Thu, 04/22/2021

This is the first of our Regulation at Scale episodes

Fri, 04/09/2021

On this episode we're talking to Eric Goldman, the Associate Dean for Research and Co-Director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law. We are breaking down Justice Thomas's concurrence that dropped this week, discussing section 230 in response to a first amendment case. What's section 230? Passionate about 230? Either way, this episode is for you. This is the latest in the “just-in-time” series of episodes on recent news, we call TR/∂T. Shout out to the math fans who appreciate our fleeting calculus humor.

Thu, 04/01/2021

On this episode Gus is joined by Joshua Tucker, Professor of Politics and co-Director of the Center for Social Media and Politics at New York University. Joshua joined our center earlier in the month for a guest discussion on his recent book with our faculty fellows.

Wed, 03/17/2021

We’re discussing spectrum: what it is, how the government decides who can use it, and why maybe that process needs to change - from the battle for spectrum between 5G and satellites, to forecasting the policies of the new administration. Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that signals travel over. Those signals are what enable us to use our mobile devices, but wireless uses are only a portion of what spectrum is used for.

Fri, 02/26/2021

On this episode we discuss the recent Texas power grid failure during the record cold temperatures in mid-February. We’ll be talking to Lynne Kiesling, who has been studying energy regulation for two decades about what happened and where to go from here. This is the latest in the “just-in-time” series of episodes on recent news, we call TR/∂T. Shout out to the math fans who appreciate our fleeting calculus humor. Everyone else, happy googling.

Mon, 02/22/2021

Facial recognition software is now widely used and available, from schools, to our workplaces, to our personal devices. It is so pervasive that many states, including Nebraska, have or are working on legislation to try to guide its usage, including in some cases banning its use outright. This episode was prompted by a question from a listener, Danielle Conrad, the executive director of the Nebraska ACLU who joins us to introduce the this topic. We also welcome Elana Zeide and Woody Hartzog back to the show.

Tue, 02/16/2021

In this episode we’re discussing CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), which is a gene editing tool that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA. CRISPR technology is a simple but extremely powerful tool for editing genomes. It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. It should go without saying, this is equal parts very cool and very scary.

Tue, 02/09/2021

Even if you’re not a very “online” type of person, you’ve probably heard about Robinhood, GameStop, and cryptocurrencies in the news. On that extremely hot topic, we have a special episode of Tech Refactored today, which we’re calling a TR/∂T episode. Shout out to the math fans who understand derivatives, and for the finance folks who will get the triple entendre. Everyone else, happy googling. These episodes are informal explorations into current hot issues - so what else could we be talking about today?

Wed, 01/20/2021

Multi-year water deficits and compound events leading to unexpected water surpluses have led to multi-billion-dollar losses in states around the U.S., and this is becoming the norm worldwide. Those losses highlight the vulnerability of our infrastructure to extreme climate events.  Historic approaches to regulation are not easy to change and as more and more weather events occur due to climate change, some advocates are suggesting that laws need to be more flexible and adaptable.

Tue, 01/12/2021

The ongoing pandemic brought many technical challenges into the spotlight, perhaps none more than educational technology and student privacy. The shift from traditional school to remote learning and teaching is riddled with digital privacy concerns, and the intersections of race, class, and technology-access amplify these issues. Elana Zeide, Anisha Reddy, Jim Siegl, Chris Gilliard, and Bill Fitzgerald join us for a dive into student privacy and online proctoring in the era of 'Zoom School.'