Tech Policy Podcast 427: More State Tech Policy Than You Can Poke a Stick At
21 snips
Jan 13, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, Scott Babwah Brennan, Director of NYU’s Center on Technology Policy, dives into the 2025 State Technology Policy Report. He highlights how states like California and Texas are shaping tech legislation, focusing on AI, online safety, and data privacy. Scott reveals emerging partisan patterns influencing these laws, such as Republicans prioritizing child safety while Democrats lean toward privacy. They also explore the complexities of regulatory fragmentation and predict future trends in AI and child safety measures.
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Colorado-Style Bills Lost Momentum
- Colorado-style algorithmic discrimination bills were widely introduced but largely failed to pass.
- Organized pushback halted that model, nudging states toward narrower AI rules.
Plan For A Patchwork; Lobby For Federal Clarity
- Expect and plan for a patchwork of state AI laws that create compliance challenges.
- Prefer federal clarity, but prepare compliance strategies for diverse state requirements now.
Child Safety Laws Multiply And Diverge
- Child online safety was a top state priority with 74 laws enacted in 2025.
- Major threads included three kinds of age verification: porn sites, social media, and app store/device-level checks.