Eli Sugarman is Director of the Cyber Initiative at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. There, he leads a ten-year $150 million grant-making effort to build a more robust and inclusive cyber policy field. He concurrently serves as a Senior Fellow at Schmidt Futures focusing on online safety, cybersecurity, and related technology policy issues.
Previously, Eli served as Vice President of Content (Moderation) at the Meta/Facebook Oversight Board where he led the trust and safety teams of an experimental online safety and speech regulator that guides Facebook and Instagram on their most challenging content decisions globally.He sits on the boards of the Institute for Security and Technology and the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. Eli also serves on the Independent Advisory Committee of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. A San Diego native and graduate of Middlebury College, he holds a J.D. from Stanford University Law School.
Although not widely known, many critical Internet services and functions depend on non-profit organizations and volunteers funded largely through philanthropy. This model worked well (enough)when the Internet was new, but given our global dependence on cyberspace, we are reaching the limits of this model’s ability to meet demand. The “For the Greater Good: Funding the Future of the Internet” panel will examine how certain critical activities for the public interest and common good are funded now and explore possible alternatives. This session will also incorporate international perspectives, recognizing that cybersecurity threats are inherently global. The panel discuss innovative financing mechanisms, international collaboration, and strategic investments that can help ensure critical cybersecurity activities remain available to safeguard the common good.
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Executive in Residence for Public Safety & Resilience
Institute for Security and Technologyv
Chief Technology Officer
IronNet Cybersecurity
Retired
Central Intelligence Agency
Head of Unit - Cyber Coordination Task Force, DG Connect
European Commission
