Key facts
- The U.S. State Department has launched the Freedom Tech Excellence Program.
- The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) is a founding partner.
- Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries, and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation are also founding partners.
- The program aims to advance diplomatic efforts on digital freedom and freedom of expression.
- Employees from partner organizations will collaborate with State Department experts on issues like digital surveillance and AI governance.
The U.S. State Department has initiated the Freedom Tech Excellence Program (FTEP), a new initiative aimed at bolstering diplomatic efforts related to digital freedom and freedom of expression worldwide. The program establishes partnerships with private sector entities, including the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries, and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Through FTEP, employees from these partner organizations will collaborate with State Department experts on a limited-term basis. The program's focus areas include advancing online freedom of expression, promoting privacy-enhancing technologies, countering digital surveillance, and fostering responsible AI governance. The Bitcoin Policy Institute, described as a non-partisan research and advocacy organization founded in 2021, has previously supported legislative efforts to codify a strategic crypto reserve, as proposed by President Donald Trump's executive order.