The Debate Over a New Digital Platform Agency: Developing Digital Authority and Expertise

Introduction

• Michael Tomasky, Editor in Chief of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas

Speakers

• Jason Furman, Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
• Terrell McSweeny, Partner at Covington & Burling and former Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
• Gene Kimmelman, Senior Advisor, Public Knowledge and Senior Fellow, Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative, German Marshall Fund of the United States
• Ellen P. Goodman, Professor, Rutgers Law School, Co-Director and Co-Founder, Rutgers Institute for Information Policy and Law and Senior Fellow, Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative, German Marshall Fund of the United States

Moderator

• Karen Kornbluh, Director, Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative, German Marshall Fund of the United States

Is a new independent federal agency needed to regulate digital platforms? Experts will debate proposals for a new digital platforms agency and how such an agency could be structured to enhance transparency, innovation, and accountability. Discussion will focus on how the new agency might approach a variety of digital issues, interface with other government entities, and mitigate potential problems such as regulatory capture.

This roundtable is the latest in a series run by the Digital Innovation & Democracy Initiative. The initiative leverages GMF’s extensive networks to develop strategies that advance innovation and strengthen democratic values.

For background reading, please see:

Furman, Jason, et al. "Unlocking Digital Competition: Report of the Digital Competition Expert Panel." HM Treasury, United Kingdom (2019).

Stigler Committee on Digital Platforms. "Final Report" George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2019).

Kornbluh, Karen, and Ellen P Goodman. “Bringing Truth to The Internet.” Democracy, no. 53, 2019.