Dear all,

GPPi, together with New America’s Open Technology Institute, has just launched the fourth round of the Transatlantic Digital Debates (TDD 2020). And the deadline is approaching soon! (March 15^th)

As you may know, TDD 2020 is a dialogue program that brings together a cohort of 18 fellows from Germany and the United States for two week-long sessions. Fellows will engage in discussions with local experts and decision-makers, address global challenges resulting from rapid technological change in society, and foster long-term bonds as future transatlantic leaders.

Over the course of 2020, the fellows will meet in Berlin and Munich (June 21 to 26, 2020), and in Washington, DC and Seattle (November 15 to 20, 2020), respectively. Discussions will take place around two main issue areas:

Industrial and innovation policy: The global economy is changing rapidly as a result of artificial intelligence, platform services, the Internet of Things, automation, digital commerce, and next generation wireless networks (e.g. 5G), among many developments. This digital transformation, often called Industry 4.0, brings with it massive opportunities, yet, it also comes with huge challenges. While transatlantic cooperation on industrial policy can play a role in building a rights-based, secure and thriving global Internet economy, a critical discussion is needed on the limits of industrial policy in shaping the future of the technology industry.

The global internet: Democracy depends on access to ideas and information. For the better part of three decades, many believed that the internet offered such easy access to ideas and information that democracy would inevitably follow in its wake. We now know that was a false hope, despite the remnants of the visionary (and highly unrealistic) rhetoric. Not only are autocrats using the internet as a tool of monitoring and surveillance, but they are increasingly asserting control over the internet itself in order to control access to ideas and information. How can the transatlantic community work together to formulate better policies to preserve the global and open internet in the face of rising digital authoritarianism?

Applications are open until March 15, 2020.

We would be grateful if you could forward this information to potential candidates in your organization as well as your broader professional and social media networks. Feel free to use the links below to directly share GPPi’s social media posts:

We are thankful to our funders and partners, who made the program possible. TDD is generously supported by the Transatlantic Program of the German Federal Government, with funding from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

You will find more information about the program as well as the application requirements on the Transatlantic Digital Debates website and in the call for applications (attached).

In case you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Wade and I.

Best,

Evan Yoshimoto

…

Evan Yoshimoto

Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi)

Reinhardtstr. 7, 10117 Berlin, Germany

Office: +49 30 275 959 75-0

Mobile: +1 805 990 1619

Fax: +49 30 275 959 75-91

eyoshimoto@gppi.net

Twitter: @GPPi

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