State Department Taps Private Sector for 'Freedom Tech' Expertise

The U.S. State Department has launched the Freedom Tech Excellence Program (FTEP), a new framework that accepts specialized talent from private companies and organizations for limited-term assignments.

The program's founding partners include the Bitcoin Policy Institute, Palantir Technologies, Anduril Industries, and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

The FTEP aims to supplement the department's internal expertise with advanced knowledge from outside, focusing on issues like online free speech, privacy protection technologies, countermeasures against digital surveillance, and artificial intelligence governance.

The participating organizations bring unique areas of expertise: the Bitcoin Policy Institute is a think tank focused on cryptocurrency policy, while Palantir and Anduril are defense technology companies with extensive track records in national security contracts.