About Us
Aspen Digital empowers policy-makers, civic organizations, companies, and the public to be responsible stewards of technology and media in the service of an informed, just, and equitable world. A program of the Aspen Institute, we shine a light on urgent global issues across cybersecurity, the information ecosystem, emerging technology, the industry talent pipeline, tech and communications policy, and urban innovation. We then turn ideas to action and develop human solutions to these digital challenges.
2020 Impact
We have built on the Aspen Institute’s legacy programs in cybersecurity, tech policy, and media to expand our work and innovate for greater outcomes. During a time of crisis, Aspen Digital has risen to the moment, launching new initiatives that focus on current and real needs, including:
- COVID-19 Challenge Grant – Funding tech solutions to help mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic
- Anti-racism Pledge Tracker – Monitoring commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion from US tech and media companies
- The Day After – Preparing every major US newsroom and tech platform for a potential contested election
- Fail Forward – Fostering innovation in local government by helping officials embrace their mistakes
- Axios Codebook – Leading the national conversation on cybersecurity and our future
We’re driving timely conversations to help the public make sense of this fast-changing world, and have already hosted more than 25 virtual programs since March. Over 4,000 have joined us live, with 18,000+ YouTube views after the fact.
- How News Media Covers Race in America
- COVID-19 and the Digital Divide
- Half-Truths, Lies, and Critical Information in a Pandemic
- Intimacy in Isolation: Tech and Human Connection
- Free Speech and the Internet
- …and many more
Our secret sauce, we’re convening decision-makers to drive change. This year alone, we’ve held more than 35 off-the-record virtual roundtables with over 1,600 expert participants.
- Government officials – Members of Congress, Secretaries of State
- Law enforcement – Department of Justice, FBI, Secret Service
- Major newsroom executives from Associated Press, CNN, New York Times
- The big social media platforms – Facebook, Google, Twitter
- Industry leaders from Apple, IBM, Verizon
Want to learn more about how we’ve been making waves during a time of crisis? Download our 2020 Impact Deck.
