As the primary season for the 2020 election begins, big tech will be front and center as both presidential and congressional candidates debate issues like online privacy, antitrust, tariffs, 5G, access to broadband and more. The discussions will also trickle down to other races as states push to revive net neutrality and set policy that the federal government has yet to tackle.

But tech companies themselves will be a campaign focus, as well. Both Republicans and Democrats have called for more regulation of giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google, but how that could take shape will depend on who claims victory in November. At the same time, the industry will face its own role over critical issues that could influence the election like hacking and voting security, deep fakes and social media's role in promoting misinformation.

It's a long time until Election Day. Until polls open, CNET is here to break down the critical tech issues as they play out and explain how candidates, from the statehouse to the White House, are reacting to them.