CDT stands up against attacks on free expression and civil liberties.


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CDT stands up against attacks on free expression and civil liberties.



At a moment of dramatic technical and policy change, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) remains committed to our mission of promoting civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age. That includes defending ordinary users against efforts to police constitutionally-protected speech. CDT is committed not just to standing up against individual instances of censorship, but against policies that produce a chilling effect, forcing people to consider whether it's "safe" to weigh in on matters of public concern.



CDT strongly
opposed the Trump Administration’s decision to collect social media handles ([link removed])
for individuals applying for immigration benefits, laying out in detail how this decision will
undermine free expression ([link removed])
protections provided by the First Amendment. As we've already seen, this kind of surveillance not only enables the Administration to engage in viewpoint-based enforcement -- such as
revocation of student visas ([link removed])
for protected speech -- but also has a profound chilling effect even on those who aren't directly targeted.

Along with civil society partners, CDT defended freedom of the press and advocated for journalist protections in the aftermath of a
March 14 Executive Order targeting the U.S. Agency for Global Media ([link removed]), emphasizing the agency's critical role in the dissemination of news and preservation of democracy worldwide. We also stood up for editorial discretion, calling on the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to end its unconstitutional jawboning of CBS ([link removed])
and reverse its
increasingly politicized agenda ([link removed]).

In response to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request for comment on technology platform censorship, CDT and our allies at the Electronic Frontier Foundation explained how content moderation
can enhance users ([link removed])
and experiences online. CDT cautioned against FTC enforcement actions that preference particular perspectives, suggesting that the commission instead use its authority to foster competition in the social media market and the digital marketplace of ideas.

Meanwhile, CDT has raised the alarm about sweeping changes that are undermining long-held checks on the government's surveillance powers. This includes the Trump Administration's illegal firing of members of the
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board ([link removed])
(PCLOB), as well as its firings of many independent watchdogs and privacy and civil liberties officers throughout the federal government. From the moment the PCLOB news broke, CDT experts spoke out,
highlighting PCLOB’s vital role ([link removed]). We were gratified when a
federal judge confirmed those firings were indeed illegal ([link removed]).

CDT has also been speaking out about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)'s
unprecedented access to government information ([link removed]), emphasizing the relevant laws and cybersecurity and privacy risks for reporters and Congressional offices alike. We've advised members of Congress looking to
strengthen the Privacy Act ([link removed]), joined hundreds of organizations urging Congress to
protect taxpayer privacy ([link removed]), and called on the private
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for their customers' data from the federal government.


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CDT Opposes Trump Administration Initiative to Routinely Collect Social Media Identifiers from Applicants for Immigration Benefits ([link removed])


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Letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr on politicization at the FCC ([link removed])


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Who Will Fight for the First Amendment? CDT event with FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and free speech experts ([link removed])


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CDT Joins 80 Orgs in Raising Major Concerns with NIH Proposal to Compile Autism “Registry” ([link removed])


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CDT Stands Up for Taxpayer Privacy ([link removed])


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CDT and the Leadership Conference Release New Analysis of Immigration, DOGE, and Data Privacy ([link removed])




In an unprecedented time of change in Washington, CDT is fighting for people's right to express themselves, to participate in lawful protest, to engage in the marketplace of ideas - and to have a government that is bound by checks and balances and the rule of law. If you are not yet engaged and want to learn more, please reply to this email to join the conversation. You can help advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age.


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#CONNECT WITH CDT


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