Our Work
Founded in 2014, the Center on Privacy & Technology is a leader at the intersection of privacy, surveillance, and civil rights.
Latest Work
“It’s not just the tech sector that isn’t representative — it’s the people making the laws, too” blog
Associate Jameson Spivack published a blog about a House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing on the ethical and societal implications of AI and the demographics of the committee. Read the whole blog here.
“Haven’t You Heard?” blog
Associate Gabrielle Rejouis published a blog about the inequalities of technology. Read the whole blog here.
Privacy Center Condemns Facebook’s Attack on Racial Justice Organization
Following a news report that Facebook hired a political opposition research firm to discredit Color of Change and other critics, the Privacy Center publicly condemned the action as "an attack on every person that has dared to question the company and its immense power." Read the full press release.
House of Representatives Hearing on the Equifax Data Breach
Deputy Director Laura Moy testified on privacy and data security before the House Finance Committee. She called for enhanced rulemaking and enforcement authority for federal agencies that oversee data security, and cautioned Congress against establishing new data security protections that eliminate important existing protections.
Comment to the FTC on Lead Generators
Clare Garvie and Founding Director Alvaro Bedoya filed a comment which examines how online lead generation creates and perpetuates the disparate impact of payday loans on African American borrowers. They urged the FTC to use its authority under ECOA and Section 5 of the FTC Act to investigate and bring enforcement actions against responsible companies.
Georgetown Privacy Center & MIT Privacy Practicum Course
In the spring of 2015, the Privacy Center teamed up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to offer a one-of-a-kind Privacy Practicum course. The course joined Georgetown Law students and MIT students via video conferencing as they worked together to draft better privacy laws. The course aimed to better integrate technologists and engineers into privacy policy, paving a powerful path that allows innovation while simultaneously protecting privacy. A video featuring interviews with Executive Director Alvaro Bedoya and Faculty Director David Vladeck is available to watch here.