The UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy hosted investment firm executive Frank McCourt to discuss his new book on reconstructing the internet to give people ownership over their data.
McCourt, the executive chairman of McCourt Global and founder of the internet redesign initiative Project Liberty, discussed his book, “Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Internet Age,” with the Institute’s Executive Director Michael Karanicolas on April 26. The conversation focused on the ubiquity of technology in modern life, data ownership and empowerment, and the role universities should play in preparing the next generation of innovators.
McCourt said one of the reasons he wrote the book was to spark dialogue about these issues because finding a solution requires collaboration and collective input. He added that it is important to build an internet where people have greater control over their data and companies agree to people’s terms and conditions instead of the other way around.
“I don’t think we can separate our digital being from our biological being,” McCourt said. “We would never think we don’t own our… physical being. We need to start thinking we own our digital being as well.”
BruinAI and the Association for Computing Machinery partnered with the Institute for Technology, Law & Policy for this event, Karanicolas said.
“Universities are, I think, the last bastion of institutions that can step forward and help highlight the importance of these issues,” McCourt said during the panel.
Issues today – including with technology – require insight from different perspectives to create better solutions, McCourt said. The book promotes Project Liberty – a $500 million initiative seeking to address problems with the technology, governance and regulation of the internet – said Zoe Maher, a communications associate at McCourt Global.
Kate Hu, an event attendee and second-year law student, said she felt McCourt called on everyone to work together toward a world where the internet and technology are used for good.
“I felt empowered as a future professional working in technology law, to invest my time and energy in doing accountability technology,” Hu said.
Maher said conversations about working toward a better, healthier internet should not be limited to technologists and legal experts but should also be talked about by everyone because the internet affects everyone.
McCourt also said during the panel that he hopes his book “Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age” sparks more discussion about its topics. Attendees were provided with a free copy of the book, which he encouraged the audience to read and think about.
“If you agree, join the fight. If you disagree, tell us why, because we’re not saying we’re right,” McCourt said during the panel. “We need to get this right. So you can help us get right.”
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