On the fifth of eight lectures in the Ten Years Hence Speaker Series, host Brian Levey, Teaching Professor at the Mendoza College of Business, welcomed the esteemed Anu Bradford, Henry L. Moses Distinguished Professor of Law and International Organization at Columbia Law School, to delve into the intricacies of tech regulation and the global struggle for digital sovereignty.
The lecture shed light on the rapidly evolving landscape of technology governance and what it means for the future of global order. Professor Bradford, renowned for her expertise in international law and her influential work on the “Brussels effect,” engaged the audience with a compelling exposition of the trilateral power struggle between the United States, the European Union, and China. The episode opened with Levy’s articulate introduction of Professor Bradford, setting the stage for a discussion that would unravel the complex fabric of international technology policy.
The conversation quickly turned to the Snowden revelations and how this moment of historical significance laid bare the covert extent of data sharing with the U.S. National Security Agency. This turning point served as a catalyst for the necessity of a federal privacy law, according to the expertise shared in the episode, reflecting the need to rebuild trust and establish more robust data protections for individuals within the United States. Levy and Bradford engaged in a deep dive into the need for revived antitrust legislations as a means to address the concentration of market power in the hands of a few large tech companies. The monopoly of these digital giants not only stifles competition but also poses a significant threat to consumer privacy and democracy itself.
Bradford articulated the dichotomy of artificial intelligence as both a boon and a bane, highlighting the imperative for governance measures that span sectors as diverse as healthcare to the very sanctity of election processes. The nuanced debate touched on content moderation and the clarity of algorithms as essential tools in deciphering how tech companies shape discourse and, ultimately, societies.
The discussion provided a stark narrative on the battles between “empires” delineated by Bradford. The distinction between horizontal struggles, such as the US-China tech war and the European-American regulatory contest, was made clear, as well as the vertical confrontations between governments and mammoth tech conglomerates. Through the discussion, it was revealed that the United States is reconsidering its erstwhile techno-libertarian stance in favor of more comprehensive regulation. However, according to Bradford, the U.S. may be losing the horizontal struggle, as countries gravitate toward a European regulatory model driven by rights and privacy protection.
Bradford shared concerns about the European model hindering innovation due to market fragmentation, funding impediments, a distinct risk culture, and talent acquisition barriers. Despite these concerns, she contended that America’s robust tech ecosystem’s successes extend beyond just digital regulation.
As the conversation progressed, the hurdles that companies like Meta encounter with regulatory constraints in Europe were dissected. Bradford stressed the importance of state power in holding these tech giants accountable, with the U.S. playing a critical role in this digital reckoning.
In the latter part of the podcast, Levy and Bradford addressed the imperative of America investing concretely and providing diplomatic support to maintain sovereignty in technology. Bradford underscored the importance of involving developing countries in the stakes of digital development and democratizing access to transformative technologies like artificial intelligence.
Bradford and Levy capably illustrated how global digital markets are managed with an eye toward shared prosperity and cooperation. However, Bradford expressed skepticism about the U.S. Congress’s capacity to enact effective tech regulation, suggesting that European regulatory frameworks might offer a more viable solution.
Closing the episode, Bradford argued for a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States, aligning its digital governance closer to European standards while also strengthening American data protections against both commercial and government exploitation.
This installment of Ten Years Hence concluded with a detailed exploration of the “digital empires,” their distinctive governance models, and the global ramifications of their regulatory clashes. The intricate dance of these influential powers will undoubtedly shape the digital trajectory of the world, with liberal democracy hanging delicately in the balance. It was an insightful session that left the listeners with a clear understanding of the various geopolitical and digital forces at play and the pressing need for coherent and effective regulation in an increasingly interconnected world.
