State of the Net Conference 2022: Full Schedule

9:30am EST

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Monday February 28, 2022 9:30am - 10:00am EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room Convene Forum

10:00am EST

Fireside Chat featuring Rep. Michael McCaul, with Andrew Howell

Speakers

Rep. Michael McCaul

Member of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives

Monday February 28, 2022 10:00am - 10:25am EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Fireside Chat

Room The Forum

10:35am EST

Hope Springs Eternal? Assessing the State of U.S.-EU Digital Cooperation

Washington and Brussels are attempting to “raise the level of ambition” in the transatlantic relationship, including through a newly launched Trade & Technology Council. The agenda for digital cooperation is a challenging one: negotiate a new Privacy Shield, set rules for artificial intelligence, and form a common front against digital authoritarians. A key question is whether this push from Washington and Brussels will overcome the barriers that have plagued U.S.-EU digital policy and yield meaningful results--or will it succumb to the challenges that have humbled previous attempts at transatlantic economic cooperation? This panel will assess the state of U.S.-EU digital affairs and consider whether the hope for a more ambitious relationship aligns with the realities of trade and diplomacy.

Moderators

Ashley Gold

Axios

Speakers

Dr. Alina Polyakova

Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), President and CEO

Sean Heather

Senior Vice President, International Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Jens- Henrik Jeppesen

Director, Public Policy- Europe, Middle East & Africa, Workday

Alex Greenstein

Director, Privacy Shield, U.S Department of Commerce

Monday February 28, 2022 10:35am - 11:30am EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room The Forum

10:35am EST

Kids, Cashless Apps, & COPPA: Who's Protecting Kids' Fintech Privacy?

The pandemic dramatically accelerated the use of cashless apps among American kids. During COVID parents discovered the anxiety-reducing benefits of their kids' smartphones. Kids could now order a Postmates snack during remote school or pay for a Panera muffin with a swipe of their phones — all with fintech enabled apps. Reports have detailed just how much personal data the market-leading debit card apps collect on children – everything from purchase history to GPS location – and how that data is used to micro-target advertisements. Who's protecting kids' fintech transactions? Probably not COPPA. And the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley law was written at a time when holding a credit card was practically proof of adulthood. Congress wrote GLB for adults making financial transactions, not for kids. This panel will discuss what role policymakers and fintech companies should have to protect a child’s financial data in a cashless society.

Moderators

Cristiano Lima

Reporter, The Washington Post

Speakers

Jamie Susskind

Tech Policy Advisor, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senate

Jessica Rich

Of Counsel, Kelley Dyre & Warren LLP.

Rick Lane

Chief Executive Officer, Iggy Ventures

Syd Terry

Chief of Staff, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, U.S. House of Representatives

Monday February 28, 2022 10:35am - 11:30am EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room South Hub

10:35am EST

The 21st Century Digital Economy and the American Workforce: Immersive Technologies, Opportunities and Policy Challenges

As the United States endeavors to strengthen its position as a global leader, lawmakers and policymakers are thinking through ways in which we can stay ahead of the curve to ensure that the U.S. economy is well-positioned. Paramount to this objective is preparing the American workforce for what is to come. Immersive technologies including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (XR), will be at the forefront of our economic evolution, impacting all sectors from healthcare and manufacturing to infrastructure development and climate change. This panel will discuss the vision for the digital economy of the 21st century, the implications of the next major computing platform, the challenges of ubiquitous XR adoption, and the outlook for competition and cooperation among technology industry stakeholders as they carve out their respective roles.

Moderators

Gopal Ratnam

Senior Staff Writer, CQ Roll Call

Speakers

Angela Hanks

Acting Assistant Secretary/Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

Congresswoman, U.S. House of Representatives

Kristina Francis

JFF Labs, Executive Director, Jobs for the Future

Joan O'Hara

VP for Public Policy, XR Association

Arturo Gonzalez

Director and Global Head of Policy Advocacy & Research, Meta Platforms

Monday February 28, 2022 10:35am - 11:30am EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room North Hub

11:35am EST

Once In A Generation Broadband Boost. Can Government Overcome The Hurdles and Close The Gap?

The pandemic forced America to realize what State of the Net has been urging for 18 years — the Internet is really, really important. In recent months, Congress has passed once in a generation legislation designed to make sure that all Americans can benefit from broadband Internet. The Infrastructure Law provides funding for broadband access initiatives. Several other laws provide significant funds for broadband affordability. Multiple federal and state government agencies will need to do some heavy lifting to make it all work. It is a massive undertaking and the clock is literally ticking. And there are lots of hurdles. Our panel will explore what it will take to close the gap.

Moderators

Amy Schatz

Vice President, Glen Echo Group, LLC.

Speakers

Joseph Wender

Director, Capital Projects Fund, U.S. Department of Treasury

Kathryn de Witt

Project Director, Broadband Access Initiative, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Paul Garnett

Founder & CEO, The Vernonburg Group

Russ Hanser

Director of Communications, Policy Initiatives, NTIA

Monday February 28, 2022 11:35am - 12:30pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room Central Hub

11:35am EST

The Fragmenting of Internet Governance In An Increasingly Authoritarian World

Last summer China and Russia made an alliance for Internet governance. In December the Biden Administration announced its intention to work with allies and partners on the “Alliance for the Future of the Internet.” As the geopolitical battle for Internet control heats up, can democracies and civil society successfully push back against the efforts of authoritarian governments to fragment the global internet?

Moderators

Issie Lapowsky

Chief Correspondant, Protocol

Speakers

Peter Harrell

Senior Director for International Economics and Competitiveness, The White House

Emma Llanso

Director, Free Expression Project, Center for Democracy & Technology

Ivana Stradner

Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Jason Pielemeier

Deputy Director, Global Network Initiative

Monday February 28, 2022 11:35am - 12:30pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room The Forum

11:35am EST

Web3, Metaverse, The Decentralized Web: Is The New Internet Coming?

Many experts believe that the Internet is evolving into something fundamentally new, different, and decentralized. Regardless of the appellations — Metaverse, Web3, blockchain, the Decentralized Web — this shift in architecture could have massive implications for Internet policy. Our panel of experts will explain what all this means and how policymakers in DC should start getting ready for a new Internet.

Moderators

Rachel Horn

Head of Marketing and Communications, Filecoin Foundation

Speakers

Kurt Opsahl

Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Bill Rockwood

Executive Director, Future Forum, U.S. House of Representatives

Dr. Susan Persky

Director, Immersive Simulation Program, Human Genome Institute

Cleve Mesidor

Public Policy Advisor, Blockchain Association

Monday February 28, 2022 11:35am - 12:30pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room South Hub

12:35pm EST

Networking Lunch

Monday February 28, 2022 12:35pm - 1:40pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Break / Networking

1:45pm EST

Keynote with Sen. Ed Markey

Speakers

Sen. Ed Markey

United States Senator, U.S. Senate

Monday February 28, 2022 1:45pm - 2:00pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Keynote

Room The Forum

2:05pm EST

How Can Access to AI Resources Support Human Rights?

There's a big problem looming with artificial intelligence: only a handful of people have the resources to make or work on the most sophisticated AI. This means we'll lack the input and ingenuity from most of the country, and their interests won't be properly protected -- especially people who are already underrepresented in tech. To begin addressing this, Congress requested and the Biden Administration is working on a blueprint for a National AI Research Resource. The Administration is also crafting an AI Bill of Rights. Recently, a bipartisan, bicameral group in Congress recently sent a letter calling for those efforts to be redoubled and work in tandem. Why is it so critical for a broader group to be able to research, test, and apply AI technology? How does that work in practice, and what are policymakers doing to support those goals? What are startups and others doing to make progress while the federal government works towards these policy goals?

Moderators

Ben Brody

Reporter, Protocol

Speakers

Asad Ramzanali

Legislative Director, U.S. House of Representatives

Austin Carson

Founder & President, SeedAI

Thomas Dawson

Founder and CEO, Pruve Systems

Devaki Raj

Founder and CEO, CrowdAI

Monday February 28, 2022 2:05pm - 3:00pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room The Forum

2:05pm EST

What Does The New Biden Antitrust Team Mean For Big Tech?

The Biden Administration has created a new competition policy team in the White House and has issued a competition executive order. The EO instructs almost every department in the Executive Branch to look for ways to foster competition. With new leadership at the Federal Trade Commission and a new antitrust chief at the Department of Justice, what does this mean for Big Tech?

Speakers

Charlotte Slaiman

Competition Policy Director, Public Knowledge

Aurelien Portuese

Director, The Schumpeter Project on Competition Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Jennifer Huddleston

Policy Counsel, NetChoice

Sumit Sharma

Tech Competition Lead, Consumer Reports

Leah Nylen

Reporter, Politico

Monday February 28, 2022 2:05pm - 3:00pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room Central Hub

2:05pm EST

What's Next for Online Content Moderation?

From advertising and misinformation to public health and human rights, online content moderation will impact many parts of our lives. No consensus on content moderation has yet emerged among government, industry, and civil society stakeholders, and approaches differ from Section 230 (reform) in the US to the Digital Services Act in the EU. How can we strike a balance between protecting speech online, upholding the rights of vulnerable groups, and creating a healthier Internet? Join our panel to learn about what's next for online content moderation.

Moderators

Rebecca Kern

Reporter, Politico

Speakers

Julie Owono

Executive Director, Content Policy & Society Labs, Stanford Center on Philanthropy & Civil Society

Will Duffield

Policy Analyst, CATO Institute

Adam Kovacevich

Founder and CEO, Chamber of Progres

Rebecca MacKinnon

Vice President, Global Advocacy, Wikimedia

Monday February 28, 2022 2:05pm - 3:00pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Panel

Room South Hub

3:05pm EST

Keynote with Denice Ross

Speakers

Denice Ross

Chief Scientist, The White House

Monday February 28, 2022 3:05pm - 3:20pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Keynote

Room The Forum

3:30pm EST

Keynote with Rep. Jake Auchincloss

Monday February 28, 2022 3:30pm - 3:45pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Keynote

Room The Forum

4:15pm EST

Fireside Chat featuring Broderick Johnson, with Michael A. Nutter

Speakers

Broderick Johnson

Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Executive Vice President, Digital Equity, Comcast

Michael A. Nutter

Former Mayor, City of Philadelphia, David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Affairs, Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs

Monday February 28, 2022 4:15pm - 4:35pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Fireside Chat

Room The Forum

4:35pm EST

Fireside Chat featuring Alan Davidson, with Dr. Nicol Turner Lee

Speakers

Dr. Nicole Turner Lee

Senior Fellow, Governance Studies and Director, Center for Technology Innovation, The Brookings Institution

Alan Davidson

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator, NTIA

Monday February 28, 2022 4:35pm - 4:55pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Fireside Chat

Room The Forum

4:55pm EST

Keynote with Commissioner Geoffrey Starks

Speakers

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks

Commissioner, Federal Communications Commision

Monday February 28, 2022 4:55pm - 5:10pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Keynote

Room The Forum

5:15pm EST

Reception and Networking

Monday February 28, 2022 5:15pm - 6:30pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Break / Networking

6:30pm EST

Internet Law & Policy Foundry Trivia Night (Registration Required)

Separate registration from SOTN is required: General Admission is free. If you'd like to play, tickets are $30 and can be purchased HERE.

Join the brightest minds in Internet Law and Policy in a head to head battle for the Foundry's Trivia Night — and bragging rights are at stake. Join the amazing Foundry fellows and DC's Internet Law Policy community for the annual Foundry Trivia Night. It will be epic ... again.

Questions will range from serious to absurd, all focusing on the wonderful world of Internet governance, privacy, free speech, intellectual property law, and cutting edge technology. As always, the evening will be emceed by renowned cyberlaw quiz master Kurt Opsahl, Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who presides over EFF's famed Cyberlaw Pub Trivia.

You don't need a team. You don't need a table. You don't even need to play. Just come, mingle, and watch the mayhem. All attendees receive wine, beer, water, soft drinks and a nourish spread of charcuterie and artisanal cheese.

Speakers

Kurt Opsahl

Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Monday February 28, 2022 6:30pm - 9:30pm EST
Convene 600 14th Street Northwest, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Trivia Night