Tech Policy Events Apr. 24 and 25, May 2
Hi All,
Thank you to everyone who came out last week. I wanted to share some upcoming tech policy events around the city that you may be interested in.
First, on Apr. 24, Varun Gadh and Colin Gray are hosting a virtual meetup for tech policy professionals around the world! This meetup will be on Zoom to allow folks to connect across timezones and borders. It will be from 12-1:30PM Eastern. Here is the link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/81303001037
Varun is also hosting the coffee meetup at Think Coffee, 123 4th Ave, on Friday the 25th from 9:30-10:30AM.
Finally, on Friday May 2 at 2:45, our friends at Fordham Law School will be hosting a panel event on Democratic Backsliding and the Role of Technology. It will be in the Bateman Room. Details below:
In an era marked by growing concerns over democratic backsliding and institutional fragility, this panel brings together leading voices at the intersection of law, technology, and governance to examine how shifts in the structure and operation of government are affecting the rule of law.
Aziz Huq (University of Chicago School of Law), Orly Lobel (University of San Diego School of Law), James Grimmelman (Cornell Tech), and Joseph Cox (404 Media)—each with distinct expertise spanning constitutional law, administrative reform, tech regulation, and investigative reporting—will explore the implications of the Trump administration’s legacy of aligning with the technology oligopoly, the rise of a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and the expanding use of private-sector technology and technologists to perform or replace civil service functions.
Moderated by Quinta Jurecic (Lawfare, Brookings), the conversation will unpack how these developments are reshaping public institutions, eroding traditional checks and balances, and redefining the state’s democratic accountability. This public event is open to students, scholars, practitioners, and members of civil society engaged in questions of law, technology, and democratic governance. It will be recorded for a Lawfare podcast.
Mark your calendars, and hope to see you around town!
Jesse