Deval Patrick leads Joe Biden’s tech policy commission
Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is getting his chance to shape national tech policy, following an under-the-radar appointment to a commission tasked with making recommendations for President Biden’s goals on social media and the internet.
“Tech, in various forms, is an ever more present and ever more essential tool in daily life, but it’s not accessible to everyone and it’s not used responsibly by everyone,” said Patrick, one of three co-chairs leading a national Future of Tech Commission.
The Biden administration has tasked the commission with delivering a set of recommendations this year — which could include potential regulation on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter — on internet equity, safety, competition and privacy.
Patrick, who ran his own unsuccessful presidential campaign last year before dropping out early, has been a leader in tech since his days as Massachusetts’ governor, which likely helped him nab the appointment.
The commission kicked off a series of virtual town hall-style events with the help of Harvard University on Tuesday, where Gov. Charlie Baker offered the keynote address on what he described as “one of the most challenging issues of our time.”
“The fact is, at this point, (technology) is pretty much everywhere,” Baker said. “I think one of the things that creates the biggest single challenge with regard to that is that fundamental fact.”
The Republican governor spoke about cybersecurity and discussed the “terrible incident” of a ransomware attack on a Registry of Motor Vehicles vendor that took down the registry’s ability to perform inspections in March.
Calling the internet a “wonderful tool,” Baker said commissioners are “brave” to dig into the many issues of governing the internet.
“It’s a really tough act for you to pursue,” he said.
Sen. Ed Markey, who also spoke at the virtual event, said reinstating a policy of net neutrality “must be at the top of our agenda” and called for other reforms.
“If you want smart education policy, and smart climate change policy, and smart health care policy, and smart transportation policy, you need a wicked smart internet policy,” Markey said.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2T1bzMF
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