The Problem With Technology and Government

You may be aware that Obama has vowed to create a national CTO to help the country deal with challenges and opportunities in the tech area. Naturally, there are fans and foes, pros and cons. The most compelling pro I see is that perhaps the government will do a better job of understanding technology and its ginormous implications on the economy, privacy, and a bunch of other stuff.

The con being that many have a lack of faith in the government's ability to do anything. To wit:







Me, I like the idea. I have faith that government can do things if you don't appoint former heads of the Arabian Horse Association to key jobs. ANd government needs to play a role in ensuring, among other things, freedom of expression and compeittiveness in the space, along with safegoarding privacy. But the role of the CTO needs tro be well defined, and the focus needs to be on enablement and oversight rather than control.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.