Technology and innovation

Note: This page is a reproduction of the Hillary for America policy proposal on technology and innovation.

America has always been a global technology leader. Today, technology and the internet are transforming nearly every sector of our economy, from manufacturing and transportation to energy, content creation, and health care. We can harness this power in a way that works for all Americans: creating good-paying jobs and boosting economic growth, making our communities safer and smarter, and making educational opportunities more accessible.

As president, Hillary will:

Build the tech economy on Main Street by:

Investing in computer science and STEM education

Creating a lifelong learning system that is better tailored to 21st-century jobs

Increasing access to capital for small businesses and start-ups, with a focus on minorities, women, and young entrepreneurs—including letting young entrepreneurs defer student loan payments.

Attracting and retaining top talent from around the world

Investing in science and technology research and development, as well as in technology transfer

Ensuring benefits are flexible, portable, and comprehensive, as the economy changes and as Americans join the labor force in new capacities

Invest in world-class digital infrastructure by:

Committing that 100 percent of households in America will have access to high-speed, affordable broadband by 2020

Deploying 5G wireless and other next-generation systems that can deliver faster wireless connections and enable the Internet of Things

Connecting public spaces like airports, mass transit systems, recreation centers, and career centers to high-speed internet so they can offer free wifi to the public

Launching a model digital communities program that encourages communities to foster greater access to high-speed internet for their residents at affordable prices

Hillary has been a champion of internet freedom—and she understands we must position American innovators to lead the world in the next generation of technology revolutions while defending universal access to the global, digital marketplace of ideas and protecting individual privacy and security.

As president, Hillary will:

Advance America’s global leadership in technology and innovation by:

Fighting for an open internet abroad

Working to leave internet governance to the global community of engineers, companies, civil society groups, and internet users—not to governments

Growing American technology exports, while fighting to protect U.S. IP against piracy

Promoting cyber security at home and abroad

Safeguarding the free flow of information across borders

Updating procedures concerning cross-border requests for data by law enforcement

Set rules of the road to promote innovation while protecting privacy by:

Reducing barriers to entry to promote healthy competition

Defending net neutrality

Improving the patent system to reward innovators

Ensuring an effective copyright system that protects creative content, while unlocking access to orphan works and promoting open-licensing arrangements for materials supported by federal grant funding

Affirming strong consumer protection values without stifling innovation

Protecting online privacy and security

Beyond enabling innovation and economic growth, Hillary believes we should look to technology and data to provide better services to the American people, and make government simpler, smarter, and more effective.