The Tech Policy Press Podcast

On Wednesday, January 31st, the US Senate Judiciary Committee hosted a hearing titled "Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis." The CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X, Discord and Snap were called to the Capitol to answer questions from lawmakers on their efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, dangerous content, and other online harms. Gabby Miller reported on the hearing from New York, and Haajrah Gilani reported from Washington D.C.

Kate Kaye, an expert in AI governance tools, discusses the faulty fixes in AI governance tools that undermine fairness and explainability. The podcast explores the involvement of large tech companies in shaping AI governance tools and the role of organizations like the OECD. It emphasizes the need to consult overlooked communities and the importance of evaluation in AI governance.

In October 2022, a group of researchers published a manifesto establishing a Coalition for Independent Technology Research. “Society needs trustworthy, independent research to relieve the harms of digital technologies and advance the common good,” they wrote. “Research can help us understand ourselves more clearly, identify problems, hold power accountable, imagine the world we want, and test ideas for change. In a democracy, this knowledge comes from academics, journalists, civil society, and community scientists, among others. Because independent research on digital technologies is a powerful force for the common good, it also faces powerful opposition.”In the months since that document was published, that opposition has grown. From investigations in Congress to lawsuits aimed at specific researchers, there is a backlash particularly against those who study communications and media, especially where the subjects of that research are often those most interested in advancing false and misleading claims about issues including elections and public health. Justin Hendrix, who is a member of the coalition, caught up with Brandi Geurkink, who was hired as the coalition's first Executive Director in December 2023, to discuss its priorities.

Today’s guest is Robert Weissman, president of the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen. He is the author of a letter addressed to the California Attorney General that raises significant concerns about OpenAI’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. The letter questions whether OpenAI has deviated from its nonprofit purposes, alleging that it may be acting under the control of its for-profit subsidiary, potentially violating its nonprofit mission. The letter raises broader issues about the future of AI and how it will be governed. 

Authors of the report 'Distortion by Design' discuss the role of social media platforms in shaping perceptions of the Israel-Hamas conflict. They explore content moderation, political expression, and the preservation of the historical record. The podcast covers monitoring the conflict on platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Telegram, along with contrasting responses from Twitter and X during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The challenges of accessing information in Gaza and the growing distrust towards TikTok are also discussed.

Discussion on the use of child sexual abuse imagery in AI training, challenges in identifying and eliminating problematic content, implications of stable diffusion 1.5 models, challenges in addressing problematic content on hosting platforms, AI Foundation Model Transparency Act, and future directions in generative AI and training sets.

Discussion on the need for a regulatory agency to govern AI, comparing it to the FDA model and emphasizing the importance of safety reviews and monitoring. Exploring the potential of implementing FDA-style approval and oversight for AI governance. The chapter discusses the limitations and potential measures to prevent monopolies in the current AI ecosystem. Exploring the application of the FDA model to regulate AI, including post-market monitoring and international governance. Discussing international aspects of standard setting and certification for AI. Importance of assessing risks in AI and potential application of banking regulation and third-party auditing.

Researchers discuss the need to critically examine what we are building in AI, including addressing bias in technology and the risks of generative AI systems. They also explore the impact of AI on society, the need for regulations and standards, and strategies to address the temporal mismatch of wise choices and idea implementation.

In both the US and Europe, policymakers are making important decisions about the governance of the bulk collection of communications and data for intelligence purposes. In the US, some of these questions are at the fore as Congress considers how to extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's Section 702 program, which is set to expire at the start of 2024. To get a sense of how the broader policy debate around government surveillance is advancing in both the US and Europe, Justin Hendrix spoke to two experts on the subject who happened to be meeting together in Washington DC last week: Dr. Thorsten Wetzling, head of the Digital Rights, Surveillance and Democracy research unit of the Berlin think tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV), and Greg Nojeim, Director of the Security and Surveillance Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT).

The podcast discusses the first regulatory framework for AI within the EU. It explores the significance of the AI Act on international regulations, including the negotiations, compromises, and concerns involved. Prohibited practices of AI use in the EU are covered, along with fines and penalties associated with the AI Act.