The Dynamist

Note: This episode was recorded prior to the completion of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover. There are few debates in tech policy as heated as the debate over what content or “digital speech” is allowed on the Internet. Proponents of more “content moderation” say it’s really just about taking down posts that create real-world harm. Critics say the term is little more than a euphemism for censorship. With Congress deadlocked on whether and how to regulate social media, state capitols and the courts have begun to fill the void. What do these bills and cases mean for the future of social media and online speech? Will the Supreme Court have the final say? Is there a role for agencies like the Federal Communications Commission? And what impact will Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter have? Evan discussed all that and more with Brendan Carr, the senior Republican commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 

 If you’re the parent of a teenager, you might lament the hours they spend scrolling through videos on TikTok. But other than being a time suck, it may seem harmless, right? Not according to a growing chorus of policymakers who say, given TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese government, the app needs to be banned, or seriously curtailed, to protect America. So how could cute dances, animal videos, and influencers be a threat to national security? Evan is joined by Geoffrey Cain, Senior Fellow for Critical Emerging Technologies at Lincoln Network and author of The Perfect Police State: An Undercover Odyssey into China's Terrifying Surveillance Dystopia of the Future. They discuss the changing relationship between China and the U.S., the evolving policy debate over TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, and the geopolitical implications of potential U.S. government action against the popular app.

What is dynamism? The dictionary will tell you, “the quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress.” But aside from being an SAT word, “dynamism” is an ethos that pervades the technology sector in the U.S., particularly in Silicon Valley. In recent years, has America lost its dynamist edge? Sure, we get a new iPhone every year, but where are the major, disruptive leaps we associate with tech-driven innovation? Evan is joined by Zach Graves, Executive Director at Lincoln Network. They discuss the state of tech and tech policy in the U.S., how the rise of China implicates traditional view of free markets and industrial policy. Can bridging the gap between engineers in tech hubs and policymakers in Washington and state capitols help make America more dynamist?