About CDT

Meet CDT

The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization fighting to advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age.

We shape technology policy, governance, and design with a focus on equity and democratic values. Established in 1994, CDT has been a trusted advocate for digital rights since the earliest days of the internet.

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How We Work

CDT brings together policymakers, scholars, public interest advocates, and industry leaders to find innovative and practical solutions to the policy challenges surrounding past, present, and future technologies.

We advocate to policymakers and the courts in the U.S. and Europe, engage with companies to improve their policies and product designs, and help people have a voice in how technology shapes their lives and futures. In addition to our advocacy work, CDT’s research team produces deep-dive original scholarship to explore novel solutions to pressing issues in technology policy.

 

Learn More about our Work in Europe

Our Priorities

CDT works to ensure technology is developed and used in a way that protects people’s rights and interests. We advance laws, policies, and practices that empower people to use technology for good, while protecting against invasive and discriminatory uses. We:

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Advocate for the responsible development and use of AI, providing deep technical expertise on how this can be achieved;
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Support users' rights to access information and express themselves online;
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Call for appropriate guardrails and transparency in the government's use of technology for law enforcement and surveillance;
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Advance privacy and equity considerations in the use of technology in public services and in schools; and
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Support election officials and other stakeholders to deliver secure, accessible and informed elections.

Who We Are

Our team of experts on both sides of the Atlantic has deep, cross-cutting knowledge and experience on issues relating to the internet and emerging technologies, including privacy, security, online expression, competition, and fostering healthy online civic space. We come from academia, private enterprise, government, and the nonprofit worlds to translate complex policy into action.

Our Leadership

Asha Allen
Headshot of Asha Allen, CDT's Advocacy Director for Europe, focusing on Online Expression and Civic Space.

Asha Allen

Director and Secretary General, CDT Europe

Free Expression

Samir Jain
Samir Jain, smiling and wearing a dark suit, white collared shirt and patterned tie in front of a CDT logo.

Samir Jain

Vice President of Policy

Artificial Intelligence