Our Work
Founded in 2014, the Center on Privacy & Technology is a leader at the intersection of privacy, surveillance, and civil rights.
Latest Work
New Yorker: Should We Be Worried About Computerized Facial Recognition?
The New Yorker talked to Senior Associate Clare Garvie for an in-depth examination into how face recognition is revolutionizing everything from farming in Ireland to policing in the United States.
Coalition Letter to DHS and HHS About Both Agencies’ Parent Trap
The Center coordinated a letter to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security calling for the rescission of an interagency agreement that uses children's information to deport their relatives. 111 other civil rights and civil liberties organizations signed on to the letter, which received coverage in the Associated Press.
NIST International Face Performance Conference
Senior Associate Clare Garvie spoke at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's first conference, on a panel about technical factors affecting the deployment and use of face recognition technology. Clare's remarks focused on the real-world consequences of differential error rates, including in the law enforcement context.
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.
Defender Summer School’s Facial Recognition Software and Eyewitness Identification Series
Senior Associate Clare Garvie conducted a training on police use of face recognition technology to the Ninth Judicial Circuit 2018 Defender Summer School at Barry University in Orlando, FL.
Coalition Comments to DHS & HHS on Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
The Center drafted, organized, and filed comments, signed by thirteen other organizations, regarding the administration's use of children's information to deport their relatives. The comments explain that deporting families using information collected to place unaccompanied children is not only inhumane, but also unlawful and poor policy.
Comments to NTIA on “Developing the Administration’s Approach to Consumer Privacy”
The Center submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, urging the agency to move further in the direction of strong consumer protection as it defines the privacy outcomes and high-level goals that this administration will prioritize.
Public Interest Privacy Legislation Principles Signed by 34 Organizations
The Center co-drafted principles outlining essential components to be included in comprehensive privacy legislation. The principles were backed by 34 organizations.
Senate Testimony on Consumer Privacy
Executive Director Laura Moy testified about consumer privacy before the Senate Commerce Committee. She called for increased attention to commercial data practices that can lead to societal harms, such as discrimination, erosion of trust online, amplification of hate speech, and dissemination of propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation.
Testimony on Consumer Data Privacy Before U.S. Senate Committee by our Deputy Director
On October 10, 2018, technology and privacy experts testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, which was considering drafting federal data privacy legislation. Deputy Director Laura Moy's testimony provided policy recommendations that draw on lessons from the EU's General Data Privacy Regulation and the California Consumer Protection Act. Watch the full video recording and read her written testimony.