What to expect on tech policy in the next presidential administration

As the presidential campaigns enter the final stretch of the 2020 election, both the Trump and Biden camps are pushing their vision for the next administration. The COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, and civil injustice have been at the forefront of the political debate, but perhaps the most influential policies of the next administration will concern the regulation of Big Tech, the digital divide, and international technology governance, among other issues. Recent months have surfaced the rising backlash against Silicon Valley, particularly as the question of election interference and cybersecurity looms over the results of the upcoming election. The extent to which tech issues intersect with racial equity, freedom of speech, and privacy may also be of concern to the next presidential administration.

How will the next White House administration handle technology policy, internet platform regulation, emerging technologies, and relations with China? What will be the reaction to and potential regulation of Big Tech by either presidential ticket? Will the actions taken by the current Trump administration — including the recent ban of TikTok — and policy statements suggest increased deregulation, consequences for China, and support of 5G infrastructure?

On October 6, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a webinar examining technology policy in the next presidential administration. Panelists discussed how a Biden-Harris or a Trump-Pence administration will approach competition policies, privacy protections, antitrust enforcement, the digital divide, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.

Viewers submitted questions for speakers by emailing [email protected] or via Twitter at @BrookingsGov or by using #Policy2020.