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Internet Policy Wars 3.0 Is The Past A Prologue To The Fight For Web3?

Internet Policy Wars 3.0

Is The Past A Prologue To The Fight For Web3?

At the dawn of Web 1.0 policymakers nearly quashed the Internet with legislation such as the Communications Decency Act and key escrow. Many policy experts fear the same cycle has begun at the advent of Web 3.0. The clumsy cryptocurrency language in the Infrastructure Bill laid bare the lack of policymaker awareness of the broader “Web3” ecosystem. 

Join us as our experts draw parallels between mistakes made in the 1990s and why policymakers must better understand the promise and potential of Web 3.0. 

Date: Thursday, October 21, 2021
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Virtual
RSVP: Via Eventbrite here

Internet Policy Wars 3.0 Is The Past A Prologue To The Fight For Web3?

Background
Last month Senators included last minute language in the Infrastructure Bill that many fear could stifle the evolution of the Internet. The nascent cryptocurrency industry was shocked into action by the Senate. But they should have seen it coming — it has happened before. 

In the mid-1990s policymakers in Washington nearly snuffed out the Internet as it started to develop. The proposed regulatory cuts were myriad. From taxes on cable modems to the Communications Decency Act, policymakers failed to see how this decentralized network would become good for anything. A band of policy experts, from civil society groups, companies, futurists and science fiction writers, plus the Internet’s fledgling user base, spent years trying to get policymakers to see the positive potential for the Internet — even if those use cases were theoretical. Some look back at those early days as the Internet Policy Wars. 

Today, many veterans of those wars see remarkable parallels between those early days and what is happening today in Washington. The Internet is in the very early stages of an architectural shift back to more decentralized and open applications that many call Web 3.0. Lawmakers have reacted negatively to Web 3.0 and its promise of increased financial and infrastructural freedom and  innovation — without understanding the underlying potential. Recent legislative proposals include taxing these new technologies and requiring backdoor keys for law enforcement access. They sound eerily familiar. 

Until policymakers can see the potential use cases for Web 3.0 beyond digital currency, it looks like we are heading into early days of Internet Policy Wars 3.0.

Reps Kim and Wexton

Reps Jennifer Wexton, Young Kim To Lead House’s STEM Competition

Today, Representatives Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18) and Michael McCaul (TX-10) appointed Representatives Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) and Young Kim (CA-39) as new bipartisan leaders of the Congressional App Challenge (CAC).  As the House’s official STEM competition, the Congressional App Challenge inspires students across the country to learn about STEM education and coding. Representatives Wexton and Kim are both recognized leaders in Congress on STEM, tech, and next generation workforce issues.

Reps Jennifer Wexton, Young Kim To Lead House’s STEM Competition

“The Congressional App Challenge is an incredible opportunity for middle and high schoolers to get engaged with the world of coding and have their hard work put on display for the entire country,” said Representative Jennifer Wexton. “I am honored to serve as co-chair of the Congressional App Challenge and build on its wonderful work to bring STEM and computer science to young people in every community across the country. I can’t wait to see the amazing creations that students come up with, and I encourage anyone who is interested — regardless of your skill level — to give it a shot and try your hand at this year’s App Challenge.”

“The Congressional App Challenge has served as a fun and innovative way for students to be exposed to computer science and coding concepts, which in turn helps create opportunities for all students, grow our workforce, strengthen our future economy and boost U.S. competitiveness abroad. This is more important than ever as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Representative Young Kim. “I’m proud to support the Congressional App Challenge and serve as a co-chair of this year’s competition. I look forward to seeing the apps created by talented students across California’s 39th District and the nation, and I’ll continue to do all I can to support educational opportunities for our students.” 

“Representatives Wexton and Kim exemplify the future of the App Challenge,” said Program Director Joe Alessi. “As we come out of the pandemic, the App Challenge is poised to have its biggest year yet. With a focus on equity, diverse student representation, and bipartisanship, we couldn’t be more excited about the appointment of co-chairs that share our vision. Rep. Wexton and Rep. Kim’s leadership will help the App Challenge reach more students from across the nation than ever before.”

Registration for the 2021 Congressional App Challenge has begun, and students can register now using this link. Our new co-chairs look forward to seeing the innovative and outstanding apps that students around the nation create!

Diversity at SOTN

Diversity At State of the Net 2021

Two weeks ago we were thrilled to convene the Internet stakeholder community at the 17th annual State of the Net Conference, the nation’s most prominent Internet policy summit.

Speakers at SOTN reflect different perspectives on Internet policy issues. We have long curated the program to highlight differences of opinion among experts from across the spectrum of industry, government, academia, and civil society. Yet, over those 17 years the speakers at SOTN have not always sufficiently represented women and communities of color. Over the course of our 25 year history, those voices have been woefully underrepresented in Internet policy conversations.

We have made strides over the years to bring more diverse voices to the table at State of the Net. We’ve made great progress in some areas and have made incremental improvements in others. In other areas, we haven’t made much of a dent and we need to do better. In the interest of accountability, we’re publishing the below stats regarding speaker diversity at #SOTN2021.*

Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021
Diversity At State of the Net 2021

There is always room for improvement and will work harder. We will also continue our work to create a pipeline for talented Internet policy practitioners of color through the Internet Law & Policy Foundry. The Foundry, which we launched six years ago, is a professional development platform for early career professionals passionate about Internet law and policy. Diversity is a major goal in the Foundry admissions criteria for incoming fellows. We will also continue to inspire students of color to pursue careers in computer science and STEM through the Congressional App Challenge (CAC). Through the House’s official computer science competition for middle and high school students, which we administer, we work to ensure that student participation in the CAC reflects the diversity of the American people. (See impact/diversity).

* BIPOC Defined.
** Our survey of speakers at SOTN was passive. Our data is not a reflection speakers’ attestation of identity.  

Agenda, Video
SOTN 2021 is over. Here are links to the program agenda, speakers, videos.

Rep Michael McCaul

Rep. Michael McCaul Becomes Co-Chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Anna G. Eshoo announced Representative Michael McCaul as House co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. Congressman McCaul succeeds Congressman Doug Collins as the Internet Caucus co-chair. Representative McCaul serves as the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ranking Member and represents the 10th district of Texas. Representative McCaul also serves as the Chairman Emeritus on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the founder of the Congressional High Tech Caucus

Several extremely prescient Members of Congress founded the Congressional Internet Caucus in 1996 to address the knowledge gap among House and Senate Members regarding the nascent Internet. Almost a quarter of a century later, the mission of the Caucus — to educate other Members about Internet technology and its implications — remains even more critical today. 

The bipartisan Congressional Internet Caucus remains among the most prominent and active caucuses on Capitol Hill. The Caucus is chaired by Senators John Thune and Patrick Leahy on the Senate side. Representative Anna G. Eshoo and Senator Leahy are founding Members of the Caucus. 

In addition to its educational program for Members and Congressional staff, the Congressional Internet Caucus created the Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge encourages middle and high school students to compete in district-wide coding competitions. It has become the most prestigious computer science award for students. The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy applauds the appointment of Congressman McCaul as the House Caucus co-chair. His activity in tech and cybersecurity legislation has been unmatched. In addition to his bipartisanship, he is among the most influential and respected Members of Congress.

About The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy
The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy (CICA) is a part of a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The CICA is a neutral platform where thought leaders debate important technology issues that shape legislative and administration policy in an open forum. We vigilantly adhere to our mission to curate balanced and dynamic debates among Internet stakeholders. Our volunteer board members ensure that we dutifully execute that mission. More information on the CICA is available at www.netcaucus.org.

Eshoo Collins Resolution

Reps Eshoo & Collins Celebrate The 50 Years Of The Internet On House Floor

Today the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Internet Caucus, Representatives Anna G. Eshoo and Doug Collins, introduced a resolution on the House Floor commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Internet. The resolution “recognizes the first message sent from one computer to another using the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)” and “honors the contributions of researchers, universities, government agencies, nonprofits, and private companies in the development of the Internet.”

“For the past 50 years, the Internet has continually revolutionized how Americans live, learn, work, and connect with one another,” Eshoo said. “Our resolution commemorates the American ingenuity that led to the Internet and the key role the federal government played in its development. I’m especially proud of the pivotal role that the Stanford Research Institute, which is in my District, played in the Internet’s foundation, receiving the first digital data transmission on the ARPANET, a pioneering predecessor to the modern Internet. I look forward to the next 50 years of Internet innovation and the bold inventions yet unimagined.”

“The invention of the Internet has completely transformed every aspect of our lives, opening the door to countless opportunities for growth and innovation,” said Collins. “As co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus, I’m proud to join Rep. Eshoo in commemorating the first message sent on the ARPANET and recognizing the many individuals who contributed to this revolutionary invention. As we look ahead to the future of the Internet, I’m committed to ensuring more and more communities gain access to this critical resource, which has quickly become a pre-requisite for economic growth here in America.”

The full text of the resolution can be found in its entirety here.

Reps Eshoo & Collins Celebrate The 50 Years Of The Internet On House Floor
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#MusicMoguls Highlight: Should FM Radio Pay Musicians the Same as Internet Streaming Services?

August 7, 2019 – Last week, the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy held a panel to explain the complex world of music licensing and royalties.

During the panel, Julia Massimino of SoundExchange and Curtis LeGeyt of the National Association of Broadcasters debated music royalties for terrestrial radio stations.
 
By law, artists and songwriters receive compensation differently depending on the type of platform that we use. For example, if you listen to Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” on an interactive streaming service such as Spotify, Spotify pays performance royalties to artists (Jay-Z) and mechanical royalties to songwriters (Angela Hunte, et al.) for the track. However, if you listen to the exact same song on AM/FM radio, radio stations would only be required to pay mechanical royalties to songwriters (Hunte, et al.), but not performance royalties to artists (Jay-Z).
 
Watch on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmntwPcfvqU
Interested in learning more? Check out this six-minute C-SPAN clip of the Future of Music Coalition’s Kevin Erickson explaining the music licensing process with the help of some special guests, and click here to watch the entire one-hour briefing.
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The Congressional App Challenge Celebrates Another Successful Launch

On Monday July 8th, the House of Representatives launched the 2019 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for its 5th consecutive year. As the CAC is district-specific, students compete against other students from their congressional district to be named their district\’s Congressional App Challenge winner. After the Challenge\’s completion, the winners from each district are welcomed to #HouseOfCode to meet their Congress Member and celebrate the future of American tech talent.

The Challenge is open to all middle and high school students residing or attending school in a district whose Member of Congress is hosting an App Challenge. In 2019, Over 275 Members of Congress are hosting App Challenges in their respective districts. Of the Freshman Congress Members, 75% are hosting a Challenge in their district. Students with or without coding experience are welcome! In fact, 44% of students who competed in the 2018 Challenge were beginners.

Interested in taking the Challenge? Remember, the application portal closes November 1st!

The CAC is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, managed by the Internet Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Want to know if your Congress Member’s district is hosting an App Challenge? Click here! Not sure who your Congress Member is? Click here!

The Congressional App Challenge is supported by private-sector organizations that share a commitment to creating a diverse pipeline of computer science talent. These organizations make it possible for the Challenge to reach students from across the nation and spread computer science education to all.

The Congressional App Challenge Celebrates Another Successful Launch
Rep Doug Collins

Rep. Eshoo Announces Rep. Doug Collins as Co-Chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus

June 18, 2019 – Today, Representative Anna G. Eshoo announced Representative Doug Collins as House co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. Congressman Collins succeeds Congressman Bob Goodlatte as the Congressional Internet Caucus co-chair. Representative Collins serves as the House Judiciary Committee’s Ranking Member and represents the ninth district of Georgia.

Several extremely prescient Members of Congress founded the Congressional Internet Caucus in 1996 to address the knowledge gap among House and Senate Members regarding the nascent Internet. Almost a quarter of a century later, the mission of the Caucus — to educate other Members about Internet technology and its implications — remains even more critical today.

The bipartisan Congressional Internet Caucus remains among the most prominent and active caucuses on Capitol Hill. The Caucus is chaired by Senators John Thune and Patrick Leahy on the Senate side. Representative Anna G. Eshoo and Senator Leahy are founding Members of the Caucus.

In addition to its educational program for Members and Congressional staff, the Congressional Internet Caucus created the Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge encourages middle and high school students to compete in district-wide coding competitions. It has become the most prestigious computer science award for students.

The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy applauds the appointment of Congressman Collins as the House Caucus co-chair. He is among the most respected and active Members in Congress.

About The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy
The Congressional Internet Caucus Academy (CICA) is a part of a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The CICA takes no positions on legislation or regulation. Rather, it is a neutral platform where thought leaders debate important technology issues that shape legislative and administration policy in an open forum. We vigilantly adhere to our mission to curate balanced and dynamic debates among Internet stakeholders. Our volunteer board members ensure that we dutifully execute that mission. More information on the CICA is available at www.netcaucus.org.

Rep Anna Eshoo and Bob Goodlatte

Rep Anna G. Eshoo Honors Bob Goodlatte For His Congressional Internet Caucus Service

On January 29, 2019 Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, on behalf of her other Congressional Internet Caucus co-chairs — Senator John Thune and Senator Patrick Leahy — presented former Congressman Bob Goodlatte a gift as an appreciation for his decades of service as co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. The co-chairs presented Bob Goodlatte, a renowned collector of baseball memorabilia, with a one-of-a-kind baseball bat engraved with the signatures of the three remaining co-chairs.

privacy series

Announcing Federal Commercial Privacy Legislative Workshop Series

November 08, 2018

Starting in 2019 the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy will host a series of hands-on workshops for policymakers on competing principles and policy considerations as they examine approaches to safeguarding Americans’ privacy. These four specialized workshops will focus on commercial privacy rules and will complement the Academy’s already robust Internet policy briefing program. The workshops are designed to provide policymakers with a baseline understanding on complex privacy issues such as consent, context, enforcement, extraterritorial considerations, sensitive information, and more. The Academy will draw its faculty from the leading experts in Internet policy and will include the diversity of perspectives that is the hallmark of the program.

Sign-up here to receive updates on the program and to receive priority announcements on how to register and attend them.

More About The Academy’s Commercial Privacy Workshop Series

A rash of commercial privacy incidents in recent years, combined with Europe’s GDPR rules and California’s Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, have increased pressure for a federal privacy law for personal commercial data. Privacy advocacy groups along with some lawmakers have intensified their calls for federal privacy legislation in recent months. And several major Industry groups have called for legislation in this area as well. Policymakers on the Hill need to get quickly up to speed on the framework governing commercial privacy in the United States and what might enhance that framework from a legislative and regulatory perspective.

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