Center for Democracy & Technology
@cdt.org
The Center for Democracy & Technology. Shaping technology policy and architecture, with a focus on equity and justice. @cdteu.org for our EU-based team.
https://cdt.org
https://cdt.org
CDT signed an earlier version of the letter that encouraged the Senate to include the amendment in its version of the NDAA. The amendment, led by Senator @wyden.senate.gov & Lummis, was ultimately incl. in the Senate-passed version of the NDAA, but was unfortunately absent from the House version.
November 10, 2025 at 11:58 PM
CDT signed an earlier version of the letter that encouraged the Senate to include the amendment in its version of the NDAA. The amendment, led by Senator @wyden.senate.gov & Lummis, was ultimately incl. in the Senate-passed version of the NDAA, but was unfortunately absent from the House version.
CDT’s companion blog to our report dives into the unresolved tensions in managing context-specific AI risks, exploring why assessing the impact for vulnerable users is complex—and why context matters.
Unresolved Tensions in Managing Contextual AI Risks
Content advisory: This report includes discussion of disordered eating, self-harm, and mental health issues. Today CDT released a report examining how generative AI systems may create risks for people vulnerable to eating disorders. In existing approaches to AI risk assessment, risks are often organized into taxonomies that group different kinds of risks together. Many such […]
cdt.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
CDT’s companion blog to our report dives into the unresolved tensions in managing context-specific AI risks, exploring why assessing the impact for vulnerable users is complex—and why context matters.
Alongside CDT’s new report, we’ve released an infographic aimed at clinicians and caregivers helping summarize the key categories of AI-related risks, supporting the need for accessible resources to help these communities recognize and manage potential risks: cdt.org/wp-content/u...
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Alongside CDT’s new report, we’ve released an infographic aimed at clinicians and caregivers helping summarize the key categories of AI-related risks, supporting the need for accessible resources to help these communities recognize and manage potential risks: cdt.org/wp-content/u...
Drawing on insights from 15 experts, CDT’s Amy Winecoff + Stanford’s @klyman.bsky.social develop a taxonomy that identifies risks like “thinspiration” content, reinforcement of disordered behaviors, & emotional amplification — & outlines steps to make AI safer for vulnerable users.
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Drawing on insights from 15 experts, CDT’s Amy Winecoff + Stanford’s @klyman.bsky.social develop a taxonomy that identifies risks like “thinspiration” content, reinforcement of disordered behaviors, & emotional amplification — & outlines steps to make AI safer for vulnerable users.
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
TLDR: the convergence of content creators and transnational repression underscores the truly global nature of the internet and the interdependence human rights around the world. Norms, global internet governance, and accountability matter - it's a problem if we let autocrats dictate them
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
TLDR: the convergence of content creators and transnational repression underscores the truly global nature of the internet and the interdependence human rights around the world. Norms, global internet governance, and accountability matter - it's a problem if we let autocrats dictate them
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
Having this law on the books will justify policing and surveillance of speech overseas, as well as enforcement through the usual methods (legal harassment, coercion by proxy, document controls, etc), let alone facing repercussions upon return to China from abroad
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Having this law on the books will justify policing and surveillance of speech overseas, as well as enforcement through the usual methods (legal harassment, coercion by proxy, document controls, etc), let alone facing repercussions upon return to China from abroad
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
The next piece: transnational repression. People travel! They communicate across borders! Beijing engages in one of the most prolific campaigns of TNR in the world. One of the unique characteristics is the view that the Chinese expats/diaspora are under CCP authority.
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
The next piece: transnational repression. People travel! They communicate across borders! Beijing engages in one of the most prolific campaigns of TNR in the world. One of the unique characteristics is the view that the Chinese expats/diaspora are under CCP authority.
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
But policy hasn't caught up to reality. @beccabranum.bsky.social and I have a report coming out about US political influencers soon, looking at when company and govt policy do (and don't) apply + risks to democracy. Our blog previews some of the issues in the meantime: cdt.org/insights/thi...
This is Not An #Ad: Political Influencers, Elections, and Information Integrity on Social Media
The rise of political influencers is among the latest ways that digital technology has changed how campaigns interact with voters and how voters engage with politics. CDT’s research in this area is de...
cdt.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
But policy hasn't caught up to reality. @beccabranum.bsky.social and I have a report coming out about US political influencers soon, looking at when company and govt policy do (and don't) apply + risks to democracy. Our blog previews some of the issues in the meantime: cdt.org/insights/thi...
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
We're only beginning to grapple with the shift to creators as major informers in the US. Last week Mamdani gave a creators-only press conference (h/t @taylorlorenz.bsky.social) - it's the cool new way to engage people in politics. We ❤️ democratic participation www.usermag.co/p/zohran-jus...
Zohran just hosted the first press conference exclusively for content creators
The event reached more than 77.3 million users across social platforms.
www.usermag.co
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
We're only beginning to grapple with the shift to creators as major informers in the US. Last week Mamdani gave a creators-only press conference (h/t @taylorlorenz.bsky.social) - it's the cool new way to engage people in politics. We ❤️ democratic participation www.usermag.co/p/zohran-jus...
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
I raise it because it speaks to the importance of these non-traditional sources online. Individual people/creators hold so much power and value.
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I raise it because it speaks to the importance of these non-traditional sources online. Individual people/creators hold so much power and value.
Reposted by Center for Democracy & Technology
First up: influencers. This is a law dictating who can talk about what in the name of combatting misinfo. Clear violation of the right to free expression (yes I know it's China, but bear with me). Even the short list of issues here could impact political speech
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
First up: influencers. This is a law dictating who can talk about what in the name of combatting misinfo. Clear violation of the right to free expression (yes I know it's China, but bear with me). Even the short list of issues here could impact political speech
The rubric CDT sets out in this report provides guidance to vendors on what info they should provide about their products that incorporate AI, as well as what school administrators should demand and expect before they purchase and use such products.
Opening the Book: A Rubric to Support Effective Transparency for EdTech Products that Incorporate AI
Also authored by Morgan Badurak. Executive Summary The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational technology (edtech) in the K–12 space has grown significantly (Grand View Research, 2025), and schools are being encouraged to adopt AI by a range of actors from states (Dwyer, 2025) to the federal government (White House, 2025) to industry (Gulezian, […]
cdt.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:21 PM
The rubric CDT sets out in this report provides guidance to vendors on what info they should provide about their products that incorporate AI, as well as what school administrators should demand and expect before they purchase and use such products.
CDT’s Linzer: “...[adding that DHS’s expansions] ‘also risk stoking baseless fears about voter fraud that make our elections less trusted and less safe as we head into consequential midterms.’”
DHS Expands Immigration Database to Include US Citizens, Voter Data
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formalized changes to its federal immigration database, expanding its purpose to include voter registration and verification for both noncitizens and U.S. citizens.
www.meritalk.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:13 PM
CDT’s Linzer: “...[adding that DHS’s expansions] ‘also risk stoking baseless fears about voter fraud that make our elections less trusted and less safe as we head into consequential midterms.’”
CDT’s Linzer: “Expanding the uses of the SAVE database, and the information it contains, increases the likelihood of unacceptable risks, such as disenfranchising voters and pursuing immigration enforcement based on outdated or incomplete information…”
DHS Expands Immigration Database to Include US Citizens, Voter Data
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formalized changes to its federal immigration database, expanding its purpose to include voter registration and verification for both noncitizens and U.S. citizens.
www.meritalk.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:13 PM
CDT’s Linzer: “Expanding the uses of the SAVE database, and the information it contains, increases the likelihood of unacceptable risks, such as disenfranchising voters and pursuing immigration enforcement based on outdated or incomplete information…”
Airlines collect huge amounts of personal data — from your travel history and payment details to biometrics, browsing activity, and even political opinions. Yet there are few rules on how that data can be used or shared.
Totally Exposed at 30,000 Feet
Airlines know an awful lot about their customers. They know where they travel to and from and when they do it. They know their names, contact information, frequent flyer numbers, credit card numbers, and details from travel documents like driver’s licenses or passports. They collect data about individual passengers’ meal preferences, seat assignments, and the […]
cdt.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Airlines collect huge amounts of personal data — from your travel history and payment details to biometrics, browsing activity, and even political opinions. Yet there are few rules on how that data can be used or shared.