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Publications, 2022

  • Technology
    Towards Responsible Research and Innovation
    Social media platforms, virtual assistants, and other digital technologies affect human connection, emotion, agency, and identity. To address this evolving landscape, Aspen Digital hosted a series of workshops that brought together experts from various disciplines and domains with representatives from across the tech industry to critically examine responsible research and innovation in the context of well-being. The resulting report highlights the challenges and opportunities for various stakeholders, especially the tech sector, in pursuing responsible research and innovation centered on achieving a better understanding of the influence technology has on our well-being.
    BY Kristine Gloria & 1 more

    Publication

    04.21.2022

  • Technology
    Cybersecurity is a Team Sport
    As the U.S. Congress moves closer to enacting a federal cyber incident reporting requirement (and as the administration fractures over how best to craft it), it is important to remember that there is another path — the federal government's partnership with the fifty states.
    BY Robert Taj Moore

    Publication

    03.11.2022

  • Technology
    Systemic Cyber Risk: A Primer
    As Russia's war spills into cyberspace, there is a growing risk of large-scale cyber disruptions well beyond Ukraine. How did the digital world become so vulnerable to big shocks? What can be done to create resilience? And how serious and widespread is systemic cyber risk? In this primer, experts lay out the basics.
    BY Jon Bateman & 3 more

    Publication

    03.07.2022

  • Society
    Building the Infrastructure of Tomorrow
    We have entered a new era of infrastructure investment. As we step into the new year, we hope policymakers and practitioners will seize this moment to make creative, collaborative choices that meet our collective infrastructure needs for years to come. This includes shifting our mindset when it comes to what qualifies for infrastructure investment, developing new metrics for success, harnessing capital in a way that maximizes both efficacy and equity, and ensuring that communities and local stakeholders are engaged throughout the process. 
    BY Aspen Digital

    Publication

    01.25.2022

  • Technology
    Loneliness in India
    Loneliness is an innate condition. It is a shared emotion that all people experience to some degree. Sometimes paired with feelings of anxiety, fear, depression, and shame, loneliness signals the need for human connection. While most studies reporting on the topic prioritize industrialized nations, Loneliness in India offers insights into the similarities and differences driving feelings of loneliness in an emerging and developing country.
    BY Aspen Digital & 1 more

    Publication

    01.18.2022

    2021

    • Technology
      Commission on Information Disorder Final Report
      America is in a crisis of trust and truth. Bad information has become as prevalent, persuasive, and persistent as good information, creating a chain reaction of harm. It makes any health crisis more deadly. It slows down response time on climate change. It undermines democracy. In their final report, the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder makes 15 recommendations for how government, private industry, and civil society can reduce the greatest harms of mis- and disinformation.
      BY Aspen Digital

      Publication

      11.15.2021

    • Technology
      The Action to Catalyze Tech Report
      Historically, the tech industry’s approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been dispersed, individual, and short-term. The Action to Catalyze Tech Report (ACT Report) is calling for a new DEI paradigm, one that is holistic, collective, and sustainable.
      BY Catalyze Tech Working Group

      Publication

      10.28.2021

    • Technology
      A Roadmap to Empowerment
      The Hispanic population, representing one of every five people in the U.S., provides untapped potential for any organization in search for talent. Research suggests that inclusion of Latinos in the workforce fuels innovation and revenue, and that they are estimated to drive nearly 25% of the country’s GDP growth. However, when it comes to tech, despite explosive population growth and genuine progress in the penetration of Latinos in the industry, job numbers remain far below their white and Asian counterparts. To address this, the Aspen Institute Latinos & Society Program and Aspen Digital offer a roadmap.
      BY Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program & 1 more

      Publication

      10.13.2021

    • Technology
      DEI in Cybersecurity
      The national reckoning on racial justice that began in mid-2020, prompted by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans at the hands of police, has further clarified that current DEI efforts, however well-meaning, have not addressed the overwhelming white-ness and male-ness of the cybersecurity field. With support from the Hewlett Foundation and in consultation with cybersecurity expert Camille Stewart, Aspen Digital and the Aspen Tech Policy Hub have made recommendations for diversifying the cybersecurity industry across two categories: immediate actions and those that require further investment.
      BY Aspen Digital

      Publication

      09.09.2021

    • Technology
      Algorithmic Bias
      The entities and institutions that gather and sell personal data hold the primary obligations to keep that data secure, use it fairly, and address any inequities. To better understand the impact of algorithmic bias, Aspen Digital has launched Data Stewardship for Good.
      BY Aspen Digital & 1 more

      Publication

      07.15.2021

    • Technology
      Commission on Information Disorder Interim Report
      We are living in a time of increased polarization, a rise of propaganda, extremism, distrust of institutions and of each other, racially- and ethnically-driven attacks, embrace of conspiracy theories, skepticism towards expertise, disbelief in evidence-based reality, and online and media filter bubbles that obscure or confuse uncomfortable facts and truths. To make actionable recommendations for addressing these challenges in the near term as well as chart a path for a series of longer-term interventions, the Commission on Information Disorder has identified three priorities for which it will develop recommendations in the second stage of its work: reducing harms, increasing transparency and understanding, and building trust.
      BY Aspen Digital

      Publication

      07.13.2021

    • Culture
      Perspective from the Pandemic
      Perspective from the Pandemic, the June 2021 report of the Aspen Institute Roundtable on Institutional Innovation, addresses how companies might work towards actionable outcomes for organizational adaptation, in addition to resilience.
      BY Aspen Digital

      Publication

      06.07.2021

      2020

      • Technology
        National Cybersecurity Agenda
        Outlines achievable action steps for federal policymakers to make rapid progress toward a more resilient digital infrastructure.
        BY Aspen Cybersecurity Group

        Publication

        12.02.2020

      • Urban Innovation
        A Procurement Path to Equity
        For too long, how and with whom our local governments spend their money has reinforced economic inequities in our country.
        BY Center for Urban Innovation & 1 more

        Publication

        11.19.2020

      • Urban Innovation
        Diversity in Urban Tech Procurement
        The people and companies creating "smart cities" technologies should be as diverse as city residents themselves.
        BY Center for Urban Innovation

        Publication

        11.19.2020

      • Lessons in Loneliness
        Lessons in Loneliness

        The following report is the beginning of a journey to understand the relationship between social connection, technology, and loneliness. In an effort to deepen our understanding, Aspen Digital and Facebook formed this collaboration to support and engage with the various communities who best understand this topic. Our intent is to listen and learn. (OCTOBER 2020)

      • Urban Innovation
        How to Fail (Forward)
        Why is it so hard to learn from failure in government? What can leaders and their allies do about it?
        BY Center for Urban Innovation & 1 more

        Publication

        08.04.2020

      • Communications
        Recasting PCAST after the WRC-19
        This report focused on the impact of the 2012 report on spectrum policy from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) that suggested spectrum allocation support innovation and technology ventures to advance both economic growth and equity.
        BY Aspen Digital

        Publication

        06.18.2020

      • Communications
        Artificial Intimacy
        Explore the intersection of human intimacy and artificial intelligence, investigating how different human-machine relationships may affect the development of human behavior and emotions.
        BY Aspen Digital

        Publication

        04.14.2020

      • Communications
        Smart Regulation of Digital & Network Technologies
        Explores approaches to impede harms from digital and network technologies that address user protection, promote consumer choice and competition, and foster access to essential services.
        BY Aspen Digital

        Publication

        03.31.2020

        Blog

        • Continuing Our Journey to #AccelerateDigitalEquity
          Technology
          Continuing Our Journey to #AccelerateDigitalEquity
          With over 170 phenomenal applications from around the world, getting down to seven members was an inspiring challenge, and we are so grateful to the dozens of organizations that took the time to share with us their groundbreaking projects. Please welcome the inaugural cohort of the Digital Equity Accelerator!
          BY Zaki Barzinji

          Blog Post

          11 hours ago

        • Digital Equity Accelerator’s Advisory Council
          Technology
          Digital Equity Accelerator’s Advisory Council
          As we prepare to welcome the Digital Equity Accelerator’s first-ever cohort, we are thrilled to introduce a phenomenal group of leaders who will serve as our inaugural Advisory Council. Comprising leaders at the forefront of advancing equity in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity across the digital space, this diverse network serves as a brain trust to ensure that the Accelerator centers on and serves the communities most impacted by the digital divide.
          BY Zaki Barzinji

          Blog Post

          05.04.2022

          • Think Globally, Accelerate Locally
            Technology
            Think Globally, Accelerate Locally
            Shahed Amanullah has spent his career developing innovative approaches for shifting power and equity, often to marginalized communities. Given that background, I was thrilled to have the chance to get his perspective on the work ahead for our program's new Digital Equity Accelerator.
            BY Zaki Barzinji

            Blog Post

            03.30.2022

          • Guidance for Cyber Risks
            Technology
            Guidance for Cyber Risks
            Amidst widespread fears of cyber ramifications for the US and western networks due to Russia's war in Ukraine, Aspen Digital brought together some of the country's top experts on cyber threats to help small and medium-size businesses understand how to handle online risks to their networks and operations. There are several concrete actions organizations can take today to prepare for a possible cyber incident.
            BY Aspen Digital

            Blog Post

            03.16.2022

          • Digital Equity in Action: Girl Rising
            Gender Equity
            Digital Equity in Action: Girl Rising
            Operating in 12 countries, Girl Rising uses the power of storytelling to change the way the world values girls and their education. I spoke recently with their India chapter's Nidhi Shukla to learn about the organization’s journey prior to and during COVID-19, their proudest accomplishments, and how all of this has implications for digital equity.
            BY Jennifer Atala

            Blog Post

            02.28.2022

            • A New Era for Infrastructure
              Society
              A New Era for Infrastructure
              Americans are living 21st century lives using 20th century infrastructure. Now is the time to get prepared for the next crisis as well as for the economic and technological changes ahead. Stakeholders have the insights and resources to address these challenges: we must work across sectors and silos, integrate equity and climate into every decision, embrace community input and data, pursue innovative financing mechanisms, and ground infrastructure in the dynamic needs of our citizens. Congress has green-lit the path ahead. Now it’s time to get creative and work together in this historic moment.
              BY Aspen Digital

              Blog Post

              01.25.2022

            • The Human Condition in a Digital World
              Technology
              The Human Condition in a Digital World
              Our culture’s dependency on technology to work, eat, learn, govern, be entertained, and stay in touch underscores that digitally mediated experiences already profoundly shape our understanding of what it means to be human. To explore this deeply, Aspen Digital, with support from Pivotal Ventures, sought to reimagine how technology can shape the human experience and our sense of place.
              BY Kristine Gloria & 1 more

              Blog Post

              01.13.2022

            • Aspen Tech Policy Hub Launches Prize Competition
              Aspen Tech Policy Hub Launches Prize Competition

              NOVEMBER 15, 2021 - The Aspen Tech Policy Hub seeks to fund unique and innovative projects that make meaningful progress towards ending information disorder, in direct connection to one or more of the newly announced 15 recommendations of the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder. The prize competition is being launched with support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies and ex/ante (an initiative of Schmidt Futures).

              • Mapping Pathways for Latinos in the Digital Economy
                Mapping Pathways for Latinos in the Digital Economy

                OCTOBER 13, 2021 - In a new report, the Aspen Institute Latinos & Society Program and Aspen Digital call on a cross-section of tech industry leaders, educational institutions, and policymakers to work in new and creative ways to help Latinos adapt to the ever-increasing digital nature of the U.S. workforce. "A Roadmap to Empowerment" makes a declarative case for expanding focus beyond solely the recruitment of more diverse talent toward the holistic self-actualization of entire Latino communities.

              • A More Diverse Cyber Industry
                Technology
                A More Diverse Cyber Industry
                Women and people of color are less likely to serve in leadership positions in cybersecurity companies, and there are stark cybersecurity salary discrepancies across race and gender. Yet the government and private sector laments a cybersecurity talent gap, as thousands of cybersecurity positions remain unfilled due to a supposed lack of qualified workers. We must do better. Building a more diverse cybersecurity industry is not only critical to creating a more inclusive America. It will also strengthen our nation’s security by bringing in new perspectives to solve thorny information security challenges and shoring up our workforce.
                BY Camille Stewart, #ShareTheMicInCyber & 1 more

                Blog Post

                09.09.2021

              • A Different Future for Digital Rights
                Technology
                A Different Future for Digital Rights
                At the core of the algorithmic bias critique is whether those who have the power to create, enable, and disseminate such systems do so equitably. Research suggests that it is far from the case. To better understand the impact of this challenge, Aspen Digital and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth have launched Data Stewardship for Good to answer, “How can data and algorithmic operators recast our own models to forecast a different future, one that centers on the needs of the most vulnerable people?” The result is an articulation of a Digital Bill of Rights in support of low-income, historically excluded communities that may be impacted by such automated systems.
                BY Aspen Digital & 1 more

                Blog Post

                07.15.2021

                • Commission on Information Disorder Announces Priorities
                  Commission on Information Disorder Announces Priorities

                  JULY 13, 2021 - Reducing harms, increasing transparency and understanding, and building trust will be the focus of the six-month study on combatting America’s urgent mis- and disinformation challenge.

                • Announcing the Virtually Human Working Group
                  Technology
                  Announcing the Virtually Human Working Group
                  Aspen Digital is taking a leap to reimagine how technology can shape our well-being and sense of place. The Virtually Human Working Group, composed of 24 thought-leaders across industry, research, civil society, and academia, seeks to better understand the cumulative effects of continuous and ubiquitous technology interaction on our human connections.
                  BY Kristine Gloria

                  Blog Post

                  06.01.2021

                • Illuminating SolarStorm
                  Technology
                  Illuminating SolarStorm
                  In December 2020, cybersecurity experts began to unravel SolarStorm, an unprecedented security breach affecting potentially thousands of organizations. As the White House and Congress debate the appropriate response, the Aspen Cybersecurity Group has collected sixteen leading experts to offer concise assessments on a productive path forward for policymakers.
                  BY Aspen Digital

                  Blog Post

                  03.04.2021

                  • Announcing the Savilla Pitt Memorial Fellowship
                    Announcing the Savilla Pitt Memorial Fellowship

                    FEBRUARY 19, 2021 - It is our deep honor to announce the launch of the Savilla Pitt Memorial Fellowship at the Aspen Tech Policy Hub, a component of Aspen Digital. The fellowship embodies a few things we appreciate most about Savilla: her unmatched ability to get things done, her unwavering dedication to her values, her love for Washington, DC, and her passion for climate causes.

                    Savilla was the first employee of the Aspen Tech Policy Hub, and was instrumental to every aspect of the initiative. She helped review and select each fellow of the first two cohorts, served on the selection committee for the COVID-19 Challenge Grant, and made all events (in-person and virtual) run smoothly day in and day out. She is deeply missed and fondly remembered.

                  • Aspen Tech Policy Hub Recruitment
                    Technology
                    Aspen Tech Policy Hub Recruitment
                    The Aspen Tech Policy Hub is accepting applications through February 22 for two training programs to occur in Summer and/or Fall 2021. Modeled off of tech incubators like Y Combinator, the Hub takes tech experts, teaches them the policy process through intensive training programs, and encourages them to develop outside-the-box solutions to society’s programs.
                    BY

                    Blog Post

                    02.05.2021

                  • A Vision for Multidimensional Infrastructure
                    Society
                    A Vision for Multidimensional Infrastructure
                    We’re accustomed to thinking of our physical, digital, and social infrastructure independently, but in fact they are inherently interconnected. 
                    BY Jennifer Bradley

                    Blog Post

                    12.09.2020

                    • Aspen Cyber Summit to Feature Top Leaders
                      Aspen Cyber Summit to Feature Top Leaders

                      NOVEMBER 30, 2020—The fifth annual Aspen Cyber Summit will take place virtually from noon to 3 p.m. ET daily Tuesday, December 1st, through Thursday, December 3rd. This three-day Aspen Institute event will delve into lessons learned throughout a difficult year and a fraught national election, as the country looks ahead to 2021 and a new presidential administration in Washington, D.C.

                    • A New Tech Executive Leadership Program
                      A New Tech Executive Leadership Program

                      OCTOBER 27, 2020 - The Aspen Tech Policy Hub, Project Redesign, and the Tech Talent Project jointly announce the creation of the Tech Executive Leadership Initiative (TELI), a pilot 8-week skills-building initiative to prepare experienced technology leaders to engage effectively with public sector challenges.

                    • Why it's Time to Retire 'Election Day'
                      Politics
                      Why it's Time to Retire 'Election Day'
                      Today is Election Day. So is tomorrow. Yesterday too. So, why do we insist on counting down to November 3?
                      BY Vivian Schiller & 1 more

                      Blog Post

                      10.27.2020

                      • A Day-By-Day Guide: If This Election Goes Bad
                        Civic Action
                        A Day-By-Day Guide: If This Election Goes Bad
                        Election experts game out the chaos that could unfold in the minutes, hours and days after the last ballot is cast.
                        BY Garrett Graff

                        Blog Post

                        10.23.2020

                      • Civil Rights Violations in Tech
                        Technology
                        Civil Rights Violations in Tech
                        Communities of color face challenges after innovations in voting, housing, schools, and more.
                        BY Dominique Harrison

                        Blog Post

                        10.22.2020

                      • The Right Way to Cover Hacks and Leaks
                        Media
                        The Right Way to Cover Hacks and Leaks
                        The political media did almost everything wrong in covering the theft-and-leak of his private emails amid the heat of the 2016 presidential campaign, four years ago today—and yet it’s not at all clear that if confronted by an operation similar to what Russian intelligence executed in targeting the Democratic National Committee via Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair, that we’d get it any more right now.
                        BY Garrett Graff

                        Blog Post

                        10.13.2020

                        • Aspen Tech Policy Hub Press Release - Card Image
                          Technology
                          Aspen Tech Policy Hub Expands Reach
                          The Aspen Tech Policy Hub is excited to announce that it has received more than $2 million in support from five of the nation’s leading philanthropic organizations: Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Omidyar Network, and Schmidt Futures. 
                          BY Aspen Digital

                          Blog Post

                          10.07.2020

                        • Social Connection, Loneliness, and Technology
                          Technology
                          Social Connection, Loneliness, and Technology
                          The human experience is entirely linked to our ability to connect with the world around us. We’re psychologically, emotionally, and physiologically wired to bond with one another. 2020—marked by a global pandemic, economic instability, and societal reckoning with racism—has reminded us all what happens when meaningful social relationships are disrupted. Yet, resilience finds its way.
                          BY Kristine Gloria

                          Blog Post

                          10.05.2020

                        • We Failed, What's Next?
                          Urban Innovation
                          We Failed, What's Next?
                          Why is it so hard to learn from failure in government?
                          BY Center for Urban Innovation & 1 more

                          Blog Post

                          08.04.2020

                          • Recommitting to Anti-racist Values
                            Society
                            Recommitting to Anti-racist Values
                            At Aspen Digital, we work to ensure that technology and digital media are deployed to create an informed, just, and equitable society. It’s a lofty goal that we likely won’t accomplish in any of our lifetimes—but that won’t stop us from striving.
                            BY Aspen Digital

                            Blog Post

                            07.06.2020

                          • " title="The Great Race for 5G" alt="The Great Race for 5G" srcset="">
                            Technology
                            The Great Race for 5G
                            Recent rulings around the deployment of 5G infrastructure, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the necessity and urgency of fifth generation networks.
                            BY J. Stephanie Rose

                            Blog Post

                            06.24.2020

                          • The Relaunched Axios Codebook Newsletter
                            Technology
                            The Relaunched Axios Codebook Newsletter
                            Dorfman will report on the latest at the intersection of cybersecurity, national security, and technology.
                            BY Garrett Graff

                            Of Interest

                            05.20.2020

                            • Procurement During a Pandemic
                              Urban Innovation
                              Procurement During a Pandemic
                              Never before has it been more important for our local governments to get public procurement right. How our local governments respond to the current crisis will lay the foundation for more equitable communities in the recovery to come.
                              BY Kaye Sklar & 1 more

                              Blog Post

                              04.29.2020

                            • hacker
                              Technology
                              Combatting Cybercrime During COVID-19
                              Cybercriminals prey on the public’s fears, promising the delivery of medical supplies and stimulus checks.
                              BY Aspen Digital

                              Blog Post

                              04.17.2020

                            • A family with two children sitting using a tablet together.
                              Technology
                              The Internet After COVID-19: Will We Mind the Gaps?
                              The current health crisis will likely peak some time this year, but our intensified reliance on digital technology will not.
                              BY Blair Levin, & 1 more

                              Blog Post

                              04.15.2020

                              • Upset woman texting
                                Communications
                                7 Ways You Can Prevent the Spread of Disinformation
                                When it comes to spreading disinformation, we’re all transmission vectors. It’s time to practice some social distancing.
                                BY David K. Gibson

                                Blog Post

                                04.07.2020

                              • Remote working father
                                Technology
                                How to Work Remotely and Securely
                                The sudden shift in how we work has created serious cybersecurity risks for both companies and their employees.
                                BY David Forscey

                                Blog Post

                                03.24.2020

                              • In Cybersecurity, Diversity is Part of the Mission
                                National Security
                                In Cybersecurity, Diversity is Part of the Mission
                                We’re excited today to announce some new, major steps toward improving diversity and access to cybersecurity jobs.
                                BY Vivian Schiller

                                Blog Post

                                02.26.2020

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