Economic and Social Challenges in the Digital Age

Sponsors: Sciences Po, Georgetown Global Economic Challenges Network, McCourt Institute

Event Theme: The increasing presence of technology in the digital age has led to a proliferation of unprecedented challenges. From the harvesting and abuse of personal data, damaging misinformation campaigns, and a surge in digital addiction, these issues risk the physical safety of online users, compromise individuals’ and companies’ privacy, and undermine democratic institutions. Through presentations and a discussion of the related policy issues, academics and policy makers will highlight the most pressing threats, and their possible solutions, associated by the next generation of the web.

Format: The event will begin with 4 academic presentations. These will be followed by a moderated policy discussion featuring the academic speakers plus policy and business experts.

Confirmed academic speakers:

• Matthew Gentzkow, Professor of Economics, Stanford University
• Nathaniel Persily, Professor of Law, Stanford University
• Andrea Prat, Professor of Business and Economics, Columbia University
• Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, Professor of Economics, Paris School of Economics

Policy panel participants:

• Sergei Guriev, Provost, SciencesPo – moderator
• Constance de Leusse, Executive Director, McCourt Institute
• Paul Nemitz, Principal Adviser on the Digital Transition in DG Justice and Consumers, EU Commission
• Beatriz Botero, Assistant Professor of Law, Sciences Po and affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University  
• Matthew Gentzkow, Professor of Economics, Stanford University

Schedule

2:00 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. CET
Welcoming Remarks and Introduction

2:05 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. CET
Presentation by Matthew Gentzkow "Digital Addiction and Commitment"

3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. CET

Presentation by Ekaterina Zhuravskaya "The impact of policies to fight social-media disinformation: Stop false, circulate true"
 

4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. CET
Presentation by Julia Cagé "Fact-Checking and Misinformation: Evidence from the Market Leader" (joint paper with Nathan Gallo, Moritz Hengel and Emeric Henry)

5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. CET

Presentation by Nathaniel Persily “Tech Troubles 3.0: Democracy Confronts Platform Transformation and the AI Revolution”

6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. CET
Policy Panel Discussion

7:15 p.m. CET
Cocktail Reception