Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

<div><p><b>Darrell M. West</b> is vice president of Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. Among his many previous books are <i>Brain Gain: Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy</i> and <i>Digital Medicine: Health Care in the Internet Era</i>, both published by Brookings, and <i>Digital Government: Technology and Public Sector Performance</i> (Princeton).</p></div>

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The Next Wave

Brookings Institution Press

Chapter One

A HEATED DEBATE OVER NEW technology unfolded on the floor of the U.S. Senate in 1930. Some senators were incensed because the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company wanted to replace operator-assisted phones with a new device called the rotary dial telephone. Rather than using a human operator to place a call, legislators would have to dial their own calls.

Senator Carter Glass complained that dial phones were overly complicated and "difficult to operate." Senator Clarence Dill also commented on the difficulty in using the new phones: "One has to use both hands to dial," he lamented. In addition, users "must be in a position where there is good light, day or night, in order to see the number; and if he happens to turn the dial not quite far enough, then he gets a wrong connection." Dill claimed that the new phones were especially difficult for older members of Congress.

Other senators challenged these assertions and argued that the new phones actually were easier to use. Senator Millard Tydings noted that legislators could place calls themselves and without going through a central switchboard. It was a more efficient way to work, and it gave callers more control over their telephoning, he noted.

At the end of the debate, the majority was not persuaded. The Senate passed a resolution delaying adoption of the new communications system. The stalemate was not broken until the phone company announced a compromise. It offered to install either dial or operator phones for individual senators, according to their wishes. Thus technology innovation could proceed in a way that was compatible with the preferences of individual members.

The controversy over rotary telephones was not unusual. New technologies often inflame passions, divide people, and raise questions regarding personal and societal impact. By their very nature, they are disruptive because of their ramifications for the way society and government function and the manner in which people interact with one another. Proponents of technology always tout a range of benefits, while critics worry about negative consequences for social life, political institutions, and individual values.

This book does not seek to resolve fundamental disputes over the value of every invention. Rather, it focuses on how the next wave of digital technologies can be harnessed to further U.S. social and political innovation. My goal is to explore a range of specific developments in the contemporary period, analyze what they mean for individuals, society, and government, and understand which barriers limit their enactment.

There are many possibilities for digital technology that are consistent with personal and social values. Governments and other organizations can employ new advances that allow them to perform faster, smarter, and more efficiently. People can deploy digital technology to improve transparency, participation, and collaboration. By working with the private sector, political leaders can stimulate a flowering of innovation in a variety of policy areas.

But proponents must be aware of public fears, institutional barriers, and the real privacy and security threats posed by digital developments. Technology rarely drives change in isolation from other forces. Effective implementation arises from a combination of technology, organizational shifts, and policy reforms. The task is to further innovation while also protecting basic social and individual values.

THE VIRTUES OF TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

Technology innovation represents one of the most important keys to long-term prosperity and competitiveness. One of the reasons why the United States thrived after World War II and in following decades was its emphasis on invention. The nation brought to its shores leading scientists from European countries and supported their basic and applied research.

The results were spectacular. The United States became a world leader in science and technology. The early Russian launch of the Sputnik satellite notwithstanding, the United States became the first nation to put a man on the moon and successfully commercialized products derived from the space program such as satellite communications, global positioning systems, and wireless communications.

Scientists undertook basic work in computer science, material sciences, genomics, neuroscience, and cognitive science that launched new industries and created vast wealth. Digital technology and the life sciences spawned the computer revolution, new medical treatments, and the deciphering of the human genome, among other things. Like the electric grid of the early twentieth century and the interstate highway system of the late twentieth century, the Internet became an infrastructure platform for progress in education, health care, energy efficiency, communications, and mass entertainment.

Not surprisingly, given the potential of these technologies, a number of countries have identified broadband and wireless as crucial for national development. Broadband is viewed in many places as the key driver of economic development, social connections, and civic engagement. In a study based on the experience of 120 nations between 1980 and 2006, Christine Qiang estimates that each 10 percentage point increase in broadband penetration adds 1.3 percent to a high-income country's gross domestic product and 1.21 percent to that of low- to middle-income nations.

Broadband is crucial because it is a cross-cutting technology that speeds innovation in health care, education, energy, and social networking. High-speed broadband allows physicians to share digital images with colleagues in other geographic areas. Schools are able to extend distance learning to underserved populations. Smart electric grids produce greater efficiency in monitoring energy consumption and contribute to more environment-friendly policies. Video conferencing facilities save government and businesses large amounts of money in travel expenses. New digital platforms across a variety of policy domains spur usage and innovation and bring additional people, businesses, and services into the Internet revolution.

The goal of these and other new technologies is to improve communications, organizational efficiency, and individual effectiveness. By democratizing information production, technology lowers the cost of information and reduces the barriers to entry within a number of fields. With modest resources, and without reliance on large-scale capital and human manpower, it is possible to create new software, devise novel applications, and bring new products to market.

THE RISKS OF TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

While digital technologies offer many benefits, they also raise important questions about social and individual values. Many worry about privacy, security, and societal impact, among other issues. Is it possible to maintain individual privacy and security in a wired world? What happens to social organizations when interactions and social delivery move from face-to-face to electronic communications? Will health information and education technology improve treatment and learning or merely represent a new way of delivering current services?

Every historical era has seen major conflicts over technology...