It's time US worked to gain from opportunities offered by technology

DIGITAL technologies such as the Internet and smartphones are transforming our lives and society. They are proving to be powerful tools for liberating individuals' creative and entrepreneurial potential, as well as providing new educational opportunities and higher wages for marginalised people, both in the United States and around the globe.

Unfortunately, in the US, outdated government regulations and weak consumer protections are undermining these opportunities. What's more, the administration of President Donald Trump has not yet made significant moves to address this growing crisis: As at this writing, five key White House positions are vacant, without even acting directors or interim leaders to help the executive branch formulate US science and technology policy.

As the founder of both the Open Technology Institute and the X-Lab policy and innovation organisation, I have spent years at the heart of many Washington battles over technology policy, fighting for ideas that would best serve American workers and the general public. As technology spreads throughout nearly every facet of our society, including healthcare, transportation, education and electricity, the benefits tend to grab the headlines, while their costs are often downplayed or ignored outright.