Brookings: Topics - Internet Policy

How Do Government Restrictions Harm International Online Trade and Commerce?

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:00:00 -0500

Event Information

February 26, 2013
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST

Saul/Zilkha Rooms
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

Register for the Event
The trading of goods and services over the Internet is now routine in the global marketplace and a highly important facet of international commerce. The Internet’s capacity to move data across borders securely and efficiently is an important enabler of international trade. Despite the Internet’s significant contribution to international trade and the free flow of goods across borders, governments are employing a range of potentially damaging restrictions that reduce the ability of businesses to use the Internet as a venue for international commerce. Of these various restrictions, which are the most salient and harmful to online international commerce? How are these restrictions being used to prevent cybercrime or protect intellectual property, are they effective, and are there unintended consequences to these regulations?

On February 26, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a discussion on how governments can best enable online global commerce while also taking precautions to maintain security, national interests and intellectual property rights. A panel of experts discussed the increase in international trade and propose steps that governments should take to strengthen international trade rules and norms for the Internet.

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:00:00 -0500

Event Information

January 16, 2013
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EST

Falk Auditorium
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $7.2 billion to expand access to high-speed Internet services to close the digital divide, drive economic growth, and build the technology infrastructure and skills that America needs to compete in the 21st century. Roughly $4 billion of that total supports the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, or BTOP. The program, which is administered by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is investing in roughly 230 projects to increase broadband access and adoption around the country.

On January 16, Governance Studies at Brookings provided an update on the BTOP program three years after Vice President Joe Biden announced the first round of BTOP awards at a factory in Dawsonville, GA. The event featured keynote remarks by NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling, followed by a panel of officials from BTOP projects that provided firsthand accounts from around the country.

Video

Full Event - Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

Audio

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

Transcript

Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

20130116_btop_transcript

Internet Policymaking: New Guiding Principles

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:30:00 -0500

Event Information

December 6, 2010
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM EST

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Since formalization of the 1997 “Framework for Global Electronic Commerce,” the federal government has not systematically re-examined the core principles for Internet policy. With the emergence of new policy domains—such as privacy, cybersecurity, online copyright infringement, and accessibility to digital video content—policymakers see greater urgency in evaluating, and possibly adapting, existing guidelines to meet the demands of today’s Internet environment. The Obama administration recently established a new panel of the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Technology to examine privacy and Internet policy principles.

On December 6, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum convening academics, policy practitioners and government officials to discuss the question of which principles should guide policymakers as they address questions raised by the current Internet environment. What role do transparency requirements play? How can governments facilitate better adherence to best practice and engagement with multi-stakeholder bodies? What roles does user education play and how can notions of Net citizenship and digital literacy be developed?

After each panel, speakers took audience questions.

Video

Transcript

Event Materials

Participants

Panelists

Aneesh Chopra

U.S. Chief Technology Officer, Office of Science and Technology Policy, The White House

Howard Schmidt (invited)

Special Assistant to the President and Cybersecurity Coordinator
National Security Staff, Executive Office of the President

Victoria Espinel

U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator
The White House

Moderator: Phil Weiser

Senior Advisor to the Director for Technology and Innovation, National Economic Council, The White House

Mark Cooper

Research Director, Consumer Federation of America

Cynthia Estlund

Catherine A. Rein Professor of Law, New York University School of Law

Kathy Brown

Senior Vice President, Public Policy Development and Corporate Responsibility, Verizon

Moderator: Daniel J. Weitzner

Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy Analysis and Development, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Joseph W. Waz, Jr.

Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Public Policy, Counsel Comcast Corporation

Peter Swire

C. William O'Neill Professor in Law and Judicial Administration, The Ohio State University

Leslie Harris

President and CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology

Ernie Allen

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

Moderator: Christine Varney

Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division

Pamela Passman

Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
Microsoft

Rey Ramsey

President and Chief Executive Officer, TechNet

Alan Davidson

Director of Public Policy, Google Inc.

Gary Epstein

General Counsel
Aspen Institute IDEA Project

Karen Kornbluh

Ambassador and U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation

Internet Governance and Regulation: What Should Be Government’s Role?

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:30:00 -0500

Event Information

November 15, 2010
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM EST

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

As the Internet increasingly drives global commerce and social connectedness, the debate about government’s role in Internet governance and regulation intensifies. Proponents of Internet self-governance argue that market forces and self-regulation can go a long way toward ensuring order and standards of good behavior. Advocates for government intervention believe the Internet requires more regulation in order to flourish as a public good.

On November 15, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on the policy issues and challenges of Internet governance. David Cohen, Comcast Corporation executive vice president, presented a keynote address outlining models for Internet self-governance. Moderated by Governance Studies Director Darrell West, a panel of industry and academic experts examined arguments on the roles of self-governance and government involvement in promoting an open Internet.

David Cohen's prepared remarks » (pdf)

Audio

Internet Governance and Regulation: What Should Be Government’s Role?

Transcript

Event Materials

Participants

Moderator

Panelists

David Cohen

Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation

Erik Garr

Partner, Diamond Management and Technology Consultants

Gary Epstein

General Counsel, Aspen International Digital Economic Accords (IDEA) Project

Confronting the Looming Shortage of Wireless Spectrum: A Federal Technology Policy Imperative

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:30:00 -0400

Event Information

October 20, 2010
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

.
The University of California Washington Center
1608 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

Recent research finds that demand for mobile broadband could outpace the amount of available wireless spectrum in three years. In its national broadband plan, the Federal Communication Commission called for 500 megahertz of new wireless spectrum, 300 megahertz of which, the FCC specified, should be freed up within the next five years. Despite government and industry recognition of the coming spectrum crisis, a number of the reforms needed to increase wireless broadband capacity remain unfinished and unaddressed.

On October 20, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on the U.S. wireless spectrum and its role in advancing mobile technology growth and innovation. Moderated by Governance Studies Director Darrell West, a panel of government, industry and academic experts discussed how to best allocate the wireless spectrum, what the government’s role should be in the expansion process and how to balance various stakeholders’ interests in their pursuit for additional bandwidth.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

Transcript

Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

20101020_mobile_broadband

Participants

Moderator

Panelists

Ruth Milkman

Bureau Chief, The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
Federal Communications Commission

Phil Weiser

Senior Advisor to the Director for Technology and Innovation, National Economic Council, The White House

Steve Sharkey

Chief of Engineering and Technology Policy, T-Mobile USA Inc.

Ellen Goodman

Professor, Rutgers University Law School

Moving to the Cloud: How the Public Sector Can Leverage the Power of Cloud Computing

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0400

Event Information

July 21, 2010
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

The U.S. government spends billions of dollars each year on computer hardware, software and file servers that may no longer be necessary. Currently, the public sector makes relatively little use of cloud computing, even though studies suggest substantial government savings from a migration to more Internet-based computing with shared resources.

On July 21, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a policy forum on steps to enhance public sector adoption of cloud computing innovations. Brookings Vice President Darrell West moderated a panel of experts, including David McClure of the General Services Administration, Dawn Leaf of the National Institute for Standards and Technology, and Katie Ratte of the Federal Trade Commission. West released a paper detailing the policy changes required to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal computing.

Audio

Moving to the Cloud: How the Public Sector Can Leverage the Power of Cloud Computing

Transcript

Event Materials

Participants

Panelists

David McClure

Associate Administrator of the Office of Citizen Services and Communications, General Services Administration

Dawn Leaf

Senior Executive for Cloud Computing, National Institute for Standards and Technology

Katie Ratte

Attorney, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Federal Trade Commission

The Role of the Internet in U.S.-China Relations

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:30:00 -0400

Event Information

April 19, 2010
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Saul/Zilkha Rooms
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036

On April 19, the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion on the growing importance of internet and cybersecurity issues in U.S.-China relations.

Google’s announcement in January 2010 that its computer systems had been compromised in an attack believed to have originated in China, and the company’s subsequent announcement of a partial withdrawal from China’s search engine market, have brought increased public attention to the issues of internet censorship and cybersecurity in China. While these two issues are distinct, they both present new kinds of challenges to U.S. and Chinese policymakers.

A panel of experts discussed these issues and addressed the specific challenges faced by the two countries in dealing with them. Emily Parker, Arthur Ross fellow at the Asia Society, discussed censorship in China and the effects of the Internet on Chinese society. James Mulvenon, director of the Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis at Defense Group, Inc., discussed China’s capabilities for cyber warfare and the implications of cybersecurity issues for U.S.-China relations.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

Audio

Censors and Hackers: The Role of the Internet in U.S.-China Relations

Transcript

Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

20100419_internet_china

Participants

Moderator

Panelists

Emily Parker

Arthur Ross Fellow, The Asia Society

James Mulvenon

Director, Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis Defense Group, Inc.

The Economic Gains of Cloud Computing: An Address by Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:00:00 -0400

Event Information

April 7, 2010
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM EDT

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Cloud computing services over the Internet have the potential to spur a significant increase in government efficiency and decrease technology costs, as well as to create incentives and online platforms for innovation. Adoption of cloud computing technologies could lead to new, efficient ways of governing.

On April 7, the Brookings Institution hosted a policy forum that examines the economic benefits of cloud computing for local, state, and federal government. Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra delivered a keynote address on the role of the government in developing and promoting cloud computing. Brookings Vice President Darrell West moderated a panel of experts and detailed the findings in his paper, "Saving Money through Cloud Computing," which analyzes its governmental cost-savings potential.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

Video

Audio

The Economic Gains of Cloud Computing

Transcript

Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

Participants

Moderator

Panelists

Vivek Kundra

Federal Chief Information Officer

Conrad R. Cross

Chief Information Officer
City of Orlando, Florida

David C. Wyld

Robert Maurin Professor of Management
Southeastern Louisiana University

Internet Development in China: Its Impact on Politics and Society

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:00:00 -0500

Event Information

December 4, 2007
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Saul/Zilkha Room
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Nowhere does the transformative power of the Internet present greater challenges or promise to governance than in China, the world’s most populous country. With over 172 million Internet users, China is undergoing an information revolution on a scale and speed unprecedented in human history. Such fundamental changes raise a number of questions about how the Internet is reshaping Chinese society. Who is benefiting from greater access to ideas and information? How is the Chinese government adapting and responding to the growing prevalence of the Internet? And what are the broader implications for civil society in China?

On December 4, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings hosted a discussion on the development of the Internet in China and its impact on politics and society. A distinguished panel of experts addressed trends in Internet usage, government policy, civil society development and the implications for good governance in China. Panelists included Dr. Randolph Kluver, director of the Institute for Pacific Asia and a research professor in the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University; Guo Liang, deputy director of the Center for Social Development at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); and Dr. Guobin Yang, associate professor, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures, Barnard College. Cheng Li, senior fellow, John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings, moderated the discussion.

Transcript

Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

20071204china

Participants

Moderator

Panelists

Dr. Randolph Kluver

Director, Institute for Pacific Asia; Research Professor, Texas A&M University

Guo Liang

Deputy Director, Center for Social Development, CASS

Dr. Guobin Yang

Associate Professor, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures, Barnard College

Software and Law: Is Regulation Fostering or Inhibiting Innovation?

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 15:00:00 -0500

Event Information

December 7, 2005
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

In the last few decades, computers have gone from a relative novelty to an essential element of virtually every aspect of business and government operations. In a new book, Math you Can't Use: Patents, Copyright, and Software (Brookings 2005), author Ben Klemens discusses the theoretical structures and practical issues underlying patent and copyright law, the software business as it is practiced today, and software itself. Experts in the software field will join Dr. Klemens at a panel discussion to analyze whether the issues in applying patent law to software can be readily resolved, how the Patent Reform Act of 2005 can help or hinder the industry, and future prospects for software law in the European Union, India, and China and other fast-developing countries.

To date, patent law has been applied to software with virtually no modification. Few, if any, computer scientists and businessmen and women in the computing field are satisfied with how it has been transferred to software. Even copyright as applied to software has its pitfalls. Some recommend minor fixes to the existing regimes, and some recommend wholesale reform.

Panelists will take audience questions following their remarks.

Event Materials

Participants

Panelists

Brian Kahin

Senior Fellow, Computer & Communications Industry Association

Daniel B. Ravicher

President, Executive Director Public Patent Foundation

Emery Simon

Counselor, Policy Council of the Business Software Alliance

China's Expanding Use of the Internet and Its Impact on Chinese Society

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 10:00:00 -0500

Event Information

November 17, 2005
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EST

Stein Room, 2d Floor
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

China is now second only to the U.S. in the number of people online, with over 103 million Internet users. China's rapidly expanding online market has become a powerful magnet, attracting both foreign investment and a steady stream of IT professionals from all over the world. Chinese use of the Internet is also of great interest to policy-makers and scholars who monitor and examine the impact of change in mass communication and media, especially in the context of China's specific cultural and political traditions.

This Brookings Institution policy briefing, held in conjunction with the Markle Foundation, will feature Professor Guo Liang of Beijing's Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who will share the most recent results from his in-depth, multi-year study of Internet use in China and its impact on Chinese society. During his presentation, Professor Guo will report on recent findings about Internet use in China, including: new data about who in China is online; why they go online; which kinds of content they seek; and which online information they trust. Professor Guo will also report on changing Chinese attitudes towards controlling Internet content, the relationship of Internet use to other media, the use of the Internet by government, and the prospects for Internet use in China in the near and long term.

A philosopher by training, Professor Guo is one the preeminent observers of the Internet in China and author of several books on its history and impact. He drew particular attention for escorting former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Beijing's Internet cafes during her trip to China in 2000. Professor Guo's ongoing study of Internet use in China is supported by the Markle Foundation, a philanthropy based in New York, which focuses on information technology. For more information, visit www.markle.org. A question and answer session will follow remarks.

Participants

Panelists

Guo Liang

Professor and Vice Director, Center for Studies in Social Development, Beijing's Chinese Academy of Social Science

Stefaan Verhulst

Director of Research, The Markle Foundation

The Impact of the New Media: A Live, Inter@ctive Discussion & Webcast

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 10:00:00 -0500

Event Information

March 22, 2005
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

One of America's most prominent news anchors is dethroned by cyber-journalists who point to flaws in a news story. A White House reporter is revealed to be not a reporter at all. Newspaper readership and television audiences are on the decline while the popularity of blogs and online news sources has steadily increased. The landscape of the American media is indisputably changing.

At this Brookings briefing, members of the "new" and "old" media weighed in on the ever-evolving role of the press and the future of journalism. The discussion focused on new mediums and practices in journalism and what impact these have had—and will continue to have—on the role and credibility of the traditional American media. In keeping with the spirit of this event, the discussion was webcast and was "live-blogged" by several prominent bloggers. Panelists took questions from the audience and via e-mail following their remarks.

Transcript

Transcript (.pdf)

Event Materials

20050322

Participants

Moderator

E.J. Dionne, Jr.

Senior Fellow, Brookings; Columnist, Washington Post Writers Group

Panelists

Ana Marie Cox

Wonkette.com

Andrew Sullivan

AndrewSullivan.com; Senior Editor The New Republic, Columnist, Time Magazine

Live Bloggers
The following individuals watched the event, either in person or via the webcast, and provided online commentary in real-time on their respective blogs. Their commentary was also shown on a projector screen at the event and on the webcast.

Juan Cole
Informed Comment

Daniel Drezner
DanielDrezner.com

Ed Morrissey
Captain's Quarters

Laura Rozen
War and Piece

Ruy Teixeira
Donkey Rising

Ellen Ratner

White House Correspondent, Talk Radio News Service

Jack Shafer

Editor-at-Large, Slate

Jodie T. Allen

Senior Editor, Pew Research Center