Evidence-based. Scholarly.
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A repository of evidence-based true stories of technology-related governance dilemma across various sectors shared by industry, policy and academic experts.

FEATURED CASE STUDIES

Consent, Pay or Settle: Meta’s Struggle for Staying Profitable in the European Union

Lex Zard

Meta’s shift from the dual option of the “consent-or-pay” model to the triple option of personalized ads, subscription with no ads, and less personalized ads, highlights the challenges of balancing consumer privacy and profitability in digital markets. Meta's business model is currently being investigated by the European Commission, the outcome of which will affect the regulation of Big Tech globally.

Wikipedia’s Governance Challenge: Policies and Guardrails for New Generative AI Technologies

Stephen Harrison

The Wikipedia editing community is struggling with the emergence of new generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs). Should the volunteer editors who create and maintain Wikipedia’s articles be permitted to use new generative AI tools, or should they be prohibited because of the high risk of introducing misinformation into the popular internet encyclopedia?

Evaluating Ownership: Intellectual Property in Canada

James W. Hinton, Ethan Ellsmere

Shopify is in a billion-dollar battle. Often described as the darling of the Canadian tech sector, the Ottawa-born firm’s explosive growth has propelled it to the forefront of the digital merchant space. It is no secret, either to Canadian policy makers or to the platform’s merchants, that Shopify has begun confronting the multi-trillion-dollar ecommerce giant, Amazon.

Spain’s Solar Gamble:
Lessons in Governance from a Policy Gone Wrong

Münür Sacit Herdem

This case study examines the experience of Spain’s solar PV policy from boom to bust and analyzes the gaps between the policy’s ambitious goals and its implementation. It also discusses potential steps for developing more resilient governmental frameworks for renewable energy technologies such as green hydrogen.

RECENT CASE STUDIES

Can the World Trade Organization Reduce Technological Inequality Among Nations?

Economy,  Global Governance

Peter Carr
A rising inequality between developed and least developed countries (LDCs), as well as between LDCs themselves, has prompted the World Trade Organization to review the role of technology in this equation.

Martynka’s Refugee Support on Third-party Platforms Risks Data Security

Data Security,  Migration,  Platform Governance

Marika Jeziorek
Martynka is a digital platform created to provide legal aid and psychosocial support to Ukrainian refugee women. As Martynka continues to serve women refugees, it faces increasing pressure to balance real-time security needs, such as geolocation tracking, with data privacy concerns.

Can Real-Time Metrics Fill China’s Data Gap?

Data Security,  Economy,  Health,  Public Policy

Danielle Goldfarb
Can AI and satellite images help governments and global institutions refute or confirm China’s official picture and gather more timely intelligence?

The Challenges of Attributing Information Operation Attacks: The RRM Experience

Data Governance,  Public Policy

Wesley Wark
In October 2023, the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), a unit of Global Affairs Canada, issued a rare public announcement, stating that dozens of Canadian members of Parliament (MPs) were targets of a disinformation campaign.

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