Join us for “More Than a Seat: Who Gets To Shape Technology Policy” on Wednesday, February 25 at 2 p.m. EST. Register at https://publicknowledge.org/diversityintechpolicy
Today, we’re releasing a new report, “Diversity in Early-Career Tech Policy Roles: Surveying Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Field.” At a moment when diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives face mounting political backlash and institutional retrenchment, this research asks a question that is both urgent and foundational: Who gets to shape technology policy – and what determines who stays long enough to lead?
Technology policy governs speech, privacy, access to opportunity, economic mobility, and democratic participation. The people shaping these policies matter. Equity at the entry point is equity in leadership 20 years from now. If early-career roles remain accessible only to those with the right networks, financial cushion, or institutional familiarity, the field risks narrowing the range of voices that define our digital future.
Since our first study in 2021 that explored these questions, there has been progress. More organizations report formal inclusivity policies. Paid internships are more common. Structured hiring practices are increasingly adopted. But our updated research reveals that access alone does not guarantee equity. Systems that determine visibility, advancement, belonging, and retention continue to shape who accumulates power in technology policy.
The current political climate makes this work even more consequential. As legal and regulatory pressure intensifies around DEI initiatives, some organizations are rebranding commitments or retreating from public measurement. Yet sustainable equity cannot depend on rhetoric alone. It requires infrastructure – transparent pathways, measurable accountability, and environments where early-career professionals are not only present, but positioned to thrive.
This report documents challenges and introduces tools and recommendations designed to help organizations embed equity into the structures that govern recruitment, evaluation, retention, and advancement. The goal is more organizations adopting durable systems that expand who participates in shaping the policies that shape all of us.
The future of technology policy will be defined by who is allowed to enter, remain, and lead in this field. Sustaining progress requires courage, not compliance. We invite policymakers, advocates, funders, and technology policy organizations to join us in building equitable systems that move beyond offering marginalized communities a seat.