CDT Tech Talks

[NOTE: No, that's not a typo in the title – we're having funs with puns. NOTE NOTE: You make notice this EU segment is the same as one posted on it's own. It is.] It will be a very busy year in tech and internet policy in Europe, with a number of major policies rolling out, including the General Data Protection Regulation and the ePrivacy regulation. In this episode, our Brussels-based EU policy t...

More on CDTEU: https://twitter.com/cdteu More on Jens: https://twitter.com/JensJeppesenCDT More on Laura: https://twitter.com/Blaunco More on our host, Brian: bit.ly/cdtbrian Attribution: sounds used from Psykophobia, Taira Komori, BenKoning, Zabuhailo, bloomypetal, guitarguy1985, bmusic92, and offthesky of freesound.org.

With the new year's optimism also comes numerous policy challenges to our digital rights and concerns about the ways technology and the internet might be adversely affecting society. Host Brian Wesolowski previews the year ahead with CDT’s President & CEO Nuala O’Connor and CDT’s VP of Policy Chris Calabrese. More on Nuala: https://twitter.com/privacymama More on Chris: https://twitter.com/CRCalab...

As 2017 winds down, we talk about two issues that are core to CDT’s advocacy efforts - in fact two issues that we seem to keep talking about without resolution. The first is net neutrality – we’ll talk with CDT Policy Counsel Ferras Vinh about what the Chairman’s proposal means and what the path ahead for supporters of net neutrality looks like. Then we talk about US government surveillance and a...

Host Brian Wesolowski tackles a supremely interesting topic, sitting down with Professor (and previous DC Public Defender) Andrew G. Ferguson. His new book," The Rise of Big Data Policing," takes a look at the latest data fueled technologies being used by police departments and examines the impact these technologies are having on society. Would you be comfortable having a score attached to you abo...

Host Brian Wesolowski steps away from the microphone (again) for this episode – instead we get to hear from Vox Media video producer Carlos Maza, Stand Up Republic co-founder Mindy Finn, and playwright Jennifer Haley. Maza, Finn, and Haley were speakers at CDT's recent “The Future of Speech Online” event, and were all tasked with thinking about the challenges and opportunities that that the intern...

Host Brian Wesolowski steps away from the microphone for this episode – instead we get to hear from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson. Chairman Pai and DeRay were speakers at CDT's recent “The Future of Speech Online” event, and were both tasked with thinking about the challenges and opportunities that that the internet creates for speakers. They reflected on what they...

Host Brian Wesolowski sits down with CDT's Free Expression Director Emma Llansó to discuss whether SESTA is a case where good intentions to address a serious issue create a policy that will do more harm than good. SESTA, simplified and analyzed. Then Brian talks with University of Washington graduate student Jared Moore, who has created a multimedia art installation that is aimed making people mor...

Host Brian Wesolowski brings in Michelle De Mooy to chat about CDT's complaint with the FTC about a popular VPN (Hotspot Shield Free) that we believe isn’t living up to its privacy promises. Then Brian chat's with Natasha Duarte about a new tool from CDT that helps the developers of algorithms think about the broader social ramifications of the decisions they program, our Digital Decisions Tool (b...

Host Brian Wesolowski sits down with Melissa Blaustein to discuss whether lawmakers are effectively engaging entrepreneurs and startups in policy debates –– and do these startups know the most effective ways to engage? Then he brings in CDT's Free Expression Fellow, Taylor Moore, to detail how she's helping launch a legal clinic for all creators aimed at helping them take control of their IP. PLUS...

Host Brian Wesolowski brings in Joe Babler to discuss the privacy practices of startups in the education space. Unquestionably, privacy matters if you have a business that wants to leverage student data, but are edtech startups thinking about privacy, and if they are, how are they communicating their practices to parents, teachers, and students? A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon shares th...

Today we talk about the fact and fiction of Russia’s hacking the 2016 US election. What do we know and what can be done to make our elections more cyber secure in the future? And we also talk about taking control of your own cyber security, specifically about VPNs. Sales of VPNs in the US have skyrocketed since the election as more citizens worry about their personal information being compromised....

In this episode we had the chance to talk about the future of news with one of the most venerable media outlets in America - the Christian Science Monitor. They are changing the way they bring news to their readers and working to thrive in the trust economy. David Grant, the Monitor's Associate Publisher, shares their story with us. And then we discuss an important law for the intelligence communi...

Host Brian Wesolowski sits down with Natasha and Vijay from our Privacy and Data team to shine a spotlight on the myriad ways states are taking privacy regulations into their own hands, after several moves in the opposite direction from Congress. Then Brian brings in Steve Boms, Vice President of Government Affairs at Envestnet | Yodlee, to discuss what's happening at the crossroads of finance and...

In light of the swirling energy around net neutrality, Brian brings in CDT's Policy Counsel for our Open Internet Project Ferras Vinh to break down what Chairman Pai's efforts mean, whether your an ISP, an internet company or service, or a regular user. Then Brian chats with Anne LaFond of the John Show, Inc. to discuss the ever important, often overlooked impact of technology and the internet on...

Brian brings in Courtney Radsch –– Advocacy Director for the Committee to Protect Journalists and author of "Cyberactivism and Citizen Journalism in Egypt: Digital Dissidence and Political Change" –– to discuss fake news. Is fake news something fictional being presented as fact? An opinion posted as a news story? Or is it simply any news story that you don’t like? Listen for more. More info on Cou...

In 2016, Teen Vogue became a leading voice for youth activism and civic engagement, while shifting to a digital-first format. Brian sat down with Phillip Picardi, digital editorial director, and Marie Suter, creative director, to honor Teen Vogue’s leadership team with CDT's Digital Visionary Award at its 2017 Annual Dinner, Tech Prom, on April 20. Why we chose Teen Vogue: http://bit.ly/2qbwYiD Mo...

Host Brian Wesolowski took Tech Talk on the road to Brussels for RightsCon, which is an incredible annual gatherings on the future of the global internet. Our full line up: *Marietje Schaake, Member of European Parliament, Netherlands: http://bit.ly/2oc7FyQ *Wafa Ben-Hassine, regional lead, Access Now: http://bit.ly/2o5bZ2F *Javier Pallero, regional lead, Access Now: http://bit.ly/2oDAu8x *Joe McN...

Host Brian Wesolowski sits down with author and professor Shobita Parthasarathy about intellectual property. She breaks down how different approaches to patents in the United States and Europe can lead to very different policy outcomes, especially around controversial issues such as patenting life forms. Then Brian brings in a crowd – Daniel O'Maley of the Center for International Media Assistance...

Host Brian Wesolowski took his show on the road, heading to Austin for this year's SXSW 2017 Interactive Festival. We chatted with the Newseum, American University, the Charles Koch Institute, a variety of EU startups and CDT staff. Listen to get the scoop on what's happening at the cross-sections of tech! FULL LINEUP: Jeffrey Herbst – President & CEO, Newseum Mitch Gelman – Senior Fellow, Media &...

Host Brian Wesolowski chats with Canada’s newest hero, Jessica Davey-Quantick (or Oxford C’mon, if you go by her stage name). As a journalist and a burlesque dancer, she details her experience with harassment online and why she felt it was so important to take action. Then Brian brings in Joe Jerome – CDT's Policy Counsel on the Privacy & Data team – to discuss our latest paper, “Should it stay or...

CDT President & CEO Nuala O'Connor sits down to discuss why Trump's executive order stopping the application of Privacy Act provisions to non-US persons is a critical mistake. She was originally part of the team at the Department of Homeland Security that helped develop the policy, and examines the dangers of it's repeal with host Brian Wesolowski. Then author and researcher Adam Tanner calls in t...

January 28th is Data Privacy Day and hopefully you all have plans to mark the day. Data Privacy Day is held each year to create awareness about the importance of privacy and protecting personal information - something everyone at CDT certainly believes in. Joining Brian to talk about this year's theme [“Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data, and Enabling Trust”] is Michael Kaiser, Executive Direct...

When it comes to companies operating in the so-called “gig” economy, policy makers at all levels are likely to have a strong opinion. But regardless of one’s view, it’s hard to argue that many of these services are incredibly popular, both for those offering their services and for the users. We’ve already looked at this issue a bit through the lens of Section 230, as well as privacy policies, etc....

Is math biased? That seems like a silly question - in math there is right and wrong, so how could it possibly be biased. But humans use math and develop mathematical models and algorithms, and well, humans can certainly be biased. So, well, maybe math can in fact be biased. In her new book, Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil explores how big data is increasing inequality and threatening dem...