U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is on track to become the Democratic nominee for this year’s presidential election following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal and a surge of endorsements in her favor.
Harris has deep connections in the tech industry, a natural outcome of her tenure as a San Francisco prosecutor, California attorney general, and senator. She has attended the wedding of early Facebook executive Sean Parker and is known to be close with LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs, and venture capitalist John Doerr. In 2010, while campaigning for the AG role, she told Google employees, “We’re family.” But what do her tech policies look like? Her past statements offer some insights.
Antitrust and Privacy
Harris has shown openness to breaking up major tech companies, though she hasn’t taken as strong a stance as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass). In 2019, amid Facebook’s privacy issues, she said, “I think we have to seriously take a look at [a Facebook breakup], yes. We have to recognize it for what it is: It is essentially a utility that has gone unregulated. And as far as I’m concerned, that’s got to stop.” Harris has emphasized that tech companies need regulation to ensure consumer privacy, calling it her “first priority.”
In her 2010 campaign for California attorney general, Harris warned against “shortsighted” antitrust enforcement, arguing, “We can’t stand in the way of business growth and development.”
Online Safety
In 2010, Harris spoke on online child safety, suggesting that prevention through education for parents, teachers, and the community is key. She compared it to teaching children how to cross the street safely.
As Vice President, Harris launched a White House task force on online harassment and abuse, emphasizing the need for more work to protect people online. She stated, “No one should be afraid that an abuser will use their private personal data—or that a person’s private personal data will be used against them. All people deserve to use the Internet free from fear.”
AI Regulation
Appointed by Biden as the AI regulation czar, Harris is a proponent of AI regulation. At a U.K. summit last year, she highlighted the need to address the full spectrum of AI risks, from threats to humanity to individual and community dangers. She called for “legislation that strengthens AI safety without stifling innovation.”
TikTok Ban
Despite a U.S. law potentially requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban, Harris stated in March, “We have no intention to ban TikTok.” She acknowledged its role in generating income and facilitating free discourse.
Interestingly, this aligns her with former President Donald Trump, who initially favored a TikTok ban but later reversed his stance. While Trump and his running mate have shown support for cryptocurrency, Harris has yet to express strong views on this topic.
Although tech policy is unlikely to be the focal point of the election, endorsements from Silicon Valley heavyweights like Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen for Trump may bring these issues to the fore. If Harris becomes Trump’s opponent, her balance between pro-consumer and pro-industry positions could make her a formidable candidate in the tech policy arena.ri
