TechTank

Latest Episodes:

Taylor Lorenz on Gen Z, Influencer Culture, and the Future of Social Media Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

How have teens, the most tech-savvy population of all, been navigating the internet, rife with the spread of misinformation, algorithmic discrimination and more? On TechTank, Samantha Lai will be joined by Taylor Lorenz, technology reporter for the New York Times and affiliate at the Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, to discuss how young people use the internet and why it matters.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Build Back Better with Telehealth Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated the unprecedented growth of telehealth. What should

lawmakers keep in mind to create an equitable and inclusive healthcare system for all? On this episode

of TechTank, Brookings researcher and guest host Samantha Lai is joined by Nicol Turner Lee and Niam

Yaraghi to discuss these important questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the U.S.A.’s tech-driven economy, is enough being done to protect consumer choice and privacy? Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

There is much public debate about whether big tech giants, airlines, and even cable providers are monopolists that maximize shareholder profit at the expense of consumers and workers. Is enough being done to protect consumer privacy and choice? On this episode, guest host Bill Baer is joined by Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, to discuss the FTC’s efforts to promote competition, protect consumer privacy, and challenge unfair and deceptive business practices.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What lies ahead for the US-China tech race? Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

The US’s relationship with China has grown complicated over the years, with increasing tensions on issues ranging from trade and commerce to technology innovation and national security. On this episode of TechTank, host Darrell West is joined by Tom Wheeler and David Simpson to talk about the state of the US-China tech race, and what to expect going forward.

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What life in space teaches astronauts about solving challenges on planet Earth Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of TechTank, veteran NASA astronaut Nicole Stott joins host Darrell West to discuss space tourism, the future of space exploration, and her new book, “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet – And Our Mission to Protect It.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online behavioral advertising can be discriminatory, so what’s the plan to fix this? Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

On social media, advertisers can use online tools to target people of color in housing, banking, and employment, resulting in limits to the opportunities available to them, and even violations of their civil rights. In this episode, host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Jinyan Zang, Harvard Kennedy School fellow, and Dominique Harrison of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies to discuss new research on Facebook’s ad model and proposals to remedy such biases.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why schools still need a remote option to mitigate COVID-19 Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

As the new school year begins, COVID cases are on the rise again – this time hitting K-12 students, especially those who are unvaccinated and under 12, placing them at risk of hospitalizations and dangerous complications. School closures may once again be imminent if the virus is not better controlled. But students without reliable access to the internet will be left behind once again, and unable to access remote classes and the resources necessary for them to continue their education. Have we closed the digital divide for students since the first wave of the pandemic? And what do schools need to do to ensure that technology is complementing traditional education?

Brookings TechTank co-host Nicol Turner Lee is joined by Jon Valant, Amina Fazlullah, and Alejandro Roark to discuss these important questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which U.S. Cities Are Poised for AI Growth? Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

As the AI economy grows, there is tremendous variation across local and regional economies in how

well-positioned cities are. Some metropolitan areas have tremendous assets and lots of AI-related

activity while others see little activity. Those variations raise interesting questions about which places

are doing well, why, and what other communities can do to boost technology innovation in their local

economies. To learn more, Darrell West is joined by Mark Muro and Sifan Liu, co-authors of a new paper

entitled “AI Cities: The Geography of the AI Economy.”

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How will Biden’s broadband infrastructure plan address rural poverty while closing the digital divide? Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

The bipartisan infrastructure plan championed by President Biden and passed by the U.S. Senate aims to close America’s racial and rural broadband gaps. What local challenges lie ahead in the deployment of these resources? And what else can policymakers, industry, and civil society do to support these unconnected communities? Host Nicol Turner Lee dives into these issues and more with the Children’s Defense Fund’s Oleta Fitzgerald; Joe Kapp from the National Center for Resources Development, and Barry Toser of Declaration Networks Group.

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Why State Unemployment Insurance Programs Failed Workers During The COVID-19 Pandemic Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government enacted a relief package designed to help Americans cope with the pandemic and resulting economic downturn. However, inadequate unemployment insurance programs left many people in need without help. To understand the challenges, Darrell West and Annelies Goger discuss the poor performance of unemployment insurance programs due to IT infrastructure, government procurement and inadequate data collection.

You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the TechTank podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Acast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.