AUGUST NEWSLETTER

COVID-19 and the Start of the School Year

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, major questions loom about the start of the school year, including whether learning will take place in-person or remotely. Even for schools that have already started, plans are quickly changing. One thing is certain: whatever learning model is in use, student privacy and equity must be prioritized.

One of the biggest issues facing students in remote and hybrid learning scenarios is not only access to the internet and laptops, but how to protect their privacy. As school districts work to close the "homework gap" caused by lack of access, many are collecting extra student-level data. Several strategies can help officials prevent privacy violations and potential data misuse. For students and families who gain access to the internet or instruction through school-provided technologies, CDT's security checklist can help.

CDT also released guidance for administrators and decisionmakers on the new privacy considerations that remote and hybrid learning models raise. The report discusses how administrators can protect students' privacy while they are learning in the classroom, remotely, or anywhere in-between. For educators and school officials, we created a free training on how to fulfill their student privacy responsibilities.

In Case You Missed It

Our CEO Alexandra Givens reacted to the next phase of President Trump's unconstitutional "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship", as the NTIA petitioned the FCC to upend the law known as Section 230. The Order and Petition make up an unconstitutional effort to intimidate online services from moderating their platforms in ways the President dislikes. CDT recently challenged the entire Order for violating the First Amendment, which does not allow the President or his administration to quash truthful speech about the mechanics of voting.

As CDT's Ridhi Shetty and Lydia X.Z. Brown highlighted in a blog post, governments closely scrutinizing predictive policing must pay greater attention to its impact on disabled people. Marginalized communities experience higher rates of disability, due to health disparities and lack of necessary support. People with disabilities are more likely to be arrested, profiled, or otherwise targeted by the criminal legal system, and are already at greater risk of deadly force from police. Predictive policing exacerbates all of these risks.

CDT partnered with the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, Upturn, and numerous other civil rights groups in releasing principles on the use of AI in hiring. The principles underscore particular ways in which AI-driven hiring tools may impact disabled workers. They are intended to guide policymakers and regulators, the vendors who develop these tools, and the employers who use them, and highlight responsibilities for employers and vendors to address the disproportionate risks of discrimination people with disabilities face.

CDT in the Press

Emma Llansó was quoted in the New York Times, calling the NTIA's petition to the FCC "simply the next egregious step in the President's unconstitutional campaign to intimidate social media platforms that are responding to hate speech and voter suppression online."

Avery Gardiner spoke with CNN about a possible purchase of TikTok by a U.S. company: "It's really not for the President to say that a deal can go through or a deal can't go through, or that a company must pay a ransom to the United States government or get a deal done by a particular deadline. That's very unusual, it's more than very unusual. It's wrong, it doesn't happen."

CDT intern Namrata Maheshwari was quoted in Forbes about the draft Brazilian "fake news law", which purports to target misinformation, with dangerous implications for free expression and end-to-end encryption: "Users should not be brought under suspicion and their rights should not be made vulnerable because they drafted or shared a widely circulated message."

CDT "in Person"

Joining CDT's podcast, Tech Talks, President & CEO Alexandra Givens discussed our lawsuit against President Trump's "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship," as well as her vision for 2020 and beyond.

Partner Spotlight

At CDT, we belive that a strong democracy depends on free and fair elections. We are proud to partner with the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), who are harnessing the promise of technology to modernize the American voting experience. Through their mission to connect Americans with the information they need to become and remain civically engaged, and ensure that our elections are more professional, inclusive, and secure, CTCL is working to ensure that our democracy remains safe and strong.

We are proud to work with CTCL on a host of election security issues, including trainings for election security officials, advocates, and policymakers on mis- and disinformation. Together, we are working to ensure our elections are as accurate and accessible as possible.

Staff Spotlight
Andrew Crawford, Policy Counsel, Privacy and Data Project, and Chief Privacy Officer

How long have you been working in digital rights? For well over a decade, I have been drawn to work at the intersection of technology and the law. During my time at the Department of Justice, I worked closely with international partners to secure electronic evidence. While working as a judiciary committee staffer in the Senate, a large portion of my portfolio focused on protecting fundamental privacy and civil rights. Specifically, I worked on legislation addressing digital evidence, consumer privacy, and helped lead efforts within the Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee. Here at CDT, I am excited to continue working on digital rights and advocate for meaningful privacy protections for everyone.

What is your proudest moment while here at CDT? Shortly after joining the CDT team, I started working on a project to develop a privacy framework for unregulated consumer health data. Over the past few months, we have engaged a host of partners and experts in this effort. With that invaluable input, I set about drafting a framework. In late July, I was proud to present a full draft proposal to our steering committee. Over the next few months, I plan to refine and strengthen the framework based on continued feedback.

What is the most recent cultural activity you've been to? This is going back a few months but just before COVID lockdown, I was a Capital One Arena watching the Flyers beat the Capitals. I am a big Philly sports fan and I try to catch games whenever I can. While it is a little strange to say in August, I have the beginnings of a playoff beard in support of the Flyers' playoff run.

Dogs or cats? Dogs - and if you made me pick a specific breed, Jack Russell Terriers get the nod.

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