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Center for Democracy & Technology

@cdt.org
30K followers 1.6K following 6.1K posts

The Center for Democracy & Technology. Shaping technology policy and architecture, with a focus on equity and justice. @cdteu.org‬ for our EU-based team. cdt.org

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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 8h
CDT’s Laperruque: “When it comes to DHS surveillance and enforcement powers, lawmakers have given them a bulldozer and simply trusted it will always be someone safe behind the wheel.”
fedscoop.com
ICE awards contested, controversial surveillance contract to Thomson Reuters | FedScoop
Documents shared exclusively with FedScoop offer insight into the initial contract awarded six years ago that acted as a critical building block in DHS’s current surveillance apparatus.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 8h
“It’s a critically important lesson that genuine safeguards can’t come from just trusting the people currently in charge or internal agency protocols.”
fedscoop.com
ICE awards contested, controversial surveillance contract to Thomson Reuters | FedScoop
Documents shared exclusively with FedScoop offer insight into the initial contract awarded six years ago that acted as a critical building block in DHS’s current surveillance apparatus.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 8h
“Jake Laperruque, deputy director of CDT’s Security and Surveillance Project, echoed the need for greater congressional oversight of large-scale data-gathering operations.”
fedscoop.com
ICE awards contested, controversial surveillance contract to Thomson Reuters | FedScoop
Documents shared exclusively with FedScoop offer insight into the initial contract awarded six years ago that acted as a critical building block in DHS’s current surveillance apparatus.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 9h
What happens when states take the lead on AI regulation? In Episode 47 of @statesnewsroom.com's Stories by the States, CDT’s Maddy Dwyer breaks down how states are approaching AI policy and what it means as federal action lags. Listen: www.newsfromthestate...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 11h
“[CDT’s O’Shaughnessy] added that it would be a ‘net-negative for accountability’ if AI oversight amounted only to independent assessments.”
mashable.com
AI leaders say they want better safety. They want more than that.
The growing call for AI safety is a good thing. But AI leaders won't give up what they really want.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 11h
CDT’s @mattoshaughnessy.bsky.social in @mashable.com: “While AI developers' support for independent evaluation is a real step forward, additional mechanisms will be required for effective accountability.”
mashable.com
AI leaders say they want better safety. They want more than that.
The growing call for AI safety is a good thing. But AI leaders won't give up what they really want.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 28/09/2026
CDT’s Eric Null in Yahoo Finance: "If you're being recorded and you don't know it, that's a severe privacy invasion. And we are continuing to see newer technologies get introduced whose primary purpose is to do this.”
finance.yahoo.com
Welcome to the age of listening devices
Devices that can listen and record us are becoming more popular, raising privacy concerns.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 28/09/2026
The analysis explores how laws apply to AI-assisted credit decisions, fraud detection, personalized financial advice, and more, while identifying challenges around transparency, oversight, and enforcement. Read the full brief:
cdt.org
AI in Financial Services: Current Legal Landscape
This brief explores how existing laws map onto a financial sector increasingly adopting AI, explaining how these tech-agnostic laws continue to govern both financial institutions and the technology companies that partner or compete with them even as AI becomes more deeply integrated into their operations.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 28/09/2026
How do existing financial laws apply as AI becomes increasingly integrated into financial services? In a new CDT brief, Ridhi Shetty examines the legal landscape governing AI-powered financial products and services, from consumer protection to civil rights and data privacy.
cdt.org
AI in Financial Services: Current Legal Landscape
This brief explores how existing laws map onto a financial sector increasingly adopting AI, explaining how these tech-agnostic laws continue to govern both financial institutions and the technology companies that partner or compete with them even as AI becomes more deeply integrated into their operations.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 25/09/2026
Ruchika’s analysis explores the risks these systems could introduce, from privacy and discrimination to prompt injection, unauthorized transactions, and weakened human oversight. The brief also outlines policy considerations for protecting consumers as agentic AI advances.
cdt.org
Agentic AI in Financial Services: Emerging Uses, Risks, and Policy Considerations - Center for Democracy and Technology
Financial institutions are increasingly deploying advanced AI systems to improve service delivery to customers, supporting internal operations, and improving efficiency. These systems aim to support tasks related to customer service, fraud detection, investment analysis, and loan processing. Such developments warrant close examination because decisions made in the financial services industry affect high stakes issues including people's access to credit, the interest rates they're offered, and fraud detection determinations that can risk freezing their accounts.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 25/09/2026
What happens when AI systems move from making recommendations to taking action? In a new CDT brief, Ruchika Joshi examines how financial institutions are exploring agentic AI for customer service, payments, investment research, lending, fraud prevention, and more.
cdt.org
Agentic AI in Financial Services: Emerging Uses, Risks, and Policy Considerations - Center for Democracy and Technology
Financial institutions are increasingly deploying advanced AI systems to improve service delivery to customers, supporting internal operations, and improving efficiency. These systems aim to support tasks related to customer service, fraud detection, investment analysis, and loan processing. Such developments warrant close examination because decisions made in the financial services industry affect high stakes issues including people's access to credit, the interest rates they're offered, and fraud detection determinations that can risk freezing their accounts.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 25/09/2026
How can AI support a multilingual & multiracial democracy? On Sept. 28, CDT, GW Law’s Multiracial Democracy Project, & the Bernard Center for Law & Technology will bring together experts to examine multilingual AI & language equity. Free to join in D.C. + virtually. Register: cdt.org/events/impac...
Impacts of AI on Multilingual and Multiracial Democracy Symposium
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States Newsroom @statesnewsroom.com · 24/09/2026
Anxiety over AI is growing. Will it replace humans? How will it change our privacy? Will it impact our elections? The list of existential questions about AI goes on. This week, with a policy analyst from @cdt.org, we will discuss how states are responding. www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stor...
newsfromthestates.com
Stories From The States | News From The States
Stories From The States is a weekly podcast that explores, through personal stories, how people and communities across America are being affected by government decisions. Each episode examines a…
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
At #FOSO26, hear from Jennifer Helsby, Ali Lange, and Dr. Jean Linis-Dinco on why online anonymity matters, when it should be protected, and the growing threats to anonymous expression and participation online. foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
NOW STARTING: At #FOSO26, @kateruane.bsky.social moderates “The Sword and the Shield of Anonymity” with @ashkhen.bsky.social, @klonick.bsky.social, and @belletorek.bsky.social. 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
NOW STARTING: “Humanity and Anonymity.” Victoria Noble, Mackenzie Austin, & Renee DiResta (@noupside.bsky.social) join moderator @sydneysaubestre.bsky.social to explore the growing push to verify who’s human online. 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
NOW STARTING: “Government Demands to Undermine Anonymity.” Lauren Regan, Laura Moraff, and Joshua Koltun join moderator @jakelaperruque.bsky.social to explore how govt surveillance & demands for user information affect anonymity. 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
We’re kicking off Day 2 of FOSO 2026! Casey Mattox of Stand Together Trust will open today’s programming with remarks setting the stage for continued conversations about the future of online anonymity, free expression, and privacy. Join us: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 24/09/2026
FOSO 2026 DAY 2: Join CDT and Stand Together Trust for Day 2 of conversations on the future of free speech online, featuring experts from across policy, tech, and civil society. Sept. 24 | 12–2:30 p.m. ET 💻 Virtual Last-minute registrations + login info: foso26.cdt.org
The Death of Online Anonymity.
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vortex_egg @vortexegg.com · 23/09/2026
One thing I appreciate from the (currently ongoing) Death of Online Anonymity online conference is the discussion about how LLMs (and widely accessible consumer AI generally) are power tools for deanonymizing people online. This is going to be a major problem for online harassment.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 23/09/2026
NOW STARTING: “Generative AI and the Erosion of Anonymity.” Join Tianshi Li, Neil Chilson, @jaystanley.bsky.social, & moderator @mdaepp.bsky.social for a convo on the risks of AI and data brokers and safeguards for emerging technologies. 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
The Death of Online Anonymity.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 23/09/2026
NOW STARTING: “Age Verifying the Internet.” Join @mikespecter.com, @sveawindwehr.bsky.social, Richard Gaines, + moderator @aliyabhatia.bsky.social to discuss what this means for privacy and anonymity online. 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
The Death of Online Anonymity
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 23/09/2026
JOIN NOW: The FOSO 2026 keynote - “Anonymity Online: Why do we need it? How do we protect it? What are the risks?” - ft. @jkosseff.bsky.social, CDT CEO @alexreevegivens.bsky.social, & @penney.bsky.social! 📩 Login info after registration: foso26.cdt.org
The Death of Online Anonymity
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Coalition on Digital Impact (CODI) @codi.global · 23/09/2026
Join @cdt.org next week for its event, “Impacts of AI on Multilingual and Multiracial Democracy”! This event will feature key discussions from industry leaders, academics and advocates on advancing digital equity and multilingualism online. RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/impacts-of...
eventbrite.com
Impacts of AI on Multilingual and Multiracial Democracy
Exploring the real-world challenges of multilingual AI and how technology and policy can advance greater language equity.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 23/09/2026
FOSO 2026 TODAY: Join CDT and Stand Together Trust for the next two days of conversations on the future of free speech online, with experts from across policy, tech, and civil society. 📅 Sept. 23–24 | 12–2:30 p.m. ET 💻 Virtual 🔗 Last minute registrations + login info: foso26.cdt.org
The Death of Online Anonymity
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Aliya Bhatia @aliyabhatia.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Tomorrow! Tune into @cdt.org Future of Speech Online. We'll be diving into the state of online anonymity including by considering how age verification fits in and the unintended consequences of new laws and regulations on all of our ability to access the web privately & freely foso26.cdt.org #FOSO
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
CDT’s Luria: “This is quite distinct from content moderation on social media, where publishing content already carries expectations of platform moderation and public exposure.”
futurism.com
OpenAI Has Hundreds of Workers Reading People's Private Chats
OpenAI has hundreds of contractors manually read and review ChatGPT prompts so it can "improve" the responses it gives.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
“Michal Luria, a senior research fellow at CDT, told 404 that while human review can be ‘essential to safety,’ she noted that ‘chatbot interfaces automatically create a false sense of intimacy and privacy.’” ttps://
futurism.com
OpenAI Has Hundreds of Workers Reading People's Private Chats
OpenAI has hundreds of contractors manually read and review ChatGPT prompts so it can "improve" the responses it gives.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
“CDT urges the state to ‘consider a variety of mechanisms to increase the incentives to prioritize safety when developing, deploying, and using AI systems.’"
mashable.com
Is an AI 'kill switch' a real thing?
Newsom's new executive order pushes for an AI kill switch. Could it work?
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
“Because developers would be taking a financial and reputational hit should they choose to pull the lever on an entire system, effective policies mandating kill switches would also need to incentivize companies to act.”
mashable.com
Is an AI 'kill switch' a real thing?
Newsom's new executive order pushes for an AI kill switch. Could it work?
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
“Rather than a single technical solution, Hall explains that effective AI safety oversight needs to be ‘meaningful, independent, and ongoing,’ and expert panels should include a range of voices and expertise outside of technicians, including civil rights advocates.”
mashable.com
Is an AI 'kill switch' a real thing?
Newsom's new executive order pushes for an AI kill switch. Could it work?
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
CDT’s Travis Hall: "We remain concerned that proposals for 'kill switches' will prove ineffective in reducing risk while introducing new security risks and serious potential for government abuse.”
mashable.com
Is an AI 'kill switch' a real thing?
Newsom's new executive order pushes for an AI kill switch. Could it work?
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 22/09/2026
“At large, policy experts, incl. the CDT, have questioned the effectiveness of what they call ‘binary’ safety regulations, or checklist style proposals that focus on specific technical details."
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
On Sept. 24, Ashkhen Kazaryan, Belle Torek, Kate Klonick and moderator Kate Ruane will tackle this question in “The Sword and the Shield of Anonymity.” Join us for #FOSO2026. Register: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
THIS WEEK: Anonymity can protect people from surveillance, harassment, and abuse. It can also be misused to cause harm. So how do we preserve the protections anonymity provides while addressing the harms it can enable? foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
CDT’s Crawford: “The system we have now overly burdens consumers to do a ton of work in terms of understanding how each piece of technology collecting their personal data is going to handle it. But even if you do all that work, you often have little agency.” apnews.com/article/t...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
“The only surefire way to protect your information may simply be to decline the terms of service, usually one of the first steps required before accessing telehealth.” apnews.com/article/t...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
“It’s also a good idea to read any user agreements to get a sense of how the company plans to use your personal data, said Crawford. Some telehealth sites, for example, explicitly state in their privacy policies that they have the right to sell data about users’ sex lives.” apnews.com/article/t...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
CDT’s Andy Crawford in AP: “There’s an entire universe of companies collecting huge amounts of consumer health data every day that aren’t covered by our current health sector-specific laws.” apnews.com/article/t...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
We’re looking for an experienced attorney with at least 8 years of legal experience, including substantial nonprofit experience, who is passionate about protecting rights and democracy in the digital age. Apply:
cdt.org
Careers - Center for Democracy and Technology
Do the possibilities presented by an innovative, open, and free internet inspire you? Do you find yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expertise to work on internet neutrality legislation? If so, you might be a great fit for our team. View our open opportunities.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 21/09/2026
CDT is hiring a General Counsel to join our executive team and provide legal counsel across the organization. The role will advise on nonprofit governance, compliance, contracts, privacy, employment matters, litigation, and more, while serving as Secretary to CDT’s Board.
cdt.org
Careers - Center for Democracy and Technology
Do the possibilities presented by an innovative, open, and free internet inspire you? Do you find yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expertise to work on internet neutrality legislation? If so, you might be a great fit for our team. View our open opportunities.
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Kate Ruane @kateruane.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I’m looking forward to Future of Speech Online, hosted by @cdt.org and Stand Together Trust, September 23–24. We’ll explore the future of online speech, including anonymity, age assurance, unmasking, and AI. Join us — registration is free! foso26.cdt.org
foso26.cdt.org
Future of Speech Online
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 18/09/2026
Join Renée DiResta, Victoria Noble, Mackenzie Austin and moderator Sydney Saubestre on Sept. 24 to explore the future of anonymity in an internet increasingly shaped by AI. Register: foso26.cdt.org
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 18/09/2026
As AI-generated content and automated bots become more prevalent online, calls to verify that users are “human” are growing. But what does proving your humanity mean for privacy and anonymous speech? foso26.cdt.org
the death of online anonymity
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Riana @riana.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The Non-Resident Fellowship at @cdt.org is open for applications! Deadline is Oct. 3. I'm one of this year's cohort and it's been a great opportunity to highlight the civil liberties underpinnings of my work. If you're an academic with a digital rights bent, please apply! cdt.org/careers/#op-...
cdt.org
Careers - Center for Democracy and Technology
Do the possibilities presented by an innovative, open, and free internet inspire you? Do you find yourself engaged in passionate discussions about privacy policies? Are you yearning to put your expert...
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Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
Internet Education Foundation Projects @iefprojects.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
📺 LIVE: Can Congress regulate AI, or is it speech? Watch live from Congress on 9/22 with @corbinkbarthold.bsky.social at @netchoice.bsky.social @kateruane.bsky.social @cdt.org, @meganiorio.bsky.social at @epic.org, @viacristiano.bsky.social 📺 Watch bit.ly/airegulation...
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Amanda Levendowski Tepski @tepski.tech · 18/09/2026
Shout it!!!!!!!!
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 18/09/2026
How can AI serve a multilingual and multiracial democracy? On Sept. 28, CDT joins the Multiracial Democracy Project at GW Law and the Bernard Center for Law & Technology for Impacts of AI on Multilingual and Multiracial Democracy. Register: cdt.org/events/impac...
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 18/09/2026
“‘Certain companies have used accessibility and disability rights as a Trojan horse for a tool that poses significant privacy and security threats,’ CDT disability lead @arianaaboulafia.bsky.social told me, ‘and to be clear, the privacy concerns affect disabled people too.’”
motherjones.com
Is Meta using disabled people to promote its glasses?
AI glasses are a double-edged sword for disabled people, who face unique risks from surveillance.
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Center for Democracy & Technology @cdt.org · 17/09/2026
CDT’s Bogen: "The fresh energy around external evaluation is exciting and third-party evaluations are a critical piece of the puzzle, but we need to be realistic about what it will take for them to effectively reduce the many risks that AI systems pose."
thedeepview.com
What AI labs' safety pledges still don't solve
As discussions of an AI slowdown escalate, leaders of AI's top labs may be aligned on where to start: third-party accountability. Leaders from Anthropic, Googl...
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