Center on Privacy & Technology

Center on Privacy & Technology
Name	Center on Privacy & Technology
Formation	2009
Type	Research center
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Parent organization	Georgetown University Law Center
Leader title	Director
Leader name	Christopher Soghoian

Center on Privacy & Technology is a research center based at Georgetown University Law Center focused on privacy, surveillance, and civil liberties. Founded in 2009, it analyzes technologies used in law enforcement, national security, and corporate settings while engaging with policymakers, courts, media, and civil society. The center collaborates with scholars, journalists, and advocacy organizations to produce empirical studies, policy recommendations, and litigation support.

History

The center was established within Georgetown University Law Center during a period marked by debates over the Patriot Act, Edward Snowden disclosures, and rising use of biometric systems by agencies such as Federal Bureau of Investigation and municipal police departments. Early work intersected with cases involving the Fourth Amendment and litigation pursued by organizations including American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Center for Democracy & Technology. Founding personnel engaged with reporters at outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ProPublica while contributing expertise to congressional hearings in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Over time the center has tracked transitions from face recognition deployments by firms such as Clearview AI and NEC Corporation to the adoption of predictive policing tools developed by companies including Palantir Technologies and PredPol.

Mission and Focus Areas

The center's mission emphasizes protecting civil liberties through empirical research on technological surveillance and legal advocacy relating to statutes like the Fourth Amendment and frameworks from international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights. Key focus areas include biometric identification systems used by vendors such as NEC Corporation and Clearview AI, automated decision-making platforms from firms like IBM and Amazon (company), location tracking via networks involving Verizon Communications, AT&T, and device ecosystems such as Apple Inc. and Google LLC. It examines government programs tied to agencies including the National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and municipal police forces like the New York Police Department and Chicago Police Department. The center also prioritizes transparency and accountability in partnerships between technology firms such as Microsoft and public institutions like Department of Justice and international organizations such as the United Nations.

Major Projects and Initiatives

Projects have included empirical audits of face recognition deployments at venues such as airports operated by Transportation Security Administration and stadiums where entities like Madison Square Garden contract with vendors. Studies have evaluated mass surveillance practices revealed in leaks related to Edward Snowden and programs like PRISM. The center has produced analyses of private-sector databases compiled by data brokers such as Acxiom and Equifax (company), and examined social media scraping by platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Collaborative initiatives have partnered with legal clinics at Harvard Law School, investigative teams at The Intercept, and advocacy networks including Access Now and Ranking Digital Rights to challenge practices by companies such as Clearview AI, Palantir Technologies, and Amazon (company). Technical engagements have involved researchers from University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University to validate findings on algorithmic bias and error rates in systems developed by IBM and other vendors.

Policy Impact and Advocacy

The center has informed legislative efforts in bodies like the United States Congress and in state legislatures such as those of California, New York (state), and Massachusetts on moratoria and regulations addressing face recognition and automated decision systems. It has submitted expert testimony before committees chaired by members such as representatives associated with hearings in the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Strategic litigation has influenced rulings in courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and district courts where plaintiffs were represented by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier Foundation. The center’s reports have been cited in policy proposals from municipal governments like the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and international policy dialogues involving the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Research and Publications

The center publishes empirical reports, white papers, and technical appendices that have been referenced by journalists at The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wired (magazine), and The Guardian. Notable publications analyzed facial recognition accuracy, municipal surveillance procurement contracts, and law enforcement use of license plate readers used by agencies such as Los Angeles Police Department and Metropolitan Police Service (London). Collaborative research projects have produced datasets and methodologies coauthored with scholars from Cornell University, Columbia University, and New York University and have been presented at conferences such as DEF CON, Black Hat Briefings, and the International Association of Privacy Professionals events. The work has been cited in academic journals and by NGOs including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Funding and Governance

The center receives support from foundations and philanthropic entities such as the MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and technology-oriented funders including Knight Foundation. It operates within the governance structure of Georgetown University and coordinates with legal clinics and research programs at institutions like Georgetown University Law Center and partner universities including Harvard University and Yale University. Leadership has included directors and advisors with affiliations to organizations such as ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and academic appointments at universities like George Mason University. Governance practices emphasize disclosure and academic independence in grant relationships with institutional oversight bodies such as university boards and compliance offices.

Category:Privacy organizations Category:Georgetown University