Our Work
Founded in 2014, the Center on Privacy & Technology is a leader at the intersection of privacy, surveillance, and civil rights.
Latest Work
Coalition Letter to Congress in Support of Build Back Better Act FTC Provisions
The Center signed onto a letter with over two dozen other tech policy, civil rights, and consumer protection organizations, supporting greater funding ($1 billion) and stronger enforcement powers (first-time civil penalties) for the FTC in the Build Back Better Act, to facilitate the agency's data protection and antitrust activities.
Letter to the FTC Urging A New Rulemaking Process to Protect Privacy and Civil Rights and Restrict Discriminatory Data Practices
The Center signed onto a letter alongside 44 groups working on privacy, civil rights, media democracy, or consumer advocacy, urging the FTC to launch a rulemaking process to protect privacy and civil rights and restrict discriminatory data practices.
News Beat Podcast: Facial Recognition & Wrongful Arrests
News Beat highlighted the wrongful arrests of Michigan residents Michael Oliver and Robert Williams. Center Senior Associate Clare Garvie spoke with hosts about the risks to free speech and privacy posed by the widespread adoption of the technology, misuse, and its racial impacts.
Comments to NIST on “Managing Bias” in Artificial Intelligence
Associate Cynthia Khoo filed comments regarding “A Proposal for Identifying and Managing Bias in Artificial Intelligence” by the National Institute of Science and Technology. The submission focuses on civil rights impacts and the limits of a technical approach to algorithmic bias.
Coalition Letter Urging the FTC To Protect Civil Rights From Commercial Data Practices
The Center has joined a sign-on letter urging the FTC to use all its available authority and tools to protect civil rights from violative commercial data practices. The letter details at least 27 harms that result from such practices, including harms to equal opportunity and consumer privacy.
Virtual Screening of Coded Bias
The Center hosted a virtual screening of the documentary Coded Bias, exploring how bias is encoded in automated systems, and the threat this poses to civil and human rights. The film also features Center senior associate Clare Garvie and founding director Alvaro Bedoya.
Addressing Challenges at the Intersection of Civil Rights and Technology
Associate Director Laura Moy and former Associate Gabrielle Rejouis released a report through the Day One Project, “Addressing Challenges at the Intersection of Civil Rights and Technology,” outlining critical inefficiencies when it comes to federal agencies actively combating such issues.
Panel: Racial Bias in AI
Center Policy Associate Jameson Spivack spoke as part of an expert panel, "Racial Biases in Artificial Intelligence," for a webinar hosted by the University of Maryland business school.
Coalition Letter Urging FTC to Study Data, Bias, and Disparate Impact
Associate Director Laura Moy organized a coalition letter urging the FTC to include questions on data, bias, and disparate impact in any new studies the agency undertakes. The letter was signed by 27 civil rights, digital rights, racial justice organizations, and consumer groups.
Op-Ed: Law Enforcement Could Leverage Facial Recognition During Protests
Policy Associate Jameson Spivack wrote an op-ed for Route Fifty about the lack of police face recognition regulation, how this allows police to surveil protesters, and the potential consequences for civil rights and liberties.