Author Archive
Laura Ryan
Laura is a staff correspondent for National Journal covering technology. She is grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and attended Wellesley College, where she received a B.A. in American Studies.
Digital Government
Meet FTC's Chief Geek
Ashkan Soltani is the new chief technologist at the Federal Trade Commission—the tech industry's biggest privacy watchdog.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
What the GOP Takeover of the Senate Means for Tech
if Republicans want to win a presidential election, they'll have to show they can develop real technology policies.
- By Laura Ryan, Brendan Sasso and Dustin Volz, National Journal
Emerging Tech
Tech Companies Spend Big on Midterm Elections
Google's campaign spending has grown fortyfold in the past eight years.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Modernization
New Encryption Measures from Google and Apple Could Endanger Children, Eric Holder Says
Attorney general criticizes tech companies for locking the back door to user data.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
FTC Investigates 'Discrimination by Algorithm'
The Federal Trade Commission puts the pernicious side of big data under the microscope.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
The Real Reason You Can’t Text 911
Major cell phone companies are equipped to let callers text emergency call centers, but most states aren’t.
- By Laura Ryan and Brian McGill, National Journal
Digital Government
The FCC Is Getting Serious About Enforcing Its Last Remaining Net-Neutrality Rule
The agency threatens to crack down on Internet providers that lie about speed.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
Teachers Give Failing Grade to Obama's Push for Tech in Schools
The FCC should expand the size of its school Internet program, teachers say.
- By Brendan Sasso and Laura Ryan, National Journal
Emerging Tech
Why Terrorists Love Twitter
A Q&A with a leading scholar on terrorism and media.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
FTC Lifts the Veil on Companies That Sell Your Data
Congress should rein in the consumer data-broker industry, report urges.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
The FCC Chief Just Told the Cable Execs to 'Put Away Their Party Hats'
The chairman warned the industry it faces tough regulation should it abuse its newfound internet leeway.
- By Laura Ryan and Brendan Sasso, National Journal
Featured eBooks
Digital Government
How the U.S. Is Vulnerable to Terrorism in Space
The possibility of a dangerous space incident is on the rise, says a new report.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Emerging Tech
The Federal Government Is Charging Jerk.com With Deceiving Customers
FTC says the social-networking site secretly took information from Facebook to create user profiles.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
The Government's Technology Agency Admits It Has Lousy Technology
The FCC's aging technology leaves it vulnerable to attacks.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Emerging Tech
The World Wide Web Turns 25
A retrospective as the Web hits the quarter-century mark.
- By Laura Ryan and Stephanie Stamm, National Journal
Modernization
Facebook Cracks Down on Gun Sales
The social-media giant is stepping in to prevent illegal firearm transactions from being facilitated on its websites.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Emerging Tech
U.S. Schools Get $2 Billion Infusion for High-Speed Internet
The FCC will double its investment in fast connections for schools.
- By Laura Ryan
Emerging Tech
Twitter Can Handle State of the Union Traffic Surges
The president's speech won't drive as many tweets as a 1980s anime rerun did, anyway.
- By Alex Brown and Laura Ryan, National Journal
Modernization
What You Need to Know About the New Internet Rules
Carriers can charge websites for faster service or even block some data from entering all together.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal
Digital Government
New FCC Chairman: Regulating the Internet Is a 'Non-Starter'
Spectrum auctions will be the top line item on the regulator's agenda in 2014, Tom Wheeler says.
- By Laura Ryan, National Journal