If you felt like tech policy never slowed down this year, you’re not imagining things. From sweeping executive actions in the opening days of President Trump’s second term to Europe’s first-ever Digital Markets Act enforcement, 2025 delivered one tech headline after another. Regulators shifted priorities, federal agencies were reshaped and reshuffled, global standards took shape and both Washington and Silicon Valley found new ways to spar over AI, online safety, competition and more.

‍

To help make sense of it all, we pulled the biggest developments into our 2025 Tech Policy Timeline. It is a straightforward look at the moments that shaped the past year and will almost certainly shape the next one. 

‍

Here’s just a taste of what the past year brought:

• A wave of early executive orders and the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reshaped tech oversight practically overnight
• The dismantling of key digital equity and tech regulation programs, plus leadership shake-ups at the Federal Trade Commission that raised big questions about the agency’s independence 
• Europe flexed its muscles with the first DMA enforcement actions, to the tune of more than $800 million in fines slapped on American tech companies
• The release of President Trump’s AI Action Plan, outlining more than 90 federal actions aimed at accelerating innovation and rolling back barriers to AI development
• Silicon Valley’s growing political footprint, including a $100 million AI-focused super PAC signaling a new era of policy engagement
• And of course, the historic 43-day government shutdown that brought tech-regulating agencies to a standstill

‍

As we turn the page on 2025, looking back helps us identify the dynamics that will define the year ahead. Here’s what we’re watching in 2026:

‍

AI

A high-stakes preemption battle is well underway. The question is simple but consequential: Should Washington set a national AI standard, or should states be free to move forward? Both political parties now have strong incentives to influence AI regulation, and neither wants to be left behind. States have already introduced more than 1,000 AI-related bills this year, and with California leading the early charge, we expect a coast-to-coast surge of new proposals in 2026. 

‍

That level of activity is putting pressure on Congress to act. Trump is already pushing for a federal framework that provides clarity while keeping the United States competitive, and has teased an executive order that would override most state-level AI laws and block future state bills ― even in the absence of a federal regulatory framework

‍

The core issue is who gets to write the rules. Congress and the states are preparing for a major showdown in 2026.

‍

Broadband 

Debates around the Universal Service Fund (USF), a program managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promote affordable access to telecommunications and broadband services for all Americans, will shift in 2026―but they will continue.

‍

The Supreme Court’s decision in Consumers’ Research v. FCC upheld the USF’s constitutionality, but a pressing question remains for Congress and the FCC: does the funding mechanism for the current program―which was established in the dial tone era of 1997―work in today’s digital age, or does it need a major refresh? 

‍

In 2026, the debate over how to modernize the USF will grow louder, and Congress and the FCC will need to decide how to bring it into alignment with the realities of a digital-first world.

‍

Kids Online Safety

The current Congress remains gridlocked on major bills impacting key tech policy issues like privacy and AI. But if there is one area where lawmakers appear eager to move, it is kids’ online safety. 

‍

The momentum is unmistakable. The House Energy and Commerce Committee closed out the year by considering a slate of 19 separate bills on kids online safety and privacy, signaling that protections for young users remain a top priority. Combine that with the new federal law targeting deepfakes involving minors and the Supreme Court’s decision upholding state age-verification laws, and the focus is clear. 

‍

In 2026, expect sustained focus on age verification, design standards for youth platforms, content restrictions, and stronger enforcement tools. Even with a divided Congress, children’s safety remains one of the few areas that consistently brings bipartisan interest.

‍

If you have questions or want to learn more about how you can gear up for another busy year in tech policy, send us a note.