Technology and Innovation | Council on Foreign Relations

Technology and Innovation

The Dangers of Manipulated Media in the Midst of a Crisis

While social media companies have made some efforts to address manipulated media—photos, video, or audio that have been edited, distorted, or misappropriated—more needs to be done. Social media companies, researchers, and lawmakers should collaborate to create coherent policies for regulating manipulated media that safeguard civil liberties.

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Net Politics February 12, 2020 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
Climate Change

Dimming the Sky

As climate change accelerates, some scientists are researching ways to alter our climate to slow down warming. But the method, called solar geoengineering, comes with some serious risks.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra February 12, 2020 Why It Matters
Technology and Innovation

Can the “Maine Model” Bring the Innovation Economy to the Rest of America?

The opening of Northeastern University's Roux Institute in Portland, Maine is a crucial first step in bringing the innovation economy to states that have historically been overlooked by venture capital. In addition to centers that cultivate tech talent, these states also need high levels of capital to fund the fledgling companies that employ graduates.

Blog Post by Robert K. Knake February 10, 2020 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program

COVID-19

Chinese Tech Responds to the Coronavirus

As the new coronavirus has spread from Wuhan to the rest of China, Chinese technology firms have played a prominent role in the battle against the epidemic. These efforts have tied tech companies closer to the Chinese government and increased surveillance in the name of public health.

Blog Post by Lauren Dudley and Adam Segal February 6, 2020 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
Election 2020

What Are Green Jobs?

Green jobs are booming. But what are they? And how can the United States prepare for the future this shift in technologies will bring?

Explainer Video with Shannon K. O'Neil January 24, 2020
Asia

Podcast: Samm Sacks on Data Governance and Great Power Rivalry

The United States and China increasingly seem locked in a technological rivalry that may determine much of the twenty-first century’s security and prosperity. The outcome of that competition could be shaped by how the two countries and their allies decide to manage the vast amounts of data generated by the modern digital economy. Samm Sacks, cybersecurity policy and China digital economy fellow at New America, discusses these issues and many more with Stephen A. Schwarzman Senior Fellow for Asia Studies Mira Rapp-Hooper in the latest episode of the Asia Unbound podcast series.

Podcast with Mira Rapp-Hooper January 17, 2020 Asia Unbound

Technology and Innovation

Robots That Kill

Militaries around the world are designing artificial intelligence–powered weapons that could one day make their own decisions about who to target. The technology could change the scope of warfare, but at what cost?

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra January 15, 2020 Why It Matters
Technology and Innovation

2019: The Beginning of the End of the Open Internet Era

In the next decade, China will establish a separate root system for their share of the internet. This will mark the end of the global internet era. When the root splits, the United States and its allies should establish a coalition of democratic nations that would offer a stark choice and clear alternative to the Chinese internet governance model for the rest of the world.

Blog Post by Robert K. Knake January 6, 2020 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
World Order

The World Is Heading Back to the Future—to Another Volatile, Roaring ‘20s

The international politics of 2020 bear unnerving resemblance to the conditions that precipitated World War II.

Blog Post by Stewart M. Patrick January 6, 2020 The Internationalist
5G

What Is 5G?

What exactly is 5G—and why could China control its future?

Explainer Video with Thamine Nayeem December 20, 2019
Digital Policy

Year in Review: Content Moderation on Social Media Platforms in 2019

The spread of disinformation, misinformation, hate speech, and violent and extremist content on social media platforms in 2019 prompted heated debate over how tech companies and governments should approach content moderation. These issues will continue to play out in 2020, with important social and political consequences.

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Net Politics December 19, 2019 Net Politics
Democracy

Gendered Disinformation, Fake News, and Women in Politics

Voices from the Field features contributions from scholars and practitioners highlighting new research, thinking, and approaches to development, diplomacy and security challenges. This post is authored by Lucina Di Meco, Global Fellow, The Wilson Center.

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Women Around the World December 6, 2019 Women Around the World
Space

Space Jam

Space is getting crowded. The biggest challenge is space junk—the debris that results when satellites break up or get shot down. If we aren’t careful, space junk, and space conflict, could cause a lot of problems down here on Earth.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra December 4, 2019 Why It Matters
Women and Women's Rights

STEMinism

Women and girls are excluded from career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This gender gap is causing the world to lose out on “the genius of half the population,” according to former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra November 20, 2019 Why It Matters
Digital Policy

Reviewing a Multipolar Tech World in 2019: China, United States, and EU-Japan

While multilateral efforts to establish standards governing emerging technologies have attracted publicity, the reality is that countries continue to pursue their own technological initiatives globally. The United States, European Union (EU), Japan, and China are doing so according to their own competitive advantages. Other countries need to observe these trends closely to understand the forces shaping global technology governance.

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Net Politics November 14, 2019 Net Politics