Digital Society and Governance
We are living in a rapidly changing world shaped overwhelmingly by technology and innovation 鈥 from how we shop, to where we get information, to the future of financial services. Yet the greatest challenge today is no longer inventing new technologies; it is helping users and policymakers understand their benefits and risks, and ensuring these tools are applied responsibly in a digital society where people expect more efficient public services and stronger protection of personal data. These are the questions we will explore in this course.
The course draws on the instructor’s long standing, first hand experience at Meta (formerly Facebook) across the Asia Pacific region, as well as his close observation of how regulatory landscapes worldwide have shifted 鈥 and increasingly diverged. Students will examine real world case studies across a range of digital policy issues, compare competing models of internet governance, and assess which approaches are most effective and why. We will also explore the geopolitical dimension, including why technology now sits at the center of US鈥揅hina tensions, from AI and electric vehicles to digital infrastructure and the semiconductor industry.