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What a second Trump presidency means for tech

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What a second Trump presidency means for tech

When Donald Trump is inaugurated as president for the second time in January 2025, he will assume power over the regulation of a tech industry that’s changed significantly since his first term began in 2017. The tech industry’s honeymoon period with the US government has fizzled, and both Trump and his successor, President Joe Biden, took a skeptical stance toward tech CEOs, albeit for different reasons. Their antitrust enforcers initiated some of the first major anti-tech monopoly actions in decades. 

Now, the tech industry has wised up. Most CEOs have looked back at the last eight years of techlash and seemed to conclude that they should be as visibly apolitical as possible — though they’re happy to lobby behind the scenes. At the same time, some have gambled that being in Trump’s good graces would be beneficial — and that risk seems to have paid off. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who Trump has literally threatened to send to prison, praised the president-elect’s fist pump after the attempted assassination and has made nice with Republicans about Meta’s content moderation choices. Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos killed an endorsement of Kamala Harris in the paper. And, of course, Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk has made himself one of Trump’s chief allies, securing a promise that he could run a “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).

Trump, meanwhile, will have more power than ever — he’s rooted out former supporters who encouraged restraint during his first term, and key allies have sprawling plans for overhauling the administrative state.

All this to say, the next four years of tech policy will be unpredictable and erratic. But even as Trump tries to expand his authority, he’ll need support from the courts and Congress. These are the policies we’ll be tracking as Trump reassumes the presidency and what he could realistically do.

AI

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A Trump presidency likely means a less constrained AI industry. Trump has promised to repeal the Biden administration’s AI executive order, which instructed agencies to create testing standards and guardrails to prevent AI from being used in discriminatory ways, like in allocating housing or determining legal outcomes in the criminal justice system. Trump previously signed his own executive order covering AI safety and standards, but it did not touch on discrimination. The second Trump administration will likely deprioritize AI discrimination safeguards and discourage the use of the Defense Production Act to require more transparency, something conservatives have characterized as government overreach.

AI policy is an area where Elon Musk will likely seek to exert his influence, assuming he and Trump remain on good terms. Musk runs xAI and has been critical of incumbent players like OpenAI — a firm he cofounded but later distanced himself from and sued. Musk has supported AI safety measures like California’s controversial and ultimately vetoed SB 1047, and he previously signed a call for a moratorium on major AI developments for safety reasons. But his focus on existential risks has been criticized by some AI researchers as a distraction from more immediate risks like discrimination.

AI policy is an area where Musk will likely seek to exert his influence

It’s also not yet clear how Trump will handle thorny copyright issues surrounding generative AI, including what information large language models are allowed to train on. AI executives, including Musk, could seek to shape how Trump views the issue in a way that’s favorable to them.

Antitrust

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Trump’s approach to antitrust enforcement could be based mainly on personal grievances. Bloomberg Intelligence senior litigation analyst Jennifer Rie writes that “enforcement could be idiosyncratic based on president-elect Donald Trump’s view of the companies or industries involved.” Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the left-of-center tech industry group Chamber of Progress, bluntly said we’ll see a “‘Trump Welfare Standard’: is this company nice to Trump?”

Though Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, has publicly praised Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, it’s not clear how committed Vance is to this stance or how much sway he will have. If he does get a say here, we could expect a continued crackdown on big tech firms to benefit “little tech” or startups that VCs like Andreessen Horowitz (another Trump supporter) want to see rocket with growth. 

“Republicans no longer uniformly lean more business-friendly than Democrats.”

While business leaders may be relieved if Khan leaves the FTC, Rie says we shouldn’t expect “a return to the relaxed antitrust climate of 10 years ago … some aspects of the current aggressive approach will stick. Republicans no longer uniformly lean more business-friendly than Democrats.” Still, while she says it largely depends on Trump’s appointments, merger approvals could become swifter and recently revised merger guidelines could be unraveled.

Trump’s administration will likely continue the existing legal fights against Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon (including two cases filed during Trump’s first term). But it could pursue more modest remedies, depending on who he appoints — and how Trump feels about a company like Google on any given day. “A slight increase in settlement prospects is possible down the road, especially if the cases don’t seem to be going well for the agencies,” Rie writes. “Trump doesn’t believe Google should be broken up, though we didn’t expect this to happen anyway.” Kovacevich also says Trump could use the cases “as leverage over the companies to get favorable treatment on speech and content concerns.”

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TikTok

Perhaps Trump’s greatest flip-flop issue has been his stance on TikTok. Trump championed the original TikTok ban effort, which was shot down by the courts. But he’s more recently said he opposes a ban because it would just benefit Meta. Trump’s turnaround reportedly came after he met with Republican donor Jeff Yass, who has a major stake in ByteDance. 

Under the Biden administration, Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill that could ban the social video app unless ByteDance divests it by mid-January, and Biden signed it into law. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals is currently deliberating about whether that law can be upheld and will likely release a decision by the end of the year. But TikTok’s chances of dodging a ban only “slightly” improve under a Trump presidency, according to Bloomberg Intelligence litigation analyst Matt Schettenhelm.

The law doesn’t give Trump “much room” to play with

If the DC Circuit decides to uphold the law and the Supreme Court declines to take it up or upholds that ruling, what Trump can do is somewhat limited. He could grant an extension of up to 90 days for ByteDance to complete its divestiture of TikTok, but under the law, he would need to certify to Congress that there’s an actual plan underway. The law does leave the president some discretion to determine whether more apps besides TikTok fall under the divestiture law’s purview and what represents an adequate separation. But TikTok is written into the statute, so Trump can’t just decide it no longer applies. 

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The law doesn’t give Trump “much room” to play with, Schettenhelm tells The Verge in an email, though he could exercise some judgment in approving TikTok’s divestiture proposal. Even if Trump took the “unusual” step of announcing his Justice Department wouldn’t enforce the law, Schettenhelm writes in a note to clients, “companies that carry the app would be undertaking enormous risk that Trump wouldn’t change his mind and seek crippling penalties. We doubt they’d do so.”

If the court strikes down the law — perhaps because it finds it violates the First Amendment or because Congress didn’t develop a strong enough record in the relatively quick lead-up to its passage — then the legislature would need to do the process over. While the bill had very strong bipartisan support the first time around, now that Trump has said he opposes a TikTok ban, it seems less likely Congress would spend valuable time on a bill that the president may not sign.

Tariffs and China

Trump famously started a trade war with China in his first term in office, and if his campaign rhetoric is to be believed, we’ll see a continuation of such economic policies this time. While Biden has implemented some protectionist economic policies, including export controls on advanced semiconductors, Trump has floated tariffs on goods imported from China at a rate of 60 to 100 percent.

That could have big implications for the many tech companies that use components made in China and for any companies that rely on China for a significant part of their business strategy (like Apple and Tesla). But because of that connection, this is another area where Elon Musk’s influence could be a wild card.

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Alongside his promises of mass deportations, Trump’s China tariffs could dramatically change day-to-day life in America, as severe price hikes for imported goods would throw countless people’s lives and livelihoods into chaos. How far the administration will go is an open question, and one that makes predicting the future with any certainty — inside and outside the tech industry — difficult to do.

Net neutrality and telecom policy

Net neutrality — which already faces an uphill battle in the courts after SCOTUS rolled back Chevron deference — is likely dead under a Trump administration. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Nathan Dean predicts a 90 percent chance Trump’s Federal Communications Commission abandons the effort to reclassify broadband providers as common carriers and subject them to greater regulatory scrutiny.

A Republican-led FCC will also likely allow more concentrated control of TV stations, Dean writes, and loosen broadcast merger and acquisition rules. Republican FCC commissioner Brendan Carr, who served during the first Trump administration, has called for big tech companies to pay into the Universal Service Fund — currently funded by telecommunications providers — and suggested punishing TV networks under broadcasting rules. 

Musk could seek to limit programs that help Starlink’s competitors

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It’s not totally clear yet how Trump’s FCC will handle other key broadband policy issues, including the rollout of the government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) infrastructure investment program. But once again, Elon Musk’s influence could become important here. Musk runs the satellite internet company Starlink, which has been passed over for some government contracts, but could lobby for more favorable policies under Trump. For example, the BEAD program currently favors fiber broadband, and Musk has critiqued the program as an “outrageous waste of taxpayer money.” 

In his government efficiency role or in a more informal way, Musk could seek to limit programs that help Starlink’s competitors, like the Universal Service Fund, according to CNET. That program helps service rural communities with broadband — places where Starlink is well positioned to move in.

Content moderation

Conservatives including Trump have long complained about social media platforms suppressing conservative speech and accused them of bowing to Democratic government pressure to remove things like election or vaccine misinformation. Even before his reelection, platforms like Meta had heeded Republican pushback and loosened their moderation standards.

A Trump administration and Republican legislature could rework the Section 230 liability shield to let them actually punish companies for moderation decisions. In addition to the option of passing actual laws changing Section 230, Brendan Carr suggested in his Project 2025 chapter that the FCC could narrow its protections for a broad range of content moderation decisions. Ultimately, any executive or legislative changes to online speech rules could face the Supreme Court, which has so far upheld the right to conduct content moderation, although it signaled openness to potential legal changes in the future.

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Kids online safety

Trump hasn’t said much about where he stands on this topic or on the leading congressional bill on the subject, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). That bill remains stalled in the House after passing through the Senate (in combination with an update to children’s data privacy law), and it’s not yet clear what could happen in future congressional sessions. Current Republican House leadership has expressed concerns that KOSA could unduly limit speech, so a Democratic House might be more open to giving it floor time, but ultimately, the concerns with the bill don’t fall entirely down partisan lines. 

Adam Kovacevich, whose group has opposed KOSA, suggests Democrats should be wary of passing the bill under a Trump presidency — pointing to lead cosponsor Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) comments about protecting kids from transgender content online. “Democrats will have to decide whether they want to hand Trump & MAGA state law enforcers a powerful new censorship tool,” he writes.

Electric vehicles

Electric vehicle tax credits and other climate-focused policies will likely be in jeopardy under Trump, though that might be somewhat complicated by his connection with Musk, with Tesla standing to gain from EV-friendly policies. Still, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives previously said that Tesla’s “scale and scope … could give Musk and Tesla a clear competitive advantage in a non-EV subsidy environment.”

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Tesla’s “scale and scope … could give Musk and Tesla a clear competitive advantage in a non-EV subsidy environment”

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Nathan Dean sees just a 30 percent chance of continued EV tax credits under Trump. He predicts continued rhetoric that EVs are “a boon to China’s economy,” alongside efforts to replace the tax credits with consumer incentives that could benefit traditional carmakers like General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. 

Semiconductor policy

Under the Biden administration, Congress passed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which injected funds into creating a domestic semiconductor production industry — something experts say is a national security necessity and critical to maintaining control over the supply chain for important technologies including medical tech. But Trump called the bill “so bad” during his appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and soon after, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he was open to repealing the law (though he later walked back those comments). Trump can’t undo a law on his own, but he could perhaps instruct his Commerce Department to slow-walk aspects of its rollout.

Crypto

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Trump has made significant overtures to the cryptocurrency industry, headlining a major Bitcoin conference this summer and picking up significant support from prominent crypto investors like Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. With Trump’s election, the industry is likely to get its top wish: the ouster of Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, whom the industry views as its chief antagonist. Expect more permissive and hands-off regulation of this industry, as Trump has called for making the US a “Bitcoin superpower.”

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This digital D&D watch lets you roll a fireball from your wrist

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This digital D&D watch lets you roll a fireball from your wrist

Dice hoarding is a common hobby among Dungeons and Dragons players, but I’m betting most won’t have a digital watch in their collection. Alongside displaying the time, day, and date, the Timestop D-20 includes all the dice-rolling features you need to play tabletop roleplaying games directly from your wrist at the push of a button.

The watch allows the wearer to digitally roll a 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 20-, or 100-sided dice, alongside “Advanced Combat” features such as rolling up to 12 dice at once, and D20s with advantage or disadvantage (a fancy way of rolling two dice and taking either the higher or lower results). It’ll also display specific icons when a D20 rolls a 1 or a 20 — known as a “critical failure” or “critical success” respectively in D&D.

“We wanted a fun animation while rolling, but also an overall subdued look so you could ‘take the game with you’ and even wear the watch at the office,” Timestop says in its blog describing the design process. “We included day and date complications with a perpetual calendar so it was still a practical timepiece.”

Pricing starts at $99 and is available in three colors: black, orange, and stainless steel. Shipping starts next year, with stock available for delivery in either January or February. 

One feature you won’t find on the Timestop D-20 is an alarm, because alarms “aren’t fun,” according to its creator. Otherwise, it’s water-resistant, features a backlit LCD display, and uses a replaceable coin cell battery that can last up to three years with “typical use.” I’m not sure how many fireball spells would be considered typical, but it certainly offers a more unique way to play than traditional dice or digital dice-rolling apps.

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Honda has a plan to build solid-state batteries for EVs

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Honda has a plan to build solid-state batteries for EVs

Honda set up a demonstration facility in Japan to show off its plans to mass-produce solid-state batteries at lower costs, which could be crucial to unlocking higher-range, longer-lasting electric vehicles for the future.

Solid-state batteries have been elusive for many companies due to the complexity of scaling up production. The technology swaps out the liquid electrolytes found in current lithium-ion batteries with dry conductive materials, promising higher energy density and longer lifespans. But it will require a whole new production process to be successful.

Roll pressing of cathode for solid-state batteries.
Image: Honda

Honda says it is accelerating research at its new 27,000 square-meter demo facility set up in Sakura City, Japan, and is shortening the time required to make a single unit. The site has full-scale equipment that is split between three buildings: the first for cathode formation and cell assembly; the second for anode formation; and the third for electrolyte activation and module assembly.

The plan includes using a continuous inline mixer that Honda says is “three times faster” than typical cell batch processing. Honda plans to make batteries on this line in January.

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Honda is readying its solid-state tech for mass production in the second half of the 2020s. The company’s CEO Toshihiro Mibe has eluded that solid-state batteries will also be the key to unlocking cheaper EVs.

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How your browser is spying on you: Hidden dangers lurking behind every click

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How your browser is spying on you: Hidden dangers lurking behind every click

A browser is one of the most popular apps we use. It’s the gateway between the internet and its users, translating raw code into something we perceive as a web page and allowing us to interact with the web. It’s safe to say that anyone who uses the internet uses a web browser. 

But while this tool is extremely useful, it can also be equally dangerous. For example, clicking malicious links can redirect you to harmful websites that either steal personal information or infect your device with malware.

If you use a search engine like Google through Chrome, it can collect data on your searches, browsing history and even your location (if location services are enabled). Most browsers also use cookies, small files that store information about your online behavior. Let’s discuss the risks associated with web browsers and how to stay safe.

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A person conducting a Google search on their laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How a browser doubles as spyware

Browsers are much more than simple tools to navigate the web. They are, in many ways, tools for surveillance. While they help you access websites and services, they also track your every move online to feed the ever-hungry advertising industry.

First off, most browsers collect data about your searches, browsing habits and even your location. This data isn’t just stored to “improve your experience,” it’s used to create a detailed profile of you, which is then shared with advertisers who target you with personalized ads. 

Google Chrome, for example, is notorious for tracking your activity. As you browse, it feeds data to Google’s advertising engine, allowing it to serve highly targeted ads based on your behavior. This includes everything from your search history to the websites you visit, even down to the smallest detail, like how long you stay on a page​.

“Google may share information about you with advertisers, business partners, sponsors, and other third parties,” Google boldly mentions on its privacy policy page.

Browsers also use cookies to keep tabs on you. These cookies track your activity across different sites, even after you’ve left a site. This means that ads you saw on one website might follow you across others, creating a persistent digital footprint. And while cookies can be blocked or deleted, many websites rely on them to function, making it hard to escape this kind of tracking.

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Google browser (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Even Incognito mode isn’t safe

Even if you’re using privacy-focused browsers or tools like Incognito mode, they don’t really guarantee privacy. A 2020 class-action lawsuit revealed that Google kept scraping searches by gathering data from users browsing in Incognito through ad tools used by websites, picking up “potentially embarrassing” searches from millions of people. Google then used that data to track web traffic and sell ads.

It’s not just Google. Your internet service provider, the websites you visit and even governments can monitor your browsing activity, even in Incognito mode. All it does is hide your activity from your local browser history.

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A person conducting a Google search on their laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to protect your privacy 

As you all know, web browsers are essential tools for accessing the internet, but many popular options compromise your privacy by collecting extensive data. While Google Chrome is widely used, it tracks significant amounts of user information to power targeted advertising. However, there are several privacy-focused browser alternatives that prioritize user data protection. Also, to enhance your online security and protect your personal information, consider implementing these essential cybersecurity practices.

Keep software updated: Regularly update your operating system, browsers and other software to patch security vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure you’re always protected against the latest threats.

Use strong, unique passwords: Create complex passwords for each of your accounts and avoid reusing them. Consider using a password manager to generate and securely store strong passwords.

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on all accounts that offer it. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification beyond your password.

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Be cautious with emails and links: Avoid opening suspicious emails or clicking on unknown links. These could be phishing attempts designed to steal your information or infect your device with malware. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

Use secure networks: When using public Wi-Fi, connect through a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. For sensitive transactions, stick to secure, private networks.

Be mindful of social media sharing: Limit the personal information you share on social media platforms and adjust your privacy settings to control who can view your posts.

VPN: Your first line of defense against browser spying: A VPN (virtual private network) encrypts your internet connection, making it difficult for anyone, including your browser, to track your online activities. By masking your IP address and routing your traffic through secure servers, a VPN not only protects your personal data from prying eyes but also helps you avoid targeted advertising and potential data breaches.

Regardless of whether you are new to VPNs or not, you’ll want to choose trusted VPN providers known for robust encryption and no-log policies to ensure your privacy. Whether for sensitive tasks or everyday use, reputable VPN services will boost both your security and speed. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

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By implementing these security practices and using privacy-focused browsers, you can significantly enhance your online safety and protect your personal data while browsing the web. Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process that requires vigilance and regular updates to your practices.

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Kurt’s key takeaway

The web browser is an essential tool for accessing the internet, but it also opens the door to a host of privacy and security risks. Whether it’s being tracked for ads, snooped on by your ISP or accidentally stumbling onto a malware-filled site, the risks are everywhere. Tools like Incognito mode or cookie-blocking can help a bit, but they’re not enough to truly protect you. If you’re serious about staying private and secure, you need to up your game. Use a VPN, be cautious about what you click on and stay informed about the ways your browser might be working against you.

Do you think companies have gone too far with tracking? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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