Intellectual Property Law

We Need a Technology Policy for the 21st Century

By Michael Scott

We have gone through the first eight years of the 21st Century without a coherent federal technology policy. During that time, we have seen investment in research and development in real dollars decline and the federal government basically ignore the value of technology to the U.S. economy and our future.

A recent article by John Mackoff in the New York Times pointed out that the U.S. is beginning to lose its status as the crossroads of the Internet, with many countries and international companies routing traffic around the United States because of their concern that we are spying on their communications. ?While the United States carried 70 percent of the world?s Internet traffic a decade ago, he estimates that portion has fallen to about 25 percent.? Many countries are expanding their Internet capabilities to provide an alternative to U.S.-based Internet services ? business that we are losing and will never get back. As noted in the article:

?That lack of investment mirrors a pattern that has taken place elsewhere in the high-technology industry, from semiconductors to personal computers. The risk . . . is that upstarts like China and India are making larger investments in next-generation Internet technology that is likely to be crucial in determining the future of the network, with investment, innovation and profits going first to overseas companies.?

As a result, ?[w]e are, by comparison, militarily weaker, economically poorer and technologically less unique than we were then.?

Will the new president, whomever he is, make a change? Do either of the candidates have a ?real? technology policy that might turn things around? I haven?t seen one yet. Let?s just hope the winner has one.

Full post as published by Singularity on September 17, 2008 (boomark / email).