Digital Policy

In 2024, Elon Musk’s xAI built the world’s largest AI data center in South Memphis. What began with grand promises of jobs and development for South Memphis residents quickly followed a pattern all too familiar: gas turbines running without permits, pollution pouring into an already overburdened neighborhood, and a government that looked the other way.

Both the U.S. and the EU are retreating from efforts to regulate the risks of AI. With growing economic nationalism and AI spending driving markets, the two sides are competing for AI innovation instead of collaborating to address AI risks and supporting trust in the technology. The Trump administration’s latest Executive Order on AI seeks to preempt state laws without a federal framework already in place, leaving a gap in regulation. Meanwhile, the EU is scaling back the AI Act. Big Tech stands to gain from the deregulatory pushes, while the populations of the U.S. and Europe absorb the risks.

The Migration and Technology Monitor and Heinrich Böll Foundation are hosting a Nairobi gathering to bridge divides, share research, and shape policy. Half the attendees are Global North scholars; half are MTM Fellows with lived migration or occupation experience.

Europe and Canada can only protect their digital ecosystems against US interference if they start investing in tech sovereignty now.

Trump’s tariff hike on Brazil targets its digital sovereignty, pressuring it to ease Big Tech regulations. Backed by tech giants and Bolsonaro allies, the move drew backlash from Brazil’s government and civil society defending democratic control over tech platforms.

AI's transformative potential intersects with significant risks already manifesting globally, with notable impacts in Global Majority countries. The path forward requires recognizing that climate action and responsible AI development are not competing priorities but interconnected challenges that demand integrated solutions.

The Trump Administration’s new budget law is a back door to implementing major portions of the MAGA agenda. It could become one of the most destructive, anti-climate, anti-poor, and anti-working class pieces of legislation in US history and risks the country’s long-term economic stability.

We are excited to announce our selection of Transatlantic Media Fellows for 2025!

The European Digital Services Act (DSA) lays down new rules for online platforms, seeks to strengthen user rights and intends to hold tech companies to account. But what specific measures does the DSA include and why is it under so much pressure from the new US government and big tech companies?

From climate justice at COP29 to the future of the transatlantic relationship under a new president, our 2024 answered questions, raised new ones, and even included a visit from Luisa Neubauer and Helena Marschall. Dive into a whirlwind year!

An international coalition has formed around Digital Public Infrastructure – services that empower citizens and drive local innovation. Could a Euro Stack help the EU break with the market logic of Big Tech and increase its geopolitical autonomy from the US?

Digital policy is now a global priority, like security and climate change. The 2024 UN Summit of the Future brings the Global Majority into internet and AI governance. The UN Convention on Cybercrime may do the same for cybersecurity. But centralization at the UN may undermine human rights.

Online violence is a global issue affecting women, activists, and marginalized groups. Pirth.org supports survivors with personalized resources and advocates for greater transparency and accountability online, addressing the need for a safer digital space.

Trade rules should pave the way, not block the path, to sustainable consumption. Collaboration between the EU and US could be key to ensuring that consumers can access genuinely green products, free from misleading claims.

Tech's rapid growth is impacting the planet. From data centers' water use to the e-waste crisis and urban mining, there is an urgent need for sustainable practices in tech to protect resources, communities, and the environment.

A reflection on the process of mapping the industry of high tech surveillance along the U.S.-Mexico border

The upcoming European Parliament elections are set to be a critical test in the fight against disinformation. With new regulations and AI challenges, how will Europe ensure election integrity?

The European Union should work together with partners in Africa to secure electoral systems against cyberattacks and to prevent the spread of false and misleading information. This is also in line with European interests and values.

We are excited to announce our selection of Transatlantic Media Fellows for 2024!

Governments worldwide have been adopting national AI strategies to guide the design of policies for enhancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. Through these strategies, many countries have expressed AI’s potential for helping combat environmental degradation, but almost none have reflected on the role of strategies in reducing AI’s own environmental impacts. This article discusses this trend and reflects on how public policies could help make AI development and deployment less impactful.