Last week, ITIF President Daniel Castro spoke at an international symposium hosted by the University of International Relations in Beijing, where he discussed the evolving role of frontier AI firms in international security.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is backing a minimum age restriction for social media access. But protecting children online shouldn't come at the expense of their access to information, expression, & digital participation. 🔗Read our statement: vist.ly/5b65q

The UK is pushing a proposal to require nudity-scanning software on children's devices. Protecting children online is the right goal. The challenge is doing so without sacrificing anonymity or secure communications.👇 vist.ly/5amwy

Not all trade barriers look like tariffs. Policy Analyst Tanya Nagrath explains how "non-tariff attacks"—from digital taxes to localization mandates—can disproportionately target U.S. tech companies and undermine American innovation and competitiveness.👇

New evidence challenges the claim that AI is destroying jobs. A new study finds firms that adopt AI most intensively increase total employment by 10.2%—including a 12% increase in entry-level hiring. Policymakers should accelerate AI adoption, not slow it.👇 vist.ly/59mpz

Foreign governments are increasingly pressuring U.S. platforms to censor lawful speech. Wyoming's new GRANITE Act offers a novel response—but meaningful protection will require Congress to act. ITIF's Tanya Nagrath explains in her latest commentary: vist.ly/59kwn

The House has passed the bipartisan KIDS Act package, sending a broad set of online child safety bills to the Senate. What happens next? 🤔 ITIF's Alex Ambrose explains what's in the package, why KOSA's duty of care remains a key sticking point, & what to watch next.

The House just passed the KIDS Act. While the bill preserves many of KOSA's strongest child safety reforms, it also includes provisions that reduce privacy, limit useful online services, and won't meaningfully improve child safety. Read our full statement from Alex Ambrose: vist.ly/59ht5

The GUARD Act takes the wrong approach to protecting children from AI companions. Rather than imposing broad age-verification requirements that raise free speech and privacy concerns, Congress should focus on transparency and stronger parental controls 👇 vist.ly/59gec

📅 TOMORROW, June 30 @ 12 PM ET: Federal privacy legislation could reshape how data is governed across the U.S. Join ITIF for a webinar examining the tradeoffs, debates, & legislative outlook. Register here: vist.ly/59g54

Congress can strengthen state and local cybersecurity with one bill by funding MS-ISAC through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. ITIF's David Kertai explains in his latest👇 vist.ly/598v7

AI is not a tool of communist oppression, as @VP Vance said recently. Nor is it a tool of capitalist oppression. AI has no political philosophy. It is a technology, and as @danielcastro.bsky.social explains, the real question is who will lead in it.

🚨 Mark your calendars! The 6th Annual AR/VR Policy Conference returns to Washington, DC, this Sept. 24. Join policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to explore the future of immersive technology. Register for free ⤵️ vist.ly/584rw

Last month, the Commerce Dept’s Inspector General found significant operational & governance failures in NIST’s National Vulnerability Database & directed it to develop a corrective action plan. But fixing the backlog alone won’t be enough. We explain: vist.ly/57jm6

The U.S. Embassy in London is pushing back on a proposed UK social media ban for under-16s. ITIF's Ash Johnson explains why empowering parents with customizable tools and age-appropriate safeguards is a better approach than one-size-fits-all restrictions. ⤵️

The NO FAKES Act would rightly create a federal right of publicity to protect people from unauthorized replicas. But its broad definition of a “digital replica” could unintentionally harm video games. Congress should narrow this definition. ⤵️ vist.ly/57e2p

The EU’s Tech Sovereignty Package aims to reduce reliance on U.S. technology and boost “digital autonomy.” But limiting access to leading U.S. cloud, chip, and data center providers could slow innovation & leave Europe less competitive with China. Read more ⤵️ vist.ly/57eak

Senator Marsha Blackburn is reportedly negotiating with the White House to preempt state AI laws in exchange for advancing bills like KOSA, ASAA, & the NO FAKES Act. But ITIF's Ash Johnson warns that linking these issues could stall progress on all of them. Full statement: vist.ly/57b3f

US export controls were meant to preserve America's AI lead. Instead, they may be accelerating China's push for technological self-sufficiency & strengthening competing ecosystems. In Tech Policy Press, Daniel Castro explains why policymakers should rethink the strategy. ⤵️ vist.ly/57aqa

The AI policy debate has swung too far toward mitigating potential risks. We need more focus on the potential benefits. Daniel Castro explained what’s at stake for drug discovery, energy, manufacturing, and more on Al Jazeera’s UpFront with Redi Tlhabi.

📅 June 30 @ 12 PM ET: As Congress weighs the SECURE Data Act & other privacy proposals, what would a national data privacy standard actually look like? Join Richard Sill (Reason Foundation), Ruth Whittaker (Third Way), & ITIF's Ash Johnson for a discussion. 🔗 Register: vist.ly/56zk7

📅 June 16, 12 PM ET: Concerns over AI companions and children are driving calls for new regulation. 💻 Join ITIF's panel of experts for a conversation on the tradeoffs of proposed chatbot safety legislation. Register below: vist.ly/56h9d

📣 We're excited to welcome former Virginia Delegate Michelle Lopes Maldonado to the ITIF team as Associate Director of AI Policy! Michelle brings expertise in AI governance, data privacy, online safety, & emerging tech from across government, law, & industry. Read more: vist.ly/567n8

📅 June 16 @ 12PM ET: Lawmakers are weighing new restrictions on AI companions for children—but are bans the right approach? Join us for a virtual discussion on protecting kids from chatbot harms without limiting beneficial uses. Registration ⤵️ vist.ly/55in4

It was clear at #GoogleIO that we're moving from chatbots to agentic and physical #AI. But @danielcastro.bsky.social's big takeaway for policymakers is that different countries will adopt AI at different speeds based on digital regulations, energy policy, labor concerns, and attitudes toward risk.

There's a fallacy in the federal privacy debate. Critics say the SECURE Data Act is a Republican effort. Yet its core provisions mirror bills passed by D and R majorities in 21 states. So, in fact it reflects a bipartisan, multistate consensus. vist.ly/54jry

Texas AG Ken Paxton is suing Netflix over alleged user tracking and “dark patterns” like autoplay designed to maximize engagement. ITIF Policy Analyst Alex Ambrose breaks down three reasons why the case follows familiar patterns of moral panic about tech.

Canada’s privacy regulators ruled that OpenAI violated privacy law by using publicly accessible online data to train ChatGPT—but restricting access to public web data could undermine AI innovation and make developing advanced AI systems in Canada far more difficult. Read more👇

New Mexico is seeking sweeping restrictions on Meta after a jury found the company violated state consumer safety law. But the case highlights a bigger problem: A growing patchwork of state digital regulations. Congress should act to prevent a fragmented digital market. ⤵️ vist.ly/53j8r

ICYMI: ITIF's Daniel Castro spoke at iicon in Las Vegas last week on governing emerging technologies in real time and aligning regulation with the pace of innovation to support competitiveness.