Welcome to the post-Zoom hangover.
if last year Focusing on the ubiquitous technology in our daily lives, this year’s topic focuses on finding a workable balance between security and privacy, innovation and sustainability, risk-taking and responsibility.
As the coronavirus pandemic (eventually to some extent) takes center stage, the focus has shifted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which will continue to have an impact on everything from cybersecurity to short-term accommodation, from disinformation to startup growth.The EU has also proposed two far-reaching plans Police Online Content and prevent abuse By Big Tech – Doing so further justifies its case as a global leader in tech regulation.
In an era of strong calls for privacy, the careful (if not limited) use of people’s personal data, and the careful development of artificial intelligence, the mantra of “move fast and break things” is being questioned and subverted.Consumers also have a lot to consider, as “buy now, pay later” options have changed the way people buy things, and The fledgling digital euro project could change the way Europeans use financial services. Activists oppose convenience at the expense of environmentalism and worker conditions, adopting the waste of tech gadget companies and the employment practices of gig economy platforms.
It is in this quarrelsome environment that we arrive at our Second Annual Tech 28 List (Last year’s list is available to read here). As with last year’s rankings, we’re neither focusing on hot startup darlings nor hard-charging regulators. It’s a simple question with few easy answers: Who will have the biggest role in guiding technology policy in the coming year, for better or worse?
Two EU digital ministers – Volker Wissing in Germany and Alexandra van Huffelen in the Netherlands – even the value of these roles stands out Still in doubt.
Through the Italian National Innovation Fund, Francesca Bria hopes to turn Italy into a star example of investment-driven innovation, while in the UK, Beeban Kidron advocates for children’s digital rights. Ugo Vallauri of The Restart Project asks why you should buy a new iPhone when you should be able to fix your old one, and we’re waiting with bated breath to see former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on his soft landing at Thiel Capital .
This is not a list of heroes or villains; in some cases, it may be a long time before we judge regulators or advocates’ final assessments—positive or negative—of technological developments that will continue to affect us all.
How did we arrive at this list? It includes input from our team of journalists, whose combined knowledge and experience cover a wide range of topics. Together, we looked at the big technological issues and possibilities of the day, and then identified who was solving them in new, interesting, and most importantly, impactful ways. This year’s ranking is the result of this collaboration.
As with last year’s roster, after selecting our overall No. 1, we divided the remaining 27 inductees into three groups of nine — rule-makers, rule-breakers, and visionaries — based on Rate them for their strength, vision and influence. In this way, bold ideas can trump hard power, and convincing voices can be identified across the continent and beyond.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the list and hope you enjoy reading it. Now, without further ado…
… read political Technology 28 List.
Kelsey L. Hayes is politicsAssistant Technical Editor of.
