What do we mean when we talk about platform transparency?
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The term transparency is everywhere in policy debates over the responsibilities of tech platforms and how to best regulate them — and for good reason. Transparency can not only enhance public understanding of how social media and other technology companies operate, it can also help make them more accountable.
But what exactly do we mean when we talk about transparency? It can take a variety of forms, such as transparency reports with aggregate statistics or user notifications about government demands for data, or reports about social media companies’ decisions to take down or leave up certain content. New CDT guidance for policymakers delineates the different ways that policymakers, civil society, the private sector, and the public are discussing tech company transparency, and provides clarity about the potential benefits and tradeoffs of each type.
If we are to achieve meaningful transparency by, and about, technology companies, critical decisions must be made. In the release of these frameworks, we hope to give companies and policymakers the tools they need to protect human rights as they approach these decisions.
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In Case You Missed It
- CDT and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) recently released a report intended to help public interest organizations do more inclusive, effective work at the intersection of technology and disability issues in the U.S. The report explores ways that technology justice organizations can better integrate a disability lens into their work, identifies policy issues at the intersection of disability and technology, and highlights the challenges and needs that must be addressed in order to break down barriers between siloed fields.
- A new CDT report, “Legal Loopholes and Data for Dollars,” examines the concerning and rising practice of federal agencies sidestepping warrant requirements by obtaining data on Americans through commercial purchases from data brokers. This report sheds light on the nature and scale of the data broker to law enforcement and intelligence pipeline, and concludes with recommendations to address these findings. Most critically, Congress should act to close the loophole that is permitting government agencies to evade warrant requirements.
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- A new report, “A Lie Can Travel” — written by CDT, and published by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung — explores recent case studies of election disinformation in the U.S., Brazil, and France. In each, we examine the country’s electoral system and media environment, and interventions aimed at combating disinformation. Our research indicates that the role of government officials and candidates can have an outsized impact, as can the degree of centralization in the administration of elections. We point to several lessons about addressing the problem of election disinformation. At a webinar event this week, we introduced the report and its findings.
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CDT in the Press
Director of Policy Samir Jain spoke to ABC about Twitter’s new private information policy, which advocates fear will result in the takedown of legitimate news content used to document human rights abuses, protest activity and other newsworthy events: "If you know that particular photos of extremists result in a suspension, even if that's eventually overturned, it will make you reluctant to post them even if they’re in the public interest."
Senior Technologist Hannah Quay-de la Vallee talked to the Washington Post about ransomware attacks involving highly personal medical information: “The public has very little control over these types of data. You can’t just not go to the doctor. You can’t just not use the Internet.”
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CDT "in Person"- This past week, CDT hosted the fifth annual Future of Speech Online (FOSO) event. We had in-depth discussions about how to take a user-centric approach to transparency, and what kinds of hurdles stand in the way of independent research on social media services; an interactive session on building a better transparency report; reflections on the global advocacy campaign around the Santa Clara Principles, and what’s coming next; and a lively conversation about whether transparency mandates will hold up in court in the U.S., the EU, and around the world. Learn more about the event and watch the recordings of it on our website.
- CDT’s Lydia X. Z. Brown gave remarks at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) first listening session on civil rights, privacy, and data. They discussed how technology can cause and exacerbate discrimination against people with disabilities — particularly in the contexts of employment, housing, and unregulated consumer health apps. Brown called for federal regulations mandating data safeguards, to be accompanied by Congressional clarification of regulatory and enforcement authority, and sufficient resources to enable meaningful monitoring and enforcement.
- In November, CDT President & CEO Alexandra Givens testified before the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on AI, discussing self-employment, the gig economy, and workers' rights. She spoke about the distinct risks posed to workers' privacy, health, agency, and legal rights by "bossware," or the technological tools employers are increasingly using to monitor, evaluate, and manage workers. Givens called upon Members of Parliament to raise awareness about these technologies and mitigate their risks, and challenge employers to directly consider the impacts of algorithmic systems, with workers empowered to meaningfully shape those conversations.
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Partner Spotlight
CDT is proud to partner with ARTICLE 19 on many projects aimed at defending free expression online, including the recent update to the Santa Clara Principles, interventions in court, and advocacy directed at companies. We were excited to welcome ARTICLE 19's Senior Director for Law and Policy, Barbora Bukovska, as a speaker at this year's Future of Speech Online event, and we were grateful to partner with the organization's Brazil chapter, Artigo 19, in our report "A Lie Can Travel: Election Disinformation in the U.S., Brazil, and France."
ARTICLE 19 is a global human rights advocacy group that works for a world where all people everywhere can freely express themselves and actively engage in public life without fear of discrimination. You can find out more about their work on their website here.
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Staff Spotlight
Matthew Sherer, Senior Policy Counsel for Worker Privacy
How long have you been working in digital rights? I joined CDT in February, and this is my first job where fighting for digital rights has been my primary focus. Prior to that, I had been writing and speaking for about 5 years on the social implications of artificial intelligence and workplace technologies while I was an attorney in private practice.
What is your proudest moment while at CDT? Publishing a major report on the health and safety implications of bossware this past summer. I have a couple other major projects in the works now that I hope to share in a Newsletter in the near future!
What is the best book you've read recently? Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. Although I use the term "read" loosely—I am an audiobook junkie.
What is your fandom? Star Trek, especially The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.
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