Tonight, Wednesday, March 24, was another interesting zoom talk “How Technology Is Reshaping Our Democracy: A Conversation with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Thomas L. Friedman, and James Steyer.”
A lively talk about what is happening in tech – the good, the bad, and what needs to change. The fun parts: Friedman kept losing his zoom connection and Amy giving a brief mention of her upcoming book ‘Antitrust’ and her saying “I’m trying to make antitrust fun again!” The video of the talk should be up soon on their YouTube channel.
Here is the official blurb from the Humphrey School at the UMN:
“Join Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, and Common Sense CEO James Steyer for a conversation around technology companies and their growing impact on our society. Steyer will moderate the event as they examine such topics as the role of technology in shaping public policy, the growth of misinformation, and its implications on exacerbating inequality.
The conversation, presented by Common Sense, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and the Carlson Family Foundation, builds on Steyer’s book, Which Side of History?: How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives, published in October 2020 by Common Sense. The book offers a collection of bold essays on how technology affects democracy, society, and our future.
About the Guests
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the first woman elected to represent the State of Minnesota in the United States Senate. She is the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights. Senator Klobuchar has built a reputation for putting partisanship aside to help strengthen the economy and support families, workers, and businesses.
Thomas L. Friedman, a New York Times op-ed columnist, writes about foreign affairs, globalization, and technology. Friedman was awarded the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting (from Lebanon) and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting (from Israel). He also won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
James (Jim) Steyer is one of the nation’s leading child advocates, as well as a civil rights attorney, Stanford University professor, and best-selling author. He is the founder and CEO of Common Sense, the nation’s leading nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and impactful voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Prior to launching Common Sense, Steyer founded and served as chairman and CEO of JP Kids as well as the national advocacy group Children Now” (https://www.hhh.umn.edu/event/how-technology-reshaping-our-democracy-conversation-sen-amy-klobuchar-thomas-l-friedman-and).