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APRIL NEWSLETTER  

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Placing Equity at the Center of Health Care & Technology

Modern consumer health technologies like apps and trackers often collect and store troves of individualized health information, which can be combined with other categories of personal data to be analyzed and used in surprising ways. While health data held by medical providers is protected by laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), current regulations fail to adequately address other health data, resulting in privacy harms like discriminatory health treatment and inaccurate and biased data.

A CDT report, Placing Equity at the Center of Health Care & Technology ([link removed]), identifies and suggests ways in which new privacy protections around consumer health information can benefit everyone. The report builds on the Consumer Privacy Framework for Health Data ([link removed]), created by CDT and Executives for Health Innovation (EHI), and identifies reforms designed to curtail data practices whose associated harms can be especially acute for underrepresented and overlooked communities.

When appropriately protected, data generated by our devices and other technologies has the potential to help us all be healthier and address a history of inequities, including inequities in the provision of healthcare. For these critical, life-changing benefits to be realized, we must place the burden of protecting health data on the entities collecting and using the data, change certain consumer health data practices, and root protections in fair and equitable principles.

In Case You Missed It

CDT welcomed a recent human rights impact assessment ([link removed]) of Facebook’s plans to roll out end-to-end encryption for all of its messaging services. The authoritative assessment found that strong end-to-end encryption on social media platforms, used by billions of people around the world, enables human rights. In a blog post ([link removed]), we take a closer look at the assessment’s impact on encryption, metadata, children’s safety, and more.

CDT joined an open letter, along with 30 civil society organizations from around the world, calling on social media platforms to take seven concrete steps to address structural inequalities ([link removed]) in how they treat different countries, markets, and regions in their policies around responding to violent conflicts.

CDT joined an amicus brief by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in NetChoice v. Paxton ([link removed]) CDT joined an amicus brief by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in NetChoice v. Paxton ([link removed]), a case challenging the Texas social media law HB 20. We argue that, by requiring covered platforms to not “censor a user” on the basis of the “viewpoint” the user expresses, the law violates platforms’ First Amendment-protected right to exercise editorial discretion by engaging in content moderation.

The recently-enacted 21st Century Cures Act, which passed over the objections of disabled activists, requires personal care attendants to use an Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system that records attendance, geographic location, and other invasive details about how they do their jobs. Increasingly, states are attempting to meet EVV requirements through apps or software programs to make it “easier” for disabled people and support workers, but these programs can be intrusive and cause new privacy violations. We called for states to act on their own ([link removed]) to develop and implement clear regulations limiting the use of the most harmful types of EVV systems.

CDT in the Press

CDT President & CEO Alexandra Reeve Givens joined NBC ([link removed]) to discuss the impacts of using artificial intelligence software in hiring.

CDT Director of Policy Samir Jain spoke to the Washington Post ([link removed]) about the future of Twitter’s leadership, saying “Consolidating control is not the way to protect democracy and enhance free expression. It will only exacerbate the concerns that people have over the degree to which these companies have influence over our discourse.”

Caitlin Vogus, Deputy Director of CDT’s Free Expression Project, was interviewed by Quartz ([link removed]) about reports that Google barred its Russian translators from using the word “war” about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

CDT "in Person"

On April 28, join CDT’s Ridhi Shetty, Policy Analyst for the Privacy & Data team, at the ABA National Symposium on Technology in Labor and Employment Law for a discussion on advanced hiring technologies and their effect on the hiring experience and opportunities for people with disabilities ([link removed]). Panelists will discuss whether these technologies have a disparate impact on people with disabilities or can offer new opportunities for people with disabilities, and how companies can and should accommodate candidates with disabilities so that they can be properly evaluated during the hiring process.

In early April, Mallory Knodel, CDT’s Chief Technology Officer, joined a panel co-hosted by the Stanford Internet Observatory, the Greater Washington DC Chapter of the Internet Society, and CDT to discuss content moderation in an end-to-end encrypted world ([link removed]). 

Have you listened to the latest episode of CDT’s podcast, Tech Talk ([link removed]) the latest episode of CDT’s podcast, Tech Talk ([link removed])? Join host Jamal Magby in a conversation about the importance of cybersecurity for K-12 schools with Doug Casey, Executive Director for the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology, and Cody Venzke, Senior Counsel for CDT’s Equity in Civic Technology Project.

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Staff Spotlight
Dhanaraj Thakur ([link removed]), Research Director 

How long have you been working in digital rights? I would say a little over 10 years now, although I have been working on problems related to the digital divide and online political participation before that. During that time I have been fortunate enough to travel to and collaborate with people in many different countries. The struggle to protect our rights is real everywhere but we are making progress.

What is your proudest moment while at CDT? We have an amazing group of people at CDT and I am not just saying that because I am here. I think that was evident when I worked with folks from different teams on our research examining content moderation on E2EE communication services. It was hard work and seeing the end result and how it informed our advocacy was great. I am also proud of the work of my research team colleagues and excited about what they will produce soon.

What is the best book you've read recently? There are so many cool books that I keep hearing about (including from CDT's book club) and I have a long list of books to get to. One that I completed recently and is good is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's about — you guessed it — AI.

What is the most recent cultural activity you've been to? Does stand-up count? I went to a Hasan Minhaj show recently in person and it was great. There were jokes about the politics of everything: family, identity, immigrants, authoritarians, and of course the U.S.

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