1. Monthly archive
  2. January 2019

January 2019

What do Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand have in common? Cybersecurity chops

With Sen Kamala Harris (D-CA) joining the field of 2020 hopefuls, all Democratic senators now running for president have pushed for major cyber policy reforms -- from cracking down on election interference to stemming the flood of data breaches. Sen Harris was a co-sponsor of the Secure Elections Act (S 2261) while Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) backed a separate bill that would have launched a 9/11 Commission-style investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Social media is rotting democracy from within

It is easier to spread misinformation on social media than to correct it, and easier to inflame social divisions than to mend them. The very nature of how we engage with Facebook and the rest now helps far-right, authoritarian factions weaken the foundations of democratic systems — and even give themselves an easier pathway to seizing power. It seems we have to admit a somewhat uncomfortable truth: Social media, in the way that it’s used now, is an authoritarian medium.

Sponsor 

Progressive Policy Institute

Date 
Mon, 01/28/2019 - 17:30 to 19:00

Chinese hackers stealing technology from U.S. companies, Russian trolls interfering in our elections, U.S. tech leaders hauled before Congress to explain some new data breach or misuse of personal information – hardly a week goes by without Americans being bombarded with new revelations about assaults on our privacy.

As a new year and a new Congress begin, it's critical that we promote online privacy as a bipartisan priority that needs timely action.


If 5G Is So Important, Why Isn’t It Secure?

The Trump administration’s so-called “race” with China to build new fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks is speeding toward a network vulnerable to Chinese (and other) cyberattacks. So far, the Trump administration has focused on blocking Chinese companies from being a part of the network, but these efforts are far from sufficient.

Sponsor 

Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution

Date 
Wed, 01/23/2019 - 17:00 to 18:15

Fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks are expected to be the next big leap in mobile broadband. Peak download speeds as high as 20 gigabits-per-second will enable specialized tasks like remote precision medicine, connected cars, virtual and augmented reality, and a wide array of internet of things (IoT) applications. Further, 5G will be a determining factor in whether or not mobile-dependent users fully partake in the global digital economy, especially as smartphones, cell phones, and other wireless-enabled devices become the only gateway to the internet for certain populations.


Sponsor 

Health IT Now

Date 
Tue, 01/22/2019 - 15:30

As the 116th Congress begins, policymakers on both sides of the aisle are looking for technology-enabled solutions to lower health costs and spur better outcomes for patients. 


© 1994-2026 Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. All Rights Reserved.