Tech Mirror

Security by Design or Disaster?

Professor Lee Bygrave, Director of the Norwegian Research Centre for Computers and Law in the University of Oslo, joins Johanna in the studio to discuss security by design.

The pair discuss the importance and challenges of translating “by design” mantras from legal concepts to engineering concepts and vice versa. In the context of the Optus and Medibank hacks, they canvas the proposal for new penalties for privacy breaches in Australia, privacy reform, the EU’s proposed Cyber Resilience Act and much more.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by Jack Fox, with special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and Tanvi Nair for post-production support.

 

Relevant links:

Professor Bygraves’ Paper: Security by Design: Aspirations and Realities in a Regulatory Context: https://www.idunn.no/doi/10.18261/olr.8.3.2#sec-5

Professor Bygraves’ Paper: Data Protection by Design and Default: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3944535

 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v RI Advice Group Pty Ltd: https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2022/2022fca0496

 Proposed EU Cyber Resilience Act: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/cyber-resilience-act

 GDPR Text, Article 25: https://gdpr-text.com/read/article-25/

‘Good privacy reform rests on well-resourced tech regulators’ by Sarah O’Connor: https://www.innovationaus.com/good-privacy-reform-rest-on-well-resourced-tech-regulators/

‘Privacy is hard and Seven Other Myths’ by Jaap-Henk Hoepman: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262045827/privacy-is-hard-and-seven-other-myths/

‘Ethical IT innovation, a value based system design approach’ by Sara Spiekerman: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/b19060/ethical-innovation-sarah-spiekermann

 

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre 

 

 

NetThing 2022

This week we are bringing you a discussion that we recorded as part of  NetThing 2022 – Australia’s Internet Governance Community Forum.  Johanna was joined by Kate Pounder, CEO of the Tech Council of Australia, and Richard Windeyer, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. 

Given the recent string of high profile data breaches in Australia – tech regulation is front of mind for many Australians in a way that it hasn’t been before. Guided by the Tech Policy Design Centre’s report Tending the Tech-Ecosystem: who should be the tech-regulator(s)?, the trio discuss how to get tech regulation right in Australia. 

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging. 

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by Jack Fox, with special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.  

 

Relevant links: 

Tending the Tech Eco-System Report: https://www.anu.edu.au/files/guidance/TPDC_Report_NO1_2022_digital_release.pdf 

NetThing Internet Governance Forum: https://netthing.org.au/ 

 

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au  

Follow Kate Pounder on Twitter: @kpounder 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre  

Conditions of Possibility

In this episode Johanna sits down with Professor Elanor Huntington FTSE, Executive Director of Digital, National Facilities & Collections at CSIRO, and Professor of Quantum Cybernetics at ANU.

The pair canvass exactly what a quantum cybernetician does, Australia’s conditions of possibility, the great inflection point we find ourselves in, plus what the origins of Reggae can teach us about scientific development. Elanor also demystifies STEM, and shares thoughts on what she would tell her younger self and what success means to her.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

 

Relevant links:

Technics and Civilisation, by Lewis Mumford: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/688489.Technics_and_Civilization

The Brilliant: https://thebrilliant.com.au/

2001: A Space Odyssey: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/

The Ship Who Sang, by Anne McCaffrey: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/203288.The_Ship_Who_Sang

Johanna’s article in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/clampdown-on-chip-exports-is-the-most-consequential-us-move-against-china-yet-192738

 

Elanor on Twitter: @profElanor

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre 

Public Technology and Public Policy

In this episode Johanna sits down with Sharad Sharma, a distinguished evangelist of public interest technology in India. Sharad co-founded the non-profit think tank iSPIRT in 2013 and has held senior leadership positions across tech companies in India and the US.

The pair discuss digital public goods – both what they are and the rights and privacy implications of their design and use. They also delve into the importance of trust, how Australia and India can work together, and the imperative to move from technology being “values free” to “values based.”

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

 

Relevant links:

Volunteer with iSPIRT: https://volunteers.ispirt.in/

Sharad’s article with Henri Verdier, French Digital Ambassador:

https://theprint.in/opinion/india-building-the-future-it-desires-with-its-own-digital-infrastructure-eu-can-learn/1005272/

A New Chapter for Sahamati: https://pn.ispirt.in/a-new-chapter-for-sahamati/

The Curse of Bigness: Anti-Trust in the New Gilded Age, by Tim Wu: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40081165-the-curse-of-bigness

Normative statements to guide tech development for healthcare: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41745-022-00326-9

Sharad on Twitter: @sharads

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre 

Diversity in Tech

In this episode, Johanna interviews Luli Adeyemo, Director of TechDiversity and Founder of marketing firm Best Case Scenario.

Prompted by Luli’s piece in InnovationAus calling for a wider review of diversity in tech than announced recently by the Australian government, the pair canvass why diversity matters, why we haven’t achieved as much progress as we hoped in the last decade, and how the tech sector can embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

 

Relevant links:

Take the Tech Diversity Pledge: https://techdiversityawards.com/the-awards/your-diversity-inclusion-pledge/

Luli’s Article in InnovationAus: https://www.innovationaus.com/embrace-workplace-diversity-to-build-a-stronger-economy/

The 2022 Innovation Papers: https://www.innovationaus.com/category/the-innovation-papers/

Broad Band, by Claire L Evans https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/35953464-broad-band

US Executive Order on Diversity: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/

TechDiversity on Twitter: @TechDiversityAU

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

The Digital Republic

In this episode, Johanna interviews Jamie Susskind, barrister and author of The Digital Republic: On Freedom and Democracy in the 21^st century.  

The pair explore the ideas Jamie puts forward in his book for how societies can harness the power of digital technologies while preserving (and even strengthening) freedom and democracy.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

 

Relevant links:

The Digital Republic, by Jamie Susskind

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59935247-the-digital-republic

Code: Version 2.0, by Lawrence Lessig https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44874.Code

Report: Tending the Tech-Ecosystem

https://www.anu.edu.au/research/research-initiatives/tech-policy-design-centre/publications

Jamie Susskind on Twitter: @jamiesusskind

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

Hactivists, Hackers & Mercenaries

In this episode, Johanna interviews Professor Ciaran Martin, former CEO of the UK’s Cyber Security Centre, and Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at Oxford University.

The pair discuss cyber operations in Ukraine, the role of the private sector in cyber defence, the ethical and legal questions raised in Johanna’s interview with Cyber Partisans spokesperson Yuliana Shemetovets in Episode 9, and much more.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

Professor Johanna Weaver is Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University. This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

Relevant links:

The Hacker and the State, by Ben Buchanan: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/51589806-the-hacker-and-the-state

Confidant Cyber Security, by Jessica Barker: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55286316-confident-cyber-security

Ciaran Martin on Twitter: @ciaranmartinoxf

Blavatnik School of Government on Twitter: @BlavatnikSchool

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

Australia’s Quantum Advantage

In this episode, Professor Johanna Weaver interviews Professor Michelle Simmons AO, world-leading quantum pioneer and Director of Sydney-based manufacturer Silicon Quantum Computing.

The pair discuss SQC’s breakthrough delivery of the world’s first atomic-scale integrated circuit, the opportunities for Australia in the global race for quantum progress, how Australia can maintain and build on its advantages, and much more.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

This episode was produced by ANU Media. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for research and post-production support.

Relevant links:

Australian Academy of Science on Quantum Computing: https://www.science.org.au/curious/technology-future/quantum-computing

Quantum Computing for the Determined:

https://michaelnielsen.org/blog/quantum-computing-for-the-determined/

Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Michael A. Nielsen, Isaac L. Chuang: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153910.Quantum_Computation_and_Quantum_Information

Michelle’s Piece in the Australian Financial Review: https://www.afr.com/technology/australia-s-cultural-levelling-mechanism-is-holding-back-our-science-20220701-p5ayhw

SQC on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silicon-quantum-computing-pty-ltd/

SQC on Twitter: @silicon_quantum

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

Tech Mirror

The Tech Policy Design Centre is proud to introduce our new title Tech Mirror: Reflecting on technology and society with Johanna Weaver. To launch our new title, the TPDC team is putting Johanna in the hot seat for the first time.

Prodded by Centre researcher Ben Gowdie, Johanna talks about her time at the United Nations, Australia’s role in global tech policy, and what a healthy tech-ecosystem looks like.

Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging.

 

Relevant links:

Code: Version 2.0 by Lawrence Lessig: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44874.Code

Hacked World Order: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25273682-the-hacked-world-order

The Illuminae Files #1: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23395680-illuminae

This episode was produced by Jack Fox. Thanks to Ben Gowdie for his research and post-production (and audio!) support.

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

The Great Tech Game

This week, we bring you Johanna’s discussion with Anirudh Suri, Managing Partner at India Internet Fund and author of the new book, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations.

The pair canvass what it’s actually like being a venture capitalist, Anirudh’s motivation for writing the book, and how the rules of the “great tech game” differ from the rules of the “great game” that dominated colonial era geostrategic competition. Anirudh challenges us to think beyond bipolar (West/China) perspectives and to take a broader view of the forces shaping the technology that is shaping our world.

This episode was produced by Jack Fox. Special thanks to Ben Gowdie for his research and post-production support.

Relevant links:  

The Great Tech Game: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/60233107-the-great-tech-game

21 Lessons for the 21^st Century by Noah Yuval Harari: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38820046-21-lessons-for-the-21st-century 

Send us your questions: techpolicydesign@anu.edu.au 

Follow us on Twitter: @TPDesignCentre

Follow Anirudh: @AnirudhSuri