How has the pandemic changed our relationship with tech?

SOCIETY

VIDEO (8 MIN)

Should We Have a Federal Department of the Attention Economy?

Andrew Yang, founder of Humanity Forward and former presidential candidate, joins Aspen Digital’s Vivian Schiller for a conversation about rightsizing the role of tech companies in the lives of everyday citizens. The law regulating Facebook was written in 1996, before social networks existed. What should the new rules of the road for an evolving tech sector look like? Will the passage of Prop 24 in California lead the way for a culture change around data privacy and ownership? Should the Biden administration consider forming a department of the attention economy to regulate tech giants? This conversation was produced with our partners at Unfinished Live. Register for next week’s episode here.Watch.

TECHNOLOGY

VIDEO (28 MIN)

How 2020 Changed the Internet

Few companies understand the rhythms of our daily online lives like Cloudflare. One of the largest networks on the Internet, Cloudflare watches over a billion IPs and some 10 percent of web traffic. Michelle Zatlyn, co-founder and COO of Cloudflare, joins Nicholas Thompson, former editor of WIRED and new CEO of The Atlantic, at the Aspen Cyber Summit to reflect on how this unprecedented year changed our online habits — and what 2020 can tell us about where the Internet is headed.Watch.

TECHNOLOGY

VIDEO (50 MIN)

Navigating an Infodemic — From Elections to Vaccines

On almost every critical public policy issue, citizens must navigate an online environment more poisoned than ever by malignant actors both foreign and domestic. How do we balance free speech with the need to provide vital information on democracy, public health, the economy, and more? This discussion from the Aspen Cyber Summit includes Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, Yasmin Green, director of research and development at Jigsaw, and Joan Donovan, research director at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. It is moderated by Charlie Warzel, writer at large for The New York Times.Watch.

Legacy, Meaning, and the Power of Stories

December 8–9

Join the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls for a series of inspiring conversations to honor the leadership and legacy of SOAR Fellows, as well as other courageous, groundbreaking women leaders who work tirelessly to advance opportunity and equality in the United States and across the globe.Register.

Securing Our Economic Future: Policies to Strengthen the Middle Class and Address Climate Change

December 10

Two pressing economic challenges facing the next administration are building a robust and prosperous middle class — especially after the COVID-19 pandemic — and mitigating the economic costs of climate change. Join the Economic Strategy Group for a discussion about policy priorities to address these challenges and promote a stronger 21st century economy.Register.

How Meritocracy's Luster Tarnishes the American Dream

Podcast, December 2

Featuring Harvard professor Michael Sandel, author of The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good?, and Elliot Gerson, executive vice president at the Aspen Institute. Listen.