Our Work
Founded in 2014, the Center on Privacy & Technology is a leader at the intersection of privacy, surveillance, and civil rights.
Latest Work
“Artifice and Intelligence” blog
Executive Director Emily Tucker published a blog post about the Privacy Center's decision to drop the terms "artificial intelligence," "AI," and "machine learning" from our work. Read the whole blog here.
Faculty Advisor Laura Moy Quoted in The Markup
Faculty advisor Laura Moy was quoted in an article by The Markup about the Stop Discrimination in Algorithms Act. “You can’t just plead ignorance,” said Laura Moy, director of Georgetown Law’s Communications and Technology Law Clinic, which helped research and draft the bill. “You have to go out and proactively find out whether or not there is discrimination and then you have to tell us what you’re doing to address it.”
Stop Discrimination Algorithms Act Introduced
The Center celebrated D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine's introduction of of the Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act (SDAA). The bill, which would prohibit businesses from using algorithms to discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics like race, gender, national origin and sexual orientation, was based on a proposal drafted by Georgetown Law’s own students in Professor Laura Moy’s Communications and Technology Law Clinic (CTLC). Professor Moy's clinic, the Privacy Center, and Color Of Change worked closely with the Attorney General's office to develop the legislation that provides 21st-century civil rights protections. The bill's launch was covered by NPR and DCist with quotes from Center associate Cynthia Khoo.
First-of-Its-Kind Bill Introduced in D.C. to Stop Discrimination in Automated Decision-Making Tools
D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine introduced the Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act (SDAA), which seeks to prohibit the use of biased or discriminatory algorithms to inform decisions about housing, employment, education, healthcare, and other important services. This bill was the result of a partnership between the Privacy Center, the Georgetown Law Communications & Technology Law Clinic, Color of Change, and the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. Read the full press release.
Panel on Algorithmic Justice During DC Pro Bono Week 2021
Senior Associate Clare Garvie joined a panel presentation on algorithmic justice and the discriminatory use and impact of AI and machine-learning technologies hosted by the Washington Council of Lawyers for DC Pro Bono Week. Other panelists include Alan de Levie of DC Legal Hackers, Jason Tashea ofJustice Codes, Matthew Bruckner and Valerie Schneider of Howard Law, and Nassim Moshiree of ACLU-DC.
Oral and Written Testimony on the MA Information Privacy Act
Associate Cynthia Khoo submitted oral and written testimony on the Massachusetts Information Privacy Act, to the MA Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. MIPA would restrict biometric and worker surveillance and algorithmic discrimination.
Joint Committee Hearing on Massachusetts Information Privacy Act
Associate Cynthia Khoo submitted oral and written testimony on the Massachusetts Information Privacy Act, to the MA Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. MIPA would restrict biometric and worker surveillance and algorithmic discrimination.
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.
Associate Cynthia Khoo Interviewed for the National Post in an Article About Government Oversight
Associate Cynthia Khoo was interview for the National Post, "Pervasive role of algorithms in daily life raises concerns over need for government oversight."