WASHINGTON – November 19, 2020 – BSA | The Software Alliance today published a series of primers on top tech policy issues for the Biden-Harris transition team. These include detailed recommendations to help the incoming Administration harness the power of software to respond to COVID-19, foster inclusive economic growth and development, and promote innovation.

“President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris have made it clear that inclusive economic growth will be a priority for their Administration,” said Aaron Cooper, Vice President of Global Policy at BSA | The Software Alliance. “The software industry has an important role to play in bringing that vision to life. And smart, bold policies by the incoming Administration, that promote the responsible use of technology and data, can help. In BSA’s policy briefs, we urge the incoming Administration to prioritize responsible policies that foster a strong remote economy, promote racial justice, expand opportunities for the workforce, and protect privacy and security. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris transition team in the weeks to come.”

In its recommendations, BSA outlines priorities for:

• COVID-19 Response & Recovery: BSA calls on the incoming Biden Administration to take steps to strengthen the remote economy by investing in universal high-speed Internet access, removing barriers to cross-border collaboration, promoting responsible migration to cloud services, and transforming the global workforce with skills training for displaced workers.
• AI: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to cultivate a policy environment that encourages innovation while also fostering public trust in AI. To ensure that AI is developed and deployed responsibly, BSA advocates for a policy framework built around the five pillars of responsible AI.
• Privacy: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to work closely with Congress to develop and enact a new, national privacy law that creates new rights for consumers, places obligations on businesses that reflect their role in handling consumers’ personal data, and creates strong and consistent enforcement mechanisms.
• Workforce Development and Immigration: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to implement policies that expand and improve access to STEM education, create alternative pathways to digital skills training, leverage the use of technology for workforce development across industries, broaden access to high-speed internet, and promote equal opportunity in the workplace.
• Racial Justice: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to promote a more just and equitable society, by supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, advocating measures to end systemic racism in policing, and encouraging greater diversity and inclusivity in STEM and computer science education.
• Digital Trade: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to work with global allies to agree on digital trade rules that can create economic opportunities at home, boost US jobs and innovation, and support an open, inclusive, and secure international digital ecosystem.
• Cybersecurity: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to take robust action to confront cybersecurity threats and elevate US global cybersecurity leadership. Immediate priorities should include securing the software ecosystem, recalibrating supply chain policies, securing the Internet of Things, advancing cybersecurity through digital transformation, and organizing the government to combat cyber threats.
• Open Data: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to tap into the opportunities of the 21st-century data economy through policies that enhance access to high-value government data, make it easier for organizations to voluntarily share their data, and promote the development and use of privacy-enhancing technologies.
• 5G: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to achieve effective, sustainable security, by harnessing software innovation, recalibrating supply chain policies, securing software and the cloud, and building smart and effective governance.
• US-China Technology, Trade, and Security: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to reevaluate the trade and national security implications of the US-China relationship, and urges the incoming Administration to develop distinct trade and national security strategies, strengthen strategic relationships with allies, develop a technology control strategy that enhances US technological leadership and security, and strengthen the US innovation base.
• Intellectual Property: BSA calls on the incoming Administration to focus on sustaining a predictable and well-functioning IP system that encourages investments in R&D and commercialization.

Read BSA’s full recommendations for the Biden-Harris transition team here.