Johanna Weaver (ANU)
Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) have created a global map of technology regulation to help create new standards of governance.
Known as the Tech Policy Atlas, the map will serve as an interactive experience for users to explore tech policy from around the world, segmented by country, jurisdiction, category and type.
Researchers can access primary sources, with up-to-date information on publication date and time, pdf records, as well as archived sources.
Created by ANU’s Tech Policy Design Centre, the Atlas currently covers 36 countries and includes over 2000 entries, with more being added.
Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre Professor Johanna Weaver has called the Atlas “a real milestone in the development of global tech regulation”.
“We are living in a world where technology is evolving in unexpected ways. Not only is the technologist building the tech shaping our future, but so too are policymakers and legislators who regulate and set standards by which the technologist must comply,” she said.
“Until now there was no central repository for researchers, industry leaders and policymakers to understand how and where this policy is being implemented. We’re proud to say that thanks to the hard work of everyone at the Tech Policy Design Centre and our partners that is no longer the case.
“Global powers like the US, EU and China are in the headlines and at the forefront of global tech policy development, but what I’ve found most amazing is how many parts of the developing world are quickly coming to grips with the implications of new technologies, in their own context”.
The Atlas is open-source and uses contributions from users to expand and update the dataset.
“Our expert team at the Tech Policy Design Centre are constantly reviewing, analysing, and adding to the submissions we receive to make sure everything included in the Atlas is accurate and up to date,” Professor Weaver added.
“It really highlights how fascinating and critical future developments in global tech policy will be, and we at Tech Policy Design Centre can’t wait to keep working at the forefront of this expanding field.”
