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Real Time Threats: Analysis of Trust and Safety Practices for CSEA Prevention on Livestreaming Platforms

This report examines the range of trust and safety tools and practices that platforms and third-party vendors are developing and deploying to safeguard livestreaming services, with a special focus on CSEA prevention.

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Graphic for CDT Research report, entitled "Real Time Threats." Illustration of a smartphone showing a warped grid and a recording button; the phone is surrounded by a "LIVE" icon, a warning icon in front of a cloud of smoke, chat bubbles, image icons, an eye, a video, a voice note; Tetris-like blocks are interspersed between all the elements.

Screened Out: The Impact of Digitized Hiring Assessments on Disabled Workers

This report informs employers, policymakers, advocates, and researchers about some of the validity and ethical considerations surrounding the use of digitized assessments, with a specific focus on impacts on people with disabilities.

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Graphic for CDT Research report, entitled "Screened Out: The Impact of Digitized Hiring Assessments on Disabled Workers." A multi-panel color illustration includes a wheelchair user typing, a person with headphones facing an error on a laptop, a close-up of a person with a hearing aid, and a person with glasses. Geometric shapes and icons connect these panels, highlighting hiring assessments and discrimination disabled people face.

Hated More: Online Violence Targeting Women of Color Candidates in the 2024 US Election

This report compares the levels of offensive speech and hate speech that different groups of Congressional candidates are targeted with based on race and gender, with a particular emphasis on women of color.

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Graphic for a CDT and University of Pittsburgh report, entitled "Hated More: Online Violence Targeting Women of Color Candidates in the 2024 US Election." Black text on a light grey background.

Moderating Maghrebi Arabic Content on Social Media

This report examines the challenges and implications for moderation of content in the Maghrebi Arabic dialects in North Africa.

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CDT report, entitled “Moderating Maghrebi Arabic Content on Social Media.” Illustration of a hand, wearing rings as well as bracelets with hand of Fatima around its wrist, holding a red and purple phone that shows messages with Arabic letters in them being moderated or acted upon.

In Deep Trouble: Surfacing Tech-Powered Sexual Harassment in K-12 Schools

CDT conducted surveys of public high school students & public middle & high school parents and teachers from July to August 2024 to understand the prevalence of deepfakes, NCII, and related issues in K-12 school.

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CDT report, entitled "In Deep Trouble: Surfacing Tech-Powered Sexual Harassment in K-12 Schools." Illustration of a cell phone and social media and messaging posts, floating amongst a dark and choppy body of water.

Improving Governance Outcomes Through AI Documentation

By carefully designing & implementing documentation processes that address the needs of diverse stakeholders, organizations can establish a strong foundation for robust AI system risk management.

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Graphic for CDT report, entitled "Improving Governance Outcomes Through AI Documentation: Bridging Theory and Practice." Illustration of several overlapping panels that show: a man on his computer, a hand writing on a stack of documents, a file cabinet with a drawer open, assembly instructions, a network, and a diagram showing a hexagon key screw, user icons and chat bubbles.

Companies, Civil Society, Academics Announce Voluntary Principles to Combat Image-Based Sexual Abuse

The principles intended to serve as a guide for the tech industry in combating IBSA and protecting privacy, expression, & safety.

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Blue image with text "IBSA Principles" in header.

New Research: Grounding AI Policy

To understand how to effectively regulate AI, we need to understand how people use it. How can that be done while preserving users’ privacy? Our new report provides insights.

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Illustration for a CDT Research report, entitled "Grounding AI Policy." Two silhouettes are observing an enclosed digital "plant." Their ability to observe data on the plant informs their actions on it.

New Research: To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data

This report unpacks  factors that result in poor collection & availability of representative data sets, & provides recommendations for how to mitigate these concerns, which we refer to as a “disability data justice” approach.

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Illustration of a sphere comprised of white lines and red dots that represents a connected set of data, with spotlights showing different aspects of disability data. There are five spotlights, including a person in a motorized wheelchair using a computer, an ear representing individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, six dots representing Braille, a person with a limb difference using a pair of crutches, and a brain. In white text on a dark blue background, the title of the report says “To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start with Disability Data.”

CDT Launches New Working Group to Address NCII

CDT, CCRI, & the NNEDV announced the formation of a multistakeholder working group that will identify interventions to prevent & mitigate the harms caused by the creation, spread, and monetization of Non-Consensual Intimate Images (NCII), including AI-generated content.

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The CDT logo. A white "cdt" alongside "Center for Democracy & Technology" on a dark grey background.

CDT’s Jake Laperruque Testifies Before H.R. Homeland Security Committee

CDT Deputy Director of Security & Surveillance, Jake Laperruque, testified before the before U.S. House Homeland Security Committee in the hearing “Advancing Innovation (AI): Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Defend & Secure the Homeland.”

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Swearing in ceremony before House hearing.

CDT VP of Policy Testifies Before House Commerce Committee

CDT VP of Policy Samir Jain testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee in a hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Protect Kids Online and Ensure Americans’ Data Privacy Rights.” 

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Center for Democracy's Vice President of Policy, Samir Jain, testifying before House Commerce Committee.

Our Work Has Never Been More Important

At the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), we believe in the power of the internet. Whether it’s facilitating entrepreneurial endeavors, providing access to new markets and opportunities, or creating a platform for free speech, the internet empowers, emboldens and equalizes people around the world.

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CDT’s 2023 Annual Report

In 2023 – at a pivotal time for democracy – CDT was at the forefront, advancing a tech policy agenda focused on equity and democratic values. Read more about how we ensured tech policy conversations centered the communities and issues directly impacted in our 2023 Annual Report.

Go to Report

Cover graphic for the 2023 CDT annual report, entitled "Towards a Responsible Digital Future." Image of an open atrium, looking up.

330+


Members of the Global Encryption Coalition – spread across 99 countries – helping to respond rapidly to emerging threats to encryption. More.

30+


Members of CDT’s Task Force on Protecting Reproductive Health Info, helping to protect the privacy & access to info of people seeking reproductive health care. More.

6


Number of CDT newsletters around pressing policy areas like student privacy & equity, AI, and more. Sign up.

55.9K+


Number of lifetime plays of CDT’s long-standing podcast, Tech Talks. Listen.

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.

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Check Out CDT’S Podcast – Tech Talk

Tech is all around you – and now, insights on the tech policies that are shaping your digital world can be added to your podcast playlist. You can find CDT’s Tech Talk anywhere you find your favorite podcasts, including on Spotify, SoundCloud,  iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

Do you have a passion for finding innovative and practical solutions to technology policy challenges that align with civil rights, civil liberties, and democratic values? View our open opportunities.

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