California needs to think ahead
to cope with issues raised by
new technologies, according
to CCST Council Member Jean-
Louis Gassée, general partner,
Allegis Capital.
"Policy does not generally keep
up with the rapid pace of
progress," said Gassée. "Advances
in computer science and
molecular biology are raising
serious legal and philosophical
questions, and there is no longterm
strategy in place to deal
with them."
Gassée identifies privacy as the
most significant technology related
issue facing California
in the short term. A venture
capitalist with nearly 40 years
of experience in the high-tech
sector, he is well aware of the
inconsistent protections often
set up for data collected by
government and private agencies.
"It is too easy for other people
to take possession of private
data, and we are living in a culture
in which more and more
data is being collected by
various government systems,"
said Gassée. "While in some
cases data collection has the
potential to be beneficial - for
example, for healthcare information
technology networks
- we must make sure that we
have control over what information
is accessed and how. It
is difficult for any state entity to
plan ahead adequately in this
regard."
Gassée shares similar concerns
about molecular biology,
which has made rapid strides
in recent years and which
raises the possibility of services
such as genetic manipulation
to create "designer children."
"Ultimately, proactive plans for
these changes cannot come
from the top because they are
by their nature too entrenched,"
he said. "It's got to be smaller
groups with the ability to use
the media to tell stories. The
movement that led to the creation
of the California Institute
for Regenerative Medicine is a
good example of this."
Among other measures, Gassée
recommends that the state
revisit the creation of a standing
bioethics committee in the
Legislature.
"In many ways, California is
fortunate to be ahead of the
curve in terms of its ability
to plan and respond to new
technologies," he said. "But a lot more needs to be done."
