Looking Ahead | Brunswick Group
Perspectives

Looking Ahead

Biden-Harris Administration's Next Steps on Tech

Broadly, 2021 will be a foundational year as the new administration builds its team and congressional leaders establish the legislative issues they will prioritize. Antitrust enforcement actions and the signals the administration’s progressive appointments make will be top of mind for all of big tech. While there will be more focus initially on the issues outlined above, we also cannot lose sight of emerging technologies, especially as they become more prevalent in traditional business and industry operations.

Federal and state policymakers have caught up to the technology sector more so than in the past, and so we cannot expect emerging tech to escape regulation. For example, as companies incorporate more AI and automated decision-making, policymakers will raise questions around workforce development and STEM education to ensure worker skills are meeting these new demands. Corporate leaders are expected to address these types of issues head-on.

Finally, we cannot ignore the spotlight that the pandemic has put on broadband access and 5G development. It is largely expected to be a part of any infrastructure effort put forth by the Biden administration, and we will highlight this and other critical issues in future Brunswick technology notes

Upcoming International Dates

In addition to the U.S. activity considered in the sections included earlier, we can expect tech policy issues to come to the forefront in the context of significant international government-focused events. Throughout 2021, these include:

Confirmed

  • World Economic Forum, Global Technology Governance Summit (April 6-7, Tokyo)
  • G7 Summit (June 11-13, United Kingdom)
  • World Economic Forum, Special Annual Meeting (August 17–20, Singapore)
  • UN General Assembly (September 14-30, New York)
  • G20 Summit (October 30-31, Rome)

Pending

  • NATO Summit (Brussels)
  • Summit for Democracy (Washington, D.C.)
  • EU-U.S. Summit

U.S. Legislative Activity (Federal and State)

January

  • 22: S.24 Protecting Personal Health Data Act (Data Privacy/Protection)

February

  • 4: S.224 Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act (Data Privacy/Protection)
  • 4: S.225 Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act (CALERA) (Antitrust)
  • 8: S.299 SAFE TECH Act (Platform Liability/Content Moderation)
  • 10: HB2005 Arizona Anti-Monopoly Bill (App Store) (Antitrust) PASSED
  • 12: HB732 Maryland Digital Ad Tax (Digital Tax) PASSED
  • 22: SB228 Utah Social Media Content Moderation (Platform Liability/Content Moderation) PASSED

March