Digital Economy Board of Advisors Forming, Seeking Board Members

The Digital Economy Board of Advisors is being formed to provide recommendations to the NTIA administrator and the secretary of commerce on “a broad range of issues related to the digital economy and Internet policy,” NTIA said Tuesday in a notice. The board is forming as part of the Department of Commerce’s new Digital Economy Agenda, which Secretary Penny Pritzker announced in early November. The agenda seeks to promote a “free and open Internet,” promote trust online, ensure access for “workers, families and companies” and promote innovation, NTIA said. The board’s activities may include analyzing policies restricting cross-border data flows and other barriers to global Internet freedom, along with providing policy advice on cybersecurity and other issues that affect the digital economy, NTIA said. The board may also promote the development of new digital technologies and analyze the Internet’s impact on the U.S. economy. NTIA said it's seeking nominations for board members for two-year terms, with the board consisting of between five and 30 members. The secretary of commerce will appoint the board’s chairman. Board members will come from the private sector and civil society and should be “prominent experts in their fields and recognized for their professional achievements,” NTIA said. Nominations are due Dec. 23.