Internet Lawyer Blog
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is another name for the quantum technology movement. Quantum computers are in the process of being developed at this time and it will continue to impact the legal system and our daily lives. It will also impact data privacy and national security on various levels.
Conventional computers have obvious limitations which can be surpassed by quantum computers. First, conventional computers use binary bits (i.e., 0s and 1s) to operate which presents a significant limitation. Second, as a result of the aforesaid limitation, they cannot operate as quickly and efficiently. Therefore, the simple fact that quantum computers operate by using superposition and entanglement, allows them to yield a lot more power than conventional computers. So, in other words, their computing power has an extremely higher capability which can have a positive effect on medical research, business analyses, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other technologies. However, there is a potential problem with quantum computers with error correction issues which can be fixed according to the experts. So, in summary, the final objective is to build a fully error-corrected quantum computer which can manage all disruptions.
The cybersecurity infrastructures in the private and public sectors can be affected by this emerging technology. The private sector which owns, manages, or operates a vast amount of sensitive data at local and remote locations (e.g., cloud servers) can be directly impacted. The public sector will also be affected for the same reasons. There are various types of intellectual properties (e.g., patents, trademarks, copyrights) that have been stored on private and public organization’s network servers. These valuable documents, include, but may not limited to, trade secrets which should be properly protected from public access.
The state and federal government agencies should pass legislation to properly regulate this emerging technology. Also, organizations such as the NIST and IEEE should be working on setting protocols and standards. For example, at this time, the IEEE has created a Quantum Week to invite contributions from the international quantum community, including, technical papers, tutorials, workshops, posters, panels, and proposals. The NIST has partnered up with educational institutions such as JILA, Joint Quantum Institute, and Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science to carry out important research on this emerging technology. Its main objective is to understand the potential for quantum-based technology to transform security, computing and communications. It’s also working on new technology to manage the power of quantum computers through nanotechnology.
The National Quantum Initiative Act (“NQIA”) – H.R. 6227 – that was signed and passed under Public Law Number 115-368. It provides a plan for advancing quantum technology specifically quantum computing on the national level. This statute directs the President to implement a National Quantum Initiative Program to establish the goals and priorities for a 10-year plan to accelerate the development of quantum information science and technology applications. It provides for a coordinated federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of our country.
Our internet and technology lawyers have been prosecuting and defending legal actions in state and federal courts and are available to speak with their clients. Our law firm assists clients in matters related to privacy and cybersecurity and the related state, federal, and international laws. Please contact our law firm to speak with an internet attorney at your earliest convenience.