103 episodes

Technology has become increasingly important to policy debates, but these debates won’t be productive without an understanding of how the technology in question works. AEI Visiting Fellow Shane Tews interviews tech industry experts to explain how the apps, services, and structures of today's information technology systems work, and how they shape our social and economic life.

Explain to Shane AEI Podcasts

    • Technology
    • 5.0 • 17 Ratings

Technology has become increasingly important to policy debates, but these debates won’t be productive without an understanding of how the technology in question works. AEI Visiting Fellow Shane Tews interviews tech industry experts to explain how the apps, services, and structures of today's information technology systems work, and how they shape our social and economic life.

    Defending the Digital Realm (with Jason Hogg)

    Defending the Digital Realm (with Jason Hogg)

    The proliferation of cyber threats has evolved into a crisis: Last year, there were 880 million cybercrime complaints resulting in over $12 billion in losses. Analysts suggest that cybercrime is now the third-largest economy globally after the United States and China. The most pressing challenges in today's cybersecurity landscape include staying ahead of sophisticated and constantly evolving threats. But what technological and cultural shifts are necessary for organizations to stay ahead of these growing dangers?
    Stepping into the fray is Jason Hogg, an expert in the fight against cybercrime. Currently serving as the Executive-In-Residence at Great Hill Partners, Jason identifies and pursues investment opportunities in the financial technology, insurtech, cyber insurance, and software industries. For more than a decade, he was a senior lecturer and professor of innovation and technology at Cornell University.
    Join us as we delve into the insights and strategies shaping the future of cybersecurity.

    • 30 min
    Global Connectivity Unplugged (with Brian Barritt and Michael Cheng)

    Global Connectivity Unplugged (with Brian Barritt and Michael Cheng)

    While internet access has spread rapidly across the globe during the past several decades, around three billion people still lack access. Some argue that the solution lies in fiber cable expansions, while others are innovating with satellites to meet users’ demands. Satellite connectivity supports network access for users in formerly unconnected geographies by leveraging existing global satellite coverage rather than the arduous process of building additional infrastructure.
    Today’s guests are Brian Barritt and Michael Cheng of Aalyria, a space connectivity company. Brian Barrit, Aalyria's chief technology officer and cofounder, has spent his career developing innovative ways to address connectivity challenges. He’s worked as an engineer with NASA, CISCO, Google, and most recently, Meta’s innovation labs before starting Aalyria. Michael Cheng, chief product officer at Aalyria, is a lawyer and network engineer by training with deep experience steering technology companies. Before joining Aalyria, Michael served as associate general counsel for mergers and acquisitions at Meta as well as product manager and head of Open Source. He also serves as an adviser to several technology start-ups.
    Tune in as Brian and Michael illuminate the connectivity problems that Aalyria is working to solve.

    • 39 min
    What Has Been Done to Address Online Lag? (with Jason Livingood)

    What Has Been Done to Address Online Lag? (with Jason Livingood)

    While the internet has improved monumentally since its early days of bandwidth restrictions and dial-up, customers are more demanding of the network and have little patience for latency on any of their devices. What causes these interruptions to our usually consistent high-speed streams? Latency, or lag.
    On today’s episode of Explain to Shane, Comcast's Vice President for Technology Policy, Products, and Standards, Jason Livingood, dives into what is being done to solve this challenge. Jason has spent his career addressing the internet’s emerging challenges: he's been a pivotal figure in promoting ultra-low latency networking and directing R&D through the Comcast Innovation Fund. He’s also served twice on the FCC’s Technical Advisory Committee and has spent 16 years on the Member Advisory Board of the Internet Society.
    Jason will shed light on why latency has become a critical factor for internet users and discuss the steps being taken by Comcast ahead of high-demand streaming events like this summer’s Paris Olympics.

    • 23 min
    What Do the EU’s Tech Regulations Mean for the US? (With James Lewis)

    What Do the EU’s Tech Regulations Mean for the US? (With James Lewis)

    The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an ambitious attempt to constrain the immense power of Big Tech. But in an interconnected world, regulations made in Europe ripple out to the US and beyond. What do stricter rules in Europe mean for the US’s tech sector? How will new regulations impact American data protection? Will the DMA hurt innovation?
    Today, I am joined by James Lewis. James is the Senior Vice President, Pritzker Chair, and director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’s Strategic Technologies Program where he writes on international innovation and digitalization. In his previous role as a diplomat and member of the Senior Executive Service, he developed policies on cybersecurity, encryption, spectrum management, and global tech issues.
    Tune in to explore the implications of regulating rapidly changing technologies in our globalized world.

    • 21 min
    Inside the Challenge against Phone Spam (with Dave Stewart)

    Inside the Challenge against Phone Spam (with Dave Stewart)

    Unwanted calls and messages have become a major nuisance in the digital age. Regulators have scrambled to address rising complaints about these unwanted intrusions, but the persistence of fraudulent communications has undermined consumer faith in our telecommunications infrastructure. Why do these issues persist? And in today’s complex digital landscape, how are regulators and policymakers working to balance privacy, consumer trust, and fraud prevention?
    Today’s guest, Dave Stewart, works to address these challenges as the Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer at Somos, a telephone number and identity service provider. Dave works to restore trust in the technology that underlies our daily calls and texts.

    • 31 min
    Making Sense of Music Streaming

    Making Sense of Music Streaming

    When Taylor Swift pulled her music from Spotify in 2014, she shone a spotlight on an issue that persists in the music industry today: artist must jump through major hoops to be compensated for their music that is played across multiple platforms. Nine years later, the economics are still challenging for artists to receive payment for their work. Artists earn some royalties from streaming services and receive no compensation when their music is played on traditional AM or FM radio due to old broadcast rules. These issues are further exacerbated by AI, which poses risks to artists licensed work and raises questions around their creativity being compensated.
    SoundExchange was created in 2003 to help resolve this issue by tracking listening data across platforms and facilitate payments to artists. Since its creation, the organization has adapted its payment systems for performance royalties to keep pace with the modern music ecosystem as it changes with new technology. On this episode, Michael Huppe, the President and CEO of SoundExchange, joins Shane Tews. Under his leadership, the organization has overseen billions of dollars in payments and has drastically increased royalty rates to artists.
    Tune in to break down the complex economics of the music industry and the impact of AI technologies on the landscape of music.

    • 28 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

Jennifer Gore ,

Shane is the ‘All Things Internet’ subject matter expert

Listen and subscribe to Shane’s podcast understand the current and forthcoming Hot Topics within the Internet Industry. It will be well worth your time - great podcast!

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