Gautam Hans is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University. He is also one of CDT’s non-resident Fellows (and a CDT alum!), engaging with our policy teams to provide valuable insight from his research. In this Q & A we get to learn more about Gautam and his current work.
Why did you become a CDT Fellow?
As a former CDT staff member, I wanted to continue to give back to the organization that helped launch my career. CDT has a great sense of what are the cutting-edge issues in law and technology policy.
What is your current research focus?
Free speech (public perceptions of speech issues), ethical issues in clinical teaching
What’s the most pressing internet policy issue of today?
Oversight and accountability in an era of mass information.
What advice do you have for aspiring tech & internet academics?
It is a tight-knit community that loves to foster new voices (particularly underrepresented ones) — you should feel free to reach out to folks, even high-profile people whom you think may not have time for you. Many of us love to hear from people who are starting out.
What’s a passion or hobby outside of tech & the internet?
CDT and Partners Urge Passage of the California Location Privacy Act of 2025 (AB 322)
Location data is particularly sensitive, and when collected across time it can reveal a broad range of intrusive insights such as medical conditions, sexual orientation, political activities, and religious beliefs.
CDT and Allies Urge FCC Not to Violate Privacy of Cell Phone Buyers
CDT and EPIC led a coalition of 15 organizations in urging the FCC not to require phone companies to collect government IDs, physical addresses, and alternate phone numbers from every phone subscriber in the country.
As Brussels starts emptying for the summer, the risks of frontier AI models continue to capture the attention of policymakers as a key chapter of the AI Act becomes enforceable, and disclosure rules around the use of AI systems and AI-generated content are further clarified.
