Securing Democracy: Developments in Tech Policy

Every day, new headlines appear bearing news that will change the face of our democracy, from election cyberattacks and media disinformation to privacy legislation and the repeal of net neutrality.

Perkins Coie and the Center for Democracy & Technology will host a briefing on recent developments in Washington, D.C., and discuss what topics in tech should be holding policymakers’ attention. How can we all work together to strengthen our democracy and protect rights in the digital world?

A reception will follow the discussion.

If you are able to join us, please RSVP by Wednesday, September 26. 

Welcome Remarks: Bernadette Bulacan, Vice President, QuantAI as well as a CDT Advisory Council member – @InHouse_Bern

Panelists

• Ryan Mrazik, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP, moderator — @rmrazik
• Nuala O’Connor, President & CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology— @privacymama
• Maurice Turner, Senior Technologist, Center for Democracy & Technology— @TypeMRT

CLE Materials: We are applying for 1.0 hours of CLE credit from the Washington State Bar Association for this event. Links to materials are available below.

Privacy

• It’s Time for National Privacy Protections
• GDPR is an Important Advance in Privacy. Here’s What Must Come Next.
• The Big Questions About Privacy That Need Answers
• Communicators with Victoria Espinel and Nuala O’Connor 
• California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 Brings Some GDPR Aspects Stateside
• CDT’s Annotations of California’s Privacy Bill, AB 375
• Cambridge Analytica’s Abuse of Facebook User Data Shows Profound Impact of Technology on Democracy
• New Data Breach Notification Laws Spring 2018: What You Need to Know

Election Security

• At DEF CON ’18, kids as young as 5 challenged to hack election results websites, voting machines
• Election Security CDT Letter on the Secure Elections Act Mark-Up
• Infosec Toolkit for Election Volunteering
• Engaging Policymakers at the State Level, Election Cybersecurity

Free Expression and Net Neutrality

• State Department Should Abandon Its Plan to Collect Social Media Information From 14.7 Million Visa Applicants
• Congress Should Take “Filtering Practices of Social Media” Seriously
• Techsplanations: Part 3, What is net neutrality?
• Frequently Asked Questions: Section 230, Sex Trafficking, and Current Legislation

Panelist Bios

• Ryan Mrazik is a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice, a member of the firm’s Privacy & Security practice and Internet and Social Media industry groups, and the Firmwide Co-Chair of the Tech Amicus Practice. Ryan focuses on litigating for and counseling communications service providers—social media companies, mobile carriers and other communications and storage platforms—on the full range of legal issues those companies encounter regarding the privacy and security of their users’ information and content. Ryan also litigates and counsels on privacy and data security issues for any type of company that may encounter these issues. Ryan defends privacy-related class action litigation, including under the Wiretap Act, Stored Communications Act (SCA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), Song-Beverly Credit Card Act and other federal and state privacy and data security statutes. Ryan’s litigation experience also includes consumer protection, contract and intellectual property matters in federal and state courts for technology and other clients. Ryan handles government agency investigations of companies’ privacy and data security practices, including inquiries from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state attorneys general and Congressional committees. This representation includes internally investigating claims asserted by regulators, drafting written responses and preparing witnesses and materials for in-person presentations or testimony. Ryan assists communications service providers respond to government and other requests for surveillance and disclosure of information in accordance with the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), including under the Wiretap Act (Title III), Pen Register/Trap and Trace Statute, SCA and Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). This includes analyzing domestic and international legal process and requests, representing providers in interactions with government and private counsel, developing compliance manuals and materials, counseling and training in-house lawyers and employees on compliance, and litigating surveillance and user data request issues in state and federal courts across the country. This component of Ryan’s practice also includes counseling and litigating on related issues, such as witness testimony requests, pre-suit and expedited discovery, requests for location-based information, jurisdictional limitations on subpoena power and section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA). Finally, Ryan assists service providers analyze and respond to governmental and civil legal process that implicates the First Amendment protections afforded to speech, anonymity, association and expression.

• Nuala O’Connor is the President & CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a global nonprofit committed to advancing our digital rights. She is a vocal advocate for harnessing the potential of the internet and emerging technologies to increase equality, amplify voices, and promote human rights. At CDT, Nuala leads a diverse team that is driving policy solutions that advance the rights of the individual in the digital age. Her experience working in the federal government, multinational corporations, tech start-ups, and noted law firms informs her innovative and collaborative leadership approach.Nuala began her career in the private sector, working at the law firms of Venable, Hudson Cook, and Sidley. She entered the technology sector when she joined the start-up DoubleClick as Deputy General Counsel. While there, and in her later position as Vice President & Chief Privacy Officer of Email & Emerging Technologies, she worked on numerous class actions, a multistate settlement with state attorneys general, and an FTC investigation before helping to create the company’s privacy compliance department, which still serves as an influential model for companies in the technology sector and beyond. She later served as Global Privacy Leader at General Electric (GE) and was responsible for privacy policy and practices across GE’s numerous divisions. Her most recent corporate experience was at Amazon.com, where she served as Vice President, Compliance & Consumer Trust, and Associate General Counsel Data & Privacy Protection.Between her stints in the private sector, Nuala served in various capacities within the federal government. At the U.S. Department of Commerce she worked on global technology policy, including internet governance and industry best practices, in her roles as Deputy Director of the Office of Policy & Strategic Planning, Chief Privacy Officer, and Chief Counsel for the Technology Administration. She later became the first statutorily appointed Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) in federal service when she was named as CPO at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At DHS she was responsible for groundbreaking policy creation and implementation regarding the use of personal information in national security and law enforcement. Under her leadership, the DHS Privacy Office issued a seminal report criticizing the use of private-sector data in national security efforts.Nuala serves on several nonprofit boards, and is the recipient of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Vanguard Award, the Executive Women’s Forum’s Woman of Influence Award, and was named as “Geek of the Week” by the Minority Media & Telecom Council. She served as a member of the board of the IAPP for six years, including a term as chairman. Nuala has also been known to serve as a “class mom” on more than one occasion.Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Nuala grew up in and around New York City. She holds an A.B. from Princeton, a Master’s in Education from Harvard, and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

• Supporting work across all of CDT’s programmatic areas, Maurice Turner focuses on the Election Security and Privacy Project identifying and updating election cybersecurity practices and infrastructure, and working through potential remedies. Turner brings a unique mix of formal education and practical work experience in technology and local, regional, and national policymaking to the Internet Architecture project.Nearly a decade of municipal management experience is complemented by numerous private-sector technology positions, fellowships, and internships. As a TechCongress Congressional Innovation Fellow in 2017, he served the Republican staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (reporting to Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson) supporting on cybersecurity issues. His previous employers include the City of Newport Beach, EarthLink Municipal Networks, Center for Democracy and Technology, Coro Foundation, United Medical Center Hospital, U.S. Department of Transportation, and Apple. After receiving a bachelor’s in political science from Cal State Fullerton, he went on to earn a master’s in public administration from the University of Southern California focusing on emerging communication technologies, privacy, and civic engagement. In addition, he holds a graduate certificate in cybersecurity strategy from Georgetown University. Maurice has been a technology enthusiast for over 30 years and is committed to leveraging new technologies to increase government effectiveness and community engagement.