Center for Democracy & Technology

This year’s Future of Speech Online, co-hosted by CDT & Stand Together Trust, tackled “The Age of Constitutional Evasion” — examining how govt pressure on private actors shapes online speech and tests free expression. 📺 Watch Day 1: https://lnkd.in/eDQNXN2w 📺 Watch Day 2: https://lnkd.in/eDsJe5BX From Section 230 to AI and global surveillance, speakers explored how evolving tech challenges free speech norms — and why our legal and policy frameworks must evolve too. Thank you to all who joined us for FOSO 2025! https://lnkd.in/eHc4eGhs

How can civil society researchers produce work that’s both rigorous and high-impact? Join CDT, Data & Society, & the ACLU for “Advocating with Evidence: Lessons for Tech Researchers in Civil Society." 📅 Nov 13 | 10–11 AM ET | Online Hear from experts Alice Marwick, Marissa Gerchick, and Dhanaraj Thakur, moderated by Jordan Kraemer — as they share strategies for ethical, effective research that centers marginalized communities. Register: https://lnkd.in/eBcdeP7n

“CDT published a brief on ‘the use of generative AI models to develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for disabled students.’ The brief outlines how AI is being used to develop IEPs, analyzes benefits and risks, and provides recommendations for responsible AI use for teachers, administrators, tool developers, and the disabled community.” https://lnkd.in/e3Fp-zN9 Read the full brief from CDT’s Ariana Aboulafia: https://lnkd.in/d2_jtYc4

MUST READ: CDT’s Aliya Bhatia & Nick Doty propose safeguards that should accompany mandates to deploy age assurance mechanisms to mitigate risks to users’ rights, along with privacy-preserving alternatives to age verification. They outline practical, privacy-preserving guardrails & highlight alternative, rights-respecting approaches like client-side labeling and signaling systems. CDT’s Bhatia + Doty: “By holding age verification providers to these more rights-respecting criteria, we can minimize the degree to which deployments of age verification undermine user rights.” https://lnkd.in/erufiR8U

When tech is built for disabled people but not with them, it often misses the mark. In a new CDT guest post, Achi Mishra explores how to avoid technoableism—the idea that disability is a problem to be “solved” with technology. https://lnkd.in/eeXcnYbA To design assistive tech that truly empowers, start by: 1️⃣ Including disabled communities from the start 2️⃣ Using asset-based (not deficit-based) design 3️⃣ Building trust through transparency https://lnkd.in/eeXcnYbA

“A new study published Oct. 8 by the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) found that 1 in 5 high school students have had a relationship with an AI chatbot, or know someone who has.” https://lnkd.in/ePe4ixDS Read the recent CDT research on how schools’ embrace of AI is connected to increased risks to students: https://lnkd.in/epXsPVnS

🔊 LISTEN NOW: As AI systems shape decisions in healthcare, hiring, and beyond, the need for transparency has never been greater. How can we document these tools in ways that are both meaningful and actionable? Tune into the latest Tech Talks podcast episode on AI Documentation: https://lnkd.in/eKqq5Gj7

Some 42% of students said they or their friends used AI for mental health support, as a friend or companion, or as a way to escape from real life during the 2024-25 school year, according to a survey by the nonprofit CDT.” https://lnkd.in/eg6ustMR “Almost 20% of students reported using AI to have a romantic relationship, according to the CDT survey results released in October.” Read CDT’s recent polling research on the current status of AI use in schools: https://lnkd.in/epXsPVnS

How is AI changing education for students with disabilities? CDT Ariana Aboulafia’s new brief, From Personalized to Programmed, explores the rise of generative AI in developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the legal, ethical, and practical implications. Key findings from Civic Tech polling: 57% of teachers used AI for IEPs or 504 plans in 2024–25 — up 18 points from last year. CDT’s Ariana Aboulafia outlines guidance for teachers, schools, disability advocates, & AI developers to help ensure privacy and equitable outcomes. https://lnkd.in/d2_jtYc4

Up next at #FOSO25: “The Weaponization of Social Media Monitoring.” As governments increasingly deploy automated tools to track online speech, the consequences for privacy and free expression are growing — especially for immigrants and non-citizens. https://lnkd.in/eCYrdmj5 Join CDT and Stand Together Trust to explore how these systems work, where they fail, and the harms of using automation to police protected speech. 🗓️ Oct 29 | 🕛 2–3 PM ET https://lnkd.in/eCYrdmj5