TechTank

TechTank focuses on new developments in science and technology policy and how they affect health care, education, economic development, innovation, and governance. Our goals are to highlight new data and ideas, and provide commentary on science and technology trends in the United States and around the world. Sign up to receive updates on new posts

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 14: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Government & Politics The Trump FCC’s regulatory guile

Tom Wheeler

September 4, 2026

Students attend history class taught by Jacob Marsh at Mark Twain Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 6, 2025, without smartphones due to the ban. The phone ban at the School is among a wave of measures implemented around the U.S., and is part of a global movement replicated in Brazil, France, and beyond. Supporters believe restrictions will guard pupils from the apparent harms of smartphone use while at school, but opponents say the measures fail to prepare teenagers for the digital world they will inevitably enter.

Education Policy The equity blind spot in school screen-time policies

Ashley Stewart

September 3, 2026

LOUISVILLE, KY - JANUARY 24: A child acting as hallway monitor watches as children move about a hallway at Carter Traditional Elementary School on January 24, 2022, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Privacy As surveillance grows, student privacy protections lag

Anil Hurkadli, Josie Stewart

September 3, 2026

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MAY 23: Demonstrators take part in a protest at the Utah State Capitol to oppose the construction of the Stratos data center in Box Elder County on May 23, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The proposed data center would be about 40,000 acres and is speculated to use 9 gigawatts of power.

Campaigns & Elections Why data centers are a top issue in the 2026 midterms

Nicol Turner Lee, Darrell M. West

August 25, 2026

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