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The Center for Democracy and Technology is a non-profit public interest organization working to keep the Internet open, innovative, and free. As a civil liberties group with expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT works to enhance free expression and privacy in communications technologies by finding practical and innovative solutions to public policy challenges while protecting civil liberties. CDT is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new communications media. 

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Our Events

Jim Dempsey will address privacy issues posed by the smart grid at a workshop of the California Public Utilities Commission.
The California PUC is conducting a rulemaking proceeding to consider setting policies to guide the development of a smart grid system in California.  The stimulus law signed by President Obama in February 2009 included $4.5 billion to modernize the electric grid.  The initiative is prompting installation of meters that collect detailed information about home energy consumption.  CDT is urging the PUC to adopt rules to protect the privacy and security of this data, which can indicate when someone is at home or away, entertaining guests, or using particular appliances.
March 19, 2010 - 9:55am

San Francisco, CA
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Alissa Cooper will co-chair the Geolocation/Privacy working group session at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting
Alissa Cooper will co-chair the Geolocation/Privacy working group session at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting.
March 24, 2010 - 5:40pm - 7:40pm

Anaheim, CA

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Hot Topics

  • Graduated Response

    The use of a "graduated response" technique in punishing repeat copyright offenders has grown in recent years, but there are many ramifications to consider before employing such tactics.

  • Privacy by Design

    CDT was one of the first to promote the concept of Privacy by Design, encouraging product features and business practices that protect user privacy.

Recent Media Attention

Cyber - Bullying Cases Put Heat on Google, Facebook
in The New York Times

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Internet was built on freedom of expression. Society wants someone held accountable when that freedom is abused. And major Internet companies like Google and Facebook are finding themselves caught between those ideals.

Although Google, Facebook and their rivals have enjoyed a relatively "safe harbor" from prosecution over user-generated content in the United States and Europe, they face a public that increasingly is more inclined to blame them for cyber-bullying and other online transgressions.

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Feds weigh expansion of Internet monitoring
in Cnet News

Homeland Security and the National Security Agency may be taking a closer look at Internet communications in the future.

The Department of Homeland Security's top cybersecurity official told CNET on Wednesday that the department may eventually extend its Einstein technology, which is designed to detect and prevent electronic attacks, to networks operated by the private sector. The technology was created for federal networks.

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Jobs With Us

Full-time Deferred Lawyers (Posted March 8, 2010)
Communications Intern (Posted March 2, 2010)
2010-12 Ron Plesser Public Interest Fellowship in Privacy, Civil Liberties and Internet Policy (Posted December 28, 2009)
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