David Moschella

Technologies and tech companies are accused of creating a myriad of societal problems. This book exposes them as mostly myths, falsehoods, and exaggerations.

Supporters of the recent antitrust cases against Google and Amazon like to stress America’s long history of successful technology industry interventions. But who says that the iconic cases of the past were necessary and successful?

America’s imports from China look large because China is so large. But proportionally, they’re less than those from the other Asian tigers. America’s large trade deficit stems primarily from its lack of high-value manufacturing exports, not just to China but to the world.

Defending Digital Series, No. 22: That digital technologies are a “threat to democracy” is now conventional wisdom, even though nontechnology factors have done much more to undermine America’s electoral confidence than anything digital. Unfortunately, today’s exaggerated electoral accusations have given additional life and power to the full range of dubious Big Tech critiques.

Defending Digital Series, No. 21: Predictions that globalization and the Internet would lead to the overwhelming dominance of the English language are proving much more wrong than right. Changes in economics, geopolitics, and culture—plus major improvements in machine translation—are making even less widely used languages more resilient than many predicted.

Defending Digital Series, No. 20: Tech firms’ efforts to enforce official claims of what is true or false often reduce trust more than increase it. But they can help restore societal trust by using their platforms, moderators, and algorithms to facilitate discussions about the controversial issues of the day. Fortunately, there is some early evidence that this change is now under way.

Defending Digital Series, No. 19: Recent high-profile statements warning of the supposed existential risk of artificial intelligence are unconvincing. Many AI fears are speculative, and many others seem manageable. Unless serious problems suddenly emerge, AI innovation should proceed and be allowed to proliferate.

Defending Digital Series, No. 18: The war in Ukraine and the return of persistent inflation have made it clear that energy is still much more important to peoples’ lives than digital data.

Defending Digital Series, No. 17: Last year’s defeat of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) has led to predictable handwringing about the future of the news business. Both history and recent events suggest that such fears will prove unwarranted.

China’s economy is best viewed as a giant Asian Tiger. China’s great success stems mostly from its vast size and its use of the proven Asian development model. Claims that it’s mostly the result of exploitive and unfair communist practices distort U.S. priorities and policies.

Defending Digital Series, No. 16: The recent congressional hearing about TikTok was a missed opportunity to insist that U.S. and Chinese companies be treated equally in both nations.

Defending Digital Series, No. 15: While ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence have great potential, predictions of ever-increasing digital disruption thus far have proven to be false. Looking ahead, the most significant societal shifts won’t be driven by digital technology; they will stem from the demands of the physical world.

ITIF hosted a discussion of these issues, including how U.S. businesses are likely to be affected and what the U.S. government should do in response. An expert panel will discuss a recent ITIF report arguing the United States and its allies should focus on rebalancing global supply chains, bolstering competitiveness, adjusting to China’s market size, and solidifying the West’s appeal.

ITIF hosted a video webinar to discuss the implications of the pandemic on society, industry, and individuals and what organizations and governments need to do to cope.

While the technology industry was once seen as being committed to building a better and smarter world, shifting public perceptions towards the tech industry have caused it to go on the defensive when it comes to issues ranging from data privacy to income equity, workplace diversity, and antitrust enforcement. Has the technology industry become worthy of the same scrutiny as the oil, banking, or airline industry? Join ITIF for an in-depth discussion of these critical issues, including an assessment of the validity of commonly voiced concerns and what the industry needs to do to avoid becoming the next Big Oil.

ITIF will host a panel discussion on why disruptive IT transformations are occurring and how they impact consumers businesses and IT policy.