In the digital age, how can technology make government more effective? The nonprofit Code for America is training young coders and connecting them with governments in order to digitize “safety net” programs like Medicaid, welfare, and food purchasing assistance. The organization seeks to make these programs more effective and efficient at the local, state, and federal levels by bringing them into a web and mobile friendly environment that helps both the end user and the government agency connect and track benefits.

On this episode, Shane speaks with Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria, a former candidate for elected office and National Political Director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Together, they discuss how Code for America works with federal, state, and local governments to tackle complex political issues through cutting-edge IT solutions.

In an effort to give unserved communities internet access, some state and local governments have launched municipal broadband networks. But when City Hall controls the market for a key good like broadband, competition suffers, and consumers are worse off. Is it possible to pre-empt state municipal broadband laws at the federal level, and would sweeping preemptions survive judicial scrutiny?

Larry Spiwak, President of the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Policy Studies, and George Ford, the Phoenix Center’s Chief Economist, recently helped author a report titled, “The Law and Economics of Municipal Broadband,” which outlined the legal and economic ramifications of municipal broadband programs. On this episode of “Explain to Shane,” Larry, George, and Shane discuss alternatives to municipal broadband programs that would help keep Americans connected.

What are the challenges of reallocating spectrum for commercial use, and how might the resulting “spectrum wars” hinder the rollout of new networks? Furthermore, how has the current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approached this issue? 

On this episode, Nathan Leamer, Vice President of Public Affairs at the strategy firm Targeted Victory and former Policy Advisor to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, joins Shane to discuss spectrum reallocation, 5G, and how the current FCC has succeeded in a number of its policy endeavors.

Support for a federal privacy law is gaining bipartisan momentum, but policymakers must consider the burdens that excessive regulation can place on consumers, trademark owners, and even law enforcement. Existing privacy laws in California, Europe, and beyond have had mixed effects. How can they help inform the creation of federal privacy legislation in the US?

On this episode, Shane is joined by Brian King, Director of Internet Policy and Industry Affairs at Clarivate and a representative of the Intellectual Property Constituency at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Together, they discuss how privacy regulations have created legal access challenges to the information that users of data need for compliance with trademark and intellectual property rules, public safety laws, and privacy policies.  

While sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are turning to online gaming for safe, virtual entertainment. As a result, the video game market has had exceptional success in recent months. Will the gaming industry continue to surge after the pandemic, and how will attention economy industry leaders navigate the change in viewing habits that come with more eyes on gaming content?

On this episode, Shane and her research assistant William Rau discuss the future of online gaming with Lindsay Poss, Director of Communications at the Technology Policy Institute. Lindsay recently published her first academic paper titled “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Gaming Galaxy,” which explores the economics, politics, and culture of the gaming industry. She joins Shane and William to discuss how COVID-19 has permanently influenced the gaming industry, and why e-sports are more popular than ever before. 

Although more young people are getting engaged in politics, civic education is absent from the curriculums of many American high schools and universities. Still, learning about the founding fathers is crucial to understanding why the American political system is unique. As social media platforms take politics online, how can we use technology to educate young people on the United States’ founding principles?

To honor Constitution Day, Shane welcomes three guests from Constituting America — a foundation that seeks to educate America’s youth on the enduring importance of the US constitution. Founder Janine Turner, Co-Chair Cathy Gillespie, and Youth Director Tova Love Kaplan discuss Constituting America’s mission, educational programs, and upcoming Constitution Day celebration on this special edition of “Explain to Shane.”

For the US rollout of 5G wireless to reach its full potential, network security needs to be a priority. What are the security risks of 5G, and how can the US win the global 5G race?

On this episode, Shane sits down with Tommy Ross, Senior Policy Director at BSA – The Software Alliance and author of BSA’s most recent position paper titled “Securing 5G: A Call to Harness Software Innovation,” which discusses the transition from hardware-dominated networking to a software-centric model for 5G. Together, Shane and Tommy address the availability and importance of 5G network security tools.

Federal information technology (IT) is widely known to be outdated, but proposed legislation in Congress would fast-track federal IT modernization. If passed, the legislation would strengthen the government’s overall security by allowing departments and agencies to bring their systems into the digital innovation era with better cybersecurity and data collection mechanisms. Many agencies realize that upgraded legacy systems are crucial during the COVID-19 crisis. The government needs to change the procurement rules to allow for more emerging technologies that would enable more efficiency from both their IT systems and the employees who deliver their agencies’ services.

On this episode, Jason Oxman, President and CEO of the Information Technology & Innovation Council (ITI) joins Shane to discuss why ITI has made federal IT modernization a priority. Jason’s insights on government investment in cybersecurity and privacy emphasize the extent to which the modernization of critical infrastructure (or lack thereof) will dictate the government’s ability to serve its citizens efficiently.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a debate about contact tracing apps. Virginia recently rolled out an app that uses Google’s and Apple’s Bluetooth technology to notify users if they’ve been exposed to the virus. However, Australians began using contact tracing months ago, and have since debated the need to balance privacy with government regulation. Technology […]

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China claims it is tired of western-centric internet governance, and is now seeking to establish a less centralized global internet based on newer, native products that reflect China’s policy agenda. What would the success of China’s model mean for the future of internet governance? What would it mean for human rights? On this episode, Shane […]

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