Mark Scott
Verified- Senior Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council
- Research Fellow, Hertie School
Brussels, London, United Kingdom
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Senior Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council's Democracy + Tech Initiative. Weekly newsletter: www.digitalpolitics.co
Articles by Mark Scott
Social media's financial crime blind spot
Postcard from Vilnius: FIMI FOMO A conference in Lithuania became the frontline in how Washington and EU capitals drastically differ on approaches toward foreign interference Why do politicians still use Facebook? Ahead of the US midterm elections, I built a digital political ad daily tracker that showed how much campaigns still rely on Meta's platforms.
Postcard from Vilnius: FIMI FOMO
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I am currently enjoying a week of "funemployment" after leaving my post at the Atlantic Council's Democracy + Tech Initiative before starting my new gig on Oct 19. More on that in next week's edition. — A disinformation conference in Lithuania turned into the latest example of how the United States is alienating some of its closest allies.
Why do politicians still use Facebook?
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and you find me in Vilnius for the annual EU DisinfoLab conference. I'll also be in Brussels on Oct 8 to moderate this panel discussion on the transatlantic digital relationship (there are a few seats left if you're in town.) — The US midterm elections on Nov. 3 explain why politicians worldwide still use Meta's Facebook and Instagram as campaign infrastructure to reach voters.
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The Digital Politics Tracker: September 2026
WELCOME TO THE DIGITAL POLITICS TRACKER. For the last couple of months, I have been putting together a database of regulatory enforcement actions, legislative proposals and other primary source documents to help me track what's going on in digital policy worldwide. Currently, it includes over 300 separate entries from across more than 40 jurisdictions (from the European Union and Brazil to international bodies and the United States.) I've found it pretty useful.
The UK's Ministry of Truthiness
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I'm taking it easy ahead of a week of travel starting Oct 5. First Vilnius for the EUDisinfoLab Conference; then Brussels for this panel event (sign-up here for the final spots); and finishing up in Dublin for a workshop about this report. Yes, you can say it: that's peak Eurotrash. — The United Kingdom has proposed a new foreign interference unit. But unless it can shape platform oversight, it will struggle to stop state-backed attacks.
Postcard from Brussels: Will anyone think of the kids?
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I'll be heading up to Vilnius for the EUDisinfoLab conference from Oct 6-8. If you're also going to be in Lithuania, drop me a note to grab coffee. — Brussels is divided on how effective the proposed social media ban for kids will be in protecting children online. — We don't need new attempts to coordinate AI safety worldwide. What we need is a fast-tracked system that connects what already exists.
Digital sovereignty and Europe’s democracy stack: Delivering on the European Union’s priorities for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework
Digital sovereignty and Europe’s democracy stack: Delivering on the European Union’s priorities for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework The EU’s digital sovereignty agenda is missing a funded, independent institutional capability to hold its own technology investments democratically accountable.” Digital sovereignty and Europe’s democracy stack: Delivering on the European Union’s priorities for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework Share this story THE FOCUS Democracy...
Digital Sovereignty
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Democracy
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Europe is building AI fortresses, not AI engines
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and for those of you following the digital sovereignty debate, I'll be unpacking what's going on in this webinar with the GoodBot's Renee Black on Sept 15 at 1pm ET / 7pm CET. I've also revamped the Digital Politics website. It now includes individual curated sections, based on themes, and a more easily-searchable archive. Look for upcoming features, including a prompt-based database of topics, countries and policy priorities.
New student canteen serving $5 meals opens
The University of Sydney has opened a dedicated student canteen which will serve subsidised $5 meals as part of an initiative to bring quality, more affordable meals to campus. Located on the Camperdown campus near Cleveland and Shepherd Street, the canteen will provide nutritious and inexpensive food and beverage options in the busy Faculty of Engineering precinct.
Andrews once again showing his 'tactical acumen'
Brentford fans might be able to look at Saturday's draw with Sunderland in a couple of ways. Being bullied as much as they were in the first half is something I can't remember seeing happen to the Bees for a very long time, and there has been a bit of talk about the way they set up perhaps helping the visitors in that regard. On the other hand, Keith Andrews was very bold with his half-time changes, which included hooking Ibrahim Sangare, who has been getting rave reviews.
Who wants to be a VLOP?
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I'll be back in Brussels next week after the summer lull. If you're around and want to grab coffee, you know where to find me. — The European Commission faces a renewed test on how well it can enforce the 27-country bloc's online safety rules. — A backlash against AI data centers is the main digital policy driver ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
Rethinking how AI should be governed
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and here's a date for your diary. I'll be hosting a panel discussion in Brussels on Oct 8 to dissect the current and future EU-US digital relationship, based on this recent report that I published for my day job.
Online child safety's odd couple
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and hope many of you are heading back to work after a restful (if hot) summer break. There's a lot to dig into for the Fall — buckle up. — French lawmakers and US tech companies don't agree on much. But both believe efforts to protect children from harm on social media are undercooked. — Washington is re-using its TikTok playbook to go after Chinese open-weight AI models.
Pfizer’s Albert Bourla on AI, health, and innovation in a changing world
On Tuesday, September 22, at 3:15 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council will host Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, for an Atlantic Council Front Page conversation as part of our AC in New York programming on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Data governance for AI and healthcare: From Washington to Beijing
On Tuesday, September 8 at 9:00 a.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative will host a public discussion on the future of AI-enabled healthcare and the global environment shaping its development. AI is transforming drug discovery, clinical trials, precision medicine, and healthcare delivery.
Sovereignty without borders: Decoding the transatlantic digital relationship at a time of change
Sovereignty without borders: Decoding the transatlantic digital relationship at a time of change An examination of the EU–US trust deficit and its implications for digital policymaking Sovereignty without borders: Decoding the transatlantic digital relationship at a time of change Share this story THE FOCUS Digital Policy Europe Internet North America Politics & Diplomacy Technology & Innovation BANNER: US and EU flags hang next to each other on a building.
The limits to platform governance 2.0
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and like many of you, will be taking next week off. The next edition of Digital Politics will be published on Aug. 24. Until then, I hope you all have a good break. — A legal ruling against Meta in New Mexico highlights the enforcement limits of demanding social media be redesigned to stop the spread of harm. — A transatlantic data-sharing agreement is on a legal knife edge, even though Brussels and Washington both want it to stick around.
The global battle for AI, revisited
WELCOME TO THE FREE MONTHLY EDITION of Digital Politics.I'm Mark Scott, and many of you (I hope) are on vacation. A lot has happened so far in 2026. With the summer lull upon us, this week's edition is updating a piece that I wrote for POLITICO in 2024 about the global race to control artificial intelligence. It's not a like-for-like comparison. Back then, I was a tech reporter.
The global battle for AI, revisited
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and many of you (I hope) are on vacation. A lot has happened so far in 2026. With the summer lull upon us, this week's edition is updating a piece that I wrote for POLITICO in 2024 about the global race to control artificial intelligence. It's not a like-for-like comparison. Back then, I was a tech reporter.
Washington Guard Supports Wildfire Response
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – As wildfires spread across Washington state, Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have joined the firefight, working alongside state and local partners to protect threatened communities, property and critical infrastructure. Washington Army National Guard aviation crews began providing sustained aerial firefighting support July 19 using two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter based out of Deer Park, Washington.
Finally, a transatlantic win on tech
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I was expecting a slow July-August amid the ongoing heatwave. Alas, digital policymaking doesn't appear to be taking the summer off. Pace yourself, people. — The European Union and United States are more aligned on digital competition enforcement than ever. It's just that politics keeps getting in the way. — The United Kingdom is again playing musical chairs when it comes to digital policymaking.
Foreign interference: fighting the last war
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and find myself in a deep depression now that the World Cup has ended. Still, mark your calendars for Euro 2028 — only 1054 days to go! — Donald Trump's statements around alleged foreign interference in the 2020 US election don't match the threat currently posed by adversarial countries in Western elections.
Guam Air National Guard Engineers Power Up Kunsan Air Base
4 Engineers from the Guam Air National Guard’s 254th RED HORSE Squadron, together with the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron, tackle a backlog of vital maintenance and construction projects, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, June 4, 2026. Date Taken: 06.03.2026 Date Posted: 07.16.2026 19:20 Photo ID: 9815185 VIRIN: 260716-Z-RJ317-1001 Resolution: 1122x1402 Size: 439.41 KB Location: GU Web Views: 3 Downloads: 0 PUBLIC DOMAIN
It's the design, stupid
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and for those who want to reach me on July 15 for evening meetings, I apologize but my calendar is already full. #ThreeLions. — Enforcers worldwide have shifted focus toward forcing social media giants to revamp how they operate. That design change is going to be difficult. — The United Nations has gone all-in on artificial intelligence. Yet the real geopolitics around the emerging technology is happening elsewhere.
Engineering campaign to lift gender equity enters second year
The Faculty of Engineering has announced a second recruitment drive to offer academic roles reserved for women, after a successful 2025 campaign to encourage the best and brightest academics into the field. A quantum physicist and engineer investigating how light can be used to control quantum systems and a mechanical engineer aiming to establish a major battery testing hub are among 16 outstanding women engineers and computer scientists who will join the Faculty in 2026.
Postcard from New Hampshire: The digital translation problem
WELCOME TO THE FREE MONTHLY EDITION of Digital Politics.I'm Mark Scott, and I have a confession: I have World Cup fever. And despite England's poor performances against Ghana and Panama, I can't help but whisper: It's coming home. Happy early July 4th to all US readers. — Regulators and companies are speaking past each other when it comes to the litany of new digital regulatory challenges that lie ahead. — Europe has drunk the kool-aid on tech sovereignty.
Postcard from New Hampshire: The digital translation problem
IT'S TUESDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I have a confession: I have World Cup fever. And despite England's poor performances against Ghana and Panama, I can't help but whisper: It's coming home. A couple of housekeeping points: Apologies for the newsletter coming to you a day early. That's down to travel, but no excuses. I'll also be on vacation next week, so there won't be a Digital Politics edition on July 6. Finally, happy early July 4th to all US readers.
How social media bans can work
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and will be speaking on this panel about trust in digital services at the IAPP/Harvard Navigate conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire this week. If anyone is around in Boston on June 25, drop me a line here to grab coffee. — The United Kingdom became the latest country to propose a social media ban for children. If others follow suit, this is how such bans should actually work.
The G6 vs United States
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I just co-authored recommendations via a researcher taskforce for how the United Kingdom can approach social media data access. I'll also be speaking about platform transparency and independent research on a webinar on June 17 at 10am ET / 4pm CET. You can sign up here. — Leaders of the G7 industrialized nations meet in France this week. There's a growing digital divide between the United States and everyone else.
G7 Summit Set to Kick Off Amidst Allies' Widening Rift Over AI Sovereignty
Mark Scott is a contributing editor at Tech Policy Press. When politicians from the G7 countries of leading industrial nations gather in the French Alps next week, they have a lot to talk about. The ongoing wars in Iran and Ukraine. The global cost-of-living crisis. A generational shift in the once-stable Western alliance.
Sovereign AI: the timing problem
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and I'll be speaking at this Harvard University/IAPP digital conference in New England at the end of the month. If you're in Boston and want to meet, let me know here. — The European Union, Canada and the United States outlined dueling visions for sovereign AI. None of them is keeping up with industry. — Australia laid out a game plan for social media bans aimed at children.
Guam Air National Guard’s newest Squadron hits major readiness milestone
Published June 5, 2026 By MARK SCOTT Guam National Guard ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam(June 4, 2026) – The 293rd Combat Communications “Gåmson” Squadron has reached a major milestone by passing its first comprehensive readiness evaluation, known as an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) inspection. This achievement proves the unit is prepared for action and highlights the growing need for strong, reliable communications in the Indo-Pacific region.
Digital Politics at 100: What I got wrong
WELCOME BACK. THIS IS THE FREE MONTHLY EDITION of Digital Politics. I'm Mark Scott, and will be speaking at an online event about social media data access and attacks on independent research, organized by Columbia World Projects, the Centre for Digital Governance at the Hertie School and Tech Policy Press. It's at 16:00 CET / 10:00 ET on June 18. You can register here. This week's edition marks Digital Politics' 100th newsletter.
EU to Roll Out Tech Sovereignty Agenda to Rival US and China. Will it Work?
Mark Scott is a contributing editor at Tech Policy Press. Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy of the European Commission. Source The European Union has long relied on foreign suppliers for some of its most critical technologies, from semiconductors to artificial intelligence. On June 3, it will lay out plans to change that.
Digital Politics at 100: What I got wrong
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and will be speaking at an online event about social media data access and attacks on independent research, organized by Columbia World Projects, the Centre for Digital Governance at the Hertie School and Tech Policy Press. It's at 16:00 CET / 10:00 ET on June 18. You can register here. This week's edition marks Digital Politics' 100th newsletter.
Postcard from Brussels: the digital sovereignty debate
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and just like city buses, those of you in Brussels will get me showing up again next week as I brief members of the European Parliament on this EU budget report. If you want to grab coffee, ping me here. — The digital sovereignty conversation in Brussels is becoming more nuanced. But the political will to cut ties with the United States is still paramount.
Piracy is on the rise in Australia again
Home › Tech › Piracy is on the rise in Australia again Tech Text May 22, 2026 <p>For a brief period, film and TV piracy in Australia seemed to be somewhat under control. </p> <p>When Netflix launched in Australia in 2015, it provided a service the local media sector had lacked for years: instant, affordable and extensive access to a broad library of movies and series.</p> <p>A decade later, that optimism has somewhat faded.
Mark C Scott, Author at Switzer
Tech For a brief period, film and TV piracy in Australia seemed to be somewhat under control. A decade later, that...
The Data Rules Project
About the Data Rules Project The Data Rules project examines how global data governance, particularly controls on access, use, and cross-border transfer, shapes the development and deployment of AI in pharmaceutical R&D and biotechnology. As health data becomes central to the next generation of medical breakthroughs, the rules governing that data are increasingly entangled with questions of economic competitiveness, patient privacy, and national security.
Warning from the UK: how not to create digital policy
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and you find me filing this dispatch via dodgy wifi on the way to Brussels. If you're in town, I'll be at the CPDP conference most of the week. Let's grab coffee. — The United Kingdom is again engulfed in political infighting. The country's tech ambitions are equally on life support.
Health data and AI at scale: Policy choices for US competitiveness and security
On Thursday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative will host a panel discussion at the Capitol Visitors’ Center on the future of health data and artificial intelligence (AI). As AI rapidly transforms healthcare, the ability to responsibly access, share, and scale health data has become a defining factor in US competitiveness and national security. How can the US unlock the value of health data while protecting privacy?
How much would sovereign AI cost?
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and will be in Brussels all next week for this conference (where I'll be moderating a panel on May 20 at 11:50 CET.) If you're around and want to grab coffee, ping me here. — Countries want to build sovereign AI infrastructure. I crunched the numbers to see how much that would actually cost. — Digital antitrust cases were supposed to rein in the power of dominant players. But when it comes to online advertising, market power is on the rise.
You say child safety, I say data protection
WELCOME TO THE FREE MONTHLY EDITION of Digital Politics. I'm Mark Scott, and many of you were likely traveling to RightsCon this week in Zambia. It looks like that global digital rights conference was canceled due to pressure from China. I don't typically promote my day job. But this report outlining how the European Union's next seven-year budget can support digital democratic resilience has taken up a lot of my last six months. Enjoy.
You say child safety, I say data protection
IT'S MONDAY, AND THIS IS DIGITAL POLITICS. I'm Mark Scott, and many of you were likely traveling to RightsCon this week in Zambia. It looks like that global digital rights conference was canceled due to pressure from China. — Protection for children online runs counter to long-standing fundamental privacy rights. It's time to acknowledge those opposing forces in digital policymaking. — AI-enabled deepfakes are flooding the US mid-term elections.
EU's New Budget Will Test its Commitment to Digital Democracy
Mark Scott is a contributing editor at Tech Policy Press. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, and European Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen speak during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Apr. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Havana) The European Union faces a ‘stick or twist’ moment for its commitment to digital oversight.
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