?
In this episode of Tech Tank, co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, speaks with Rashawn Ray, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution, and Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research, University of Maryland; and Kinnis Gosha, Executive Director and Chief Research Officer of the Center for Broadening Participation in Computing, Morehouse College. These experts discuss the current and future possibilities of AR/VR, and the metaverse and the impact on public sector applications. We also dive into how to attract more diverse developers and subscriberson these spaces. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 31, 2022 • 46min
Latino voters, midterm elections, and the effects of misinformation, and disinformation
Latino voters registered and voted in higher numbers in the 2020 presidential election than in prior years, according to a 2021 report, and recent findings from the Pew Research Center count 34.5 million eligible Latino voters, which is a significant increase since the last midterm elections. The results of the 2022 midterms will have lasting consequences on American politics and policy, making it critical to protect and amplify Latino voices along with the type of information they receive to make credible opinions about potential candidates and their platforms Tech Tank co-host, Nicol Turner Lee, spoke with Gabriel Sanchez, a David M. Rubenstein fellow in Governance Studies and faculty at the University of New Mexico, and Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights at Free Press, about the ecosystem of Spanish-language media. The experts discussed how the prevalence of mis- and disinformation can be better identified and mitigated to avoid potential voter suppression efforts impacting Latino voters as the midterm elections near. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 17, 2022 • 28min
How to improve election security
To protect public integrity and faith our election, it is integral for the United States to work to combatexisting misinformation, protect the safety of election officials, and guarantee that existing cybersecuritymeasures are adequate in protecting the vote of the American people. On TechTank, Darrell West isjoined by Elaine Kamarck and Elizabeth Howard to discuss these topics and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 3, 2022 • 46min
Can AI Developers Be Incentivized to Debias their Algorithms?
The prevalence and technical relevance of machine learning algorithms have increased over the years, making predictive decision-making tools part of the everyday lives of online users. Today, it is harder to discern what decisions are made by humans, and the others that rely upon the cognition of machines. On this new episode of the Tech Tank podcast, Darrell West is joined by Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Center for Technology Innovation who explores the need for a proposed Energy Star rating, or incentive-based rating system to improve the performance and optimization of these online tools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 19, 2022 • 38min
Undersecretary Xochitl Torres-Small on expanding access to rural broadband
On this episode of TechTank, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Undersecretary Xochitl Torres Small.Together, they discuss the administration’s ongoing work to close the urban-rural digital divide, how IIJAfunding has helped the USDA expand programs such as the ReConnect program, and how the USDA hasbeen working to meet different communities’ hyperlocal needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 6, 2022 • 44min
Do you know where your spectrum is? The U.S.’s never- ending quest for more bandwidth
Spectrum policy has been essential in determining how to encourage communications technologydevelopment, while ensuring equitable access. On TechTank, Nicol Turner Lee, Andrew Von Ah, ShaneTews and Kathleen Burke discuss pressing topics in spectrum policy and interrogate if the lack ofavailable spectrum will be a dealbreaker in closing the digital divide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 22, 2022 • 38min
The weaponization of information threatens American democracy. What should we do about that?
On TechTank, Samantha Lai and Darrell West discusses his most recent book, “Power Politics: Trump and the Assault on American Democracy.” Together, they contend with how the weaponization of information threatens American democracy, and what could be done to protect it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.