The Congress may be new in 2023, but their technology issues are not. And judging by the actions (or inactions) of the last two Congresses, those issues are far from any resolution.
What are the tech concerns facing Congress? Here are just a few of the major issues:
- antitrust legislation aimed at the tech industry
- social media content moderation policies
- the online spread of disinformation
- online data privacy
- broadband deployment and adoption
- closing the digital divide.
One has to wonder what is holding up action. Certainly the federal data privacy bill has bipartisan support, as does legislation to prohibit giant tech companies from giving preference to their own products and services over those of rivals.
Among the stumbling blocks is the issue of state control. Many states, most notably California, are not happy about the federal government calling all the shorts when it comes to technology regulations. Nancy Pelosi refused to bring the data privacy legislation to the House floor because she felt that the bill doesn’t give California, the first to pass a data privacy law, enough freedom to set its own tougher rules.
The divided nature of our current politics must bear some of responsibility for lack of action. Even though some bills have bipartisan support, the political party in the minority is reluctant to do anything that might make the ruling party look good.
But government is a tricky business. It is just possible that this Congress may succeed where past Congresses have failed. Fingers crossed.