Center for Democracy & Technology

06/05/2026

Election security depends on collaboration, but recent disruptions to federal cyber info sharing are leaving election officials with fewer tools to identify & respond to threats. CDT’s new brief from Geoff Hale examines how these fractures put election resilience at risk & what needs to be done to restore a stronger security ecosystem. Read more:

[ Full PDF ] Every day brings us closer to another election. In the best of times, elections are immensely complex logistical endeavors that involve navigating requirements for eligibility, accessibility, ballot secrecy, and security. Today, those same requirements must be met under the persistent t...

06/05/2026

CDT’s Eric Null in Inside AI Policy: "Passing a privacy law is step one in AI policy. AI and data are inextricably intertwined, so much so that companies are desperately seeking new sources of data to train AI.”
CDT’s Null: “However, privacy law will not protect against every AI harm. Preventing data misuse or algorithmic discrimination will not solve other AI harms related to, for example, deepfakes, data centers, or the creation of child sexual abuse material.”
CDT’s Null: "That said, the SECURE Data Act doesn't provide even basic privacy or AI protections.”
“The bill essentially cements current industry data practices, where companies set their own rules that consumers are forced to accept, allowing industry to continue collecting & processing [] any data it likes for purposes such as AI training, behavioral advertising, & amassing profiles.”
CDT’s Null: “Its data minimization provisions would be better titled data maximization.” "
CDT’s Null: “Its civil rights protections are ineffectual, and given the bill preempts stronger state privacy and civil rights laws, it would be better for Congress to pass nothing rather than pass the SECURE Data Act."

06/05/2026

ICYMI: In the latest episode of CDT’s Tech Talks, we discuss AI-generated speech, content moderation, and the policy challenges shaping the future of online expression with FIRE’s John Coleman and CDT’s Becca Branum. Listen now:

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, policymakers, technologists, and advocates are grappling with a critical question: how do we govern AI while protecting free expression? In this episode we will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, free....

06/05/2026

Last night, efforts to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA 702) without meaningful reform faced another dramatic failure: the Senate voted 47-52, against starting debate on a bill that would extend the law for three years.

The status quo is unacceptable to lawmakers, and unsafe for the American public. There’s only one way out of this mess, and it’s straightforward: stop muzzling the debate on genuine reforms, and allow a vote on warrants.

CDT’s Jake Laperruque: Trump installing Bill Pulte as DNI shows that he wants absolute power to surveil Americans and misuse FISA against his political enemies. We can’t stop that by meekly hoping Trump’s next intelligence community appointees are less dangerous. Strong safeguards like a warrant rule are the only way to prevent abuse.

Seven Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Friday joined Democrats to block debate on reauthorization of an expiring foreign surveillance law.

06/04/2026

“The [AI] EO pushes for ‘desperately needed resources for state and local officials,’ the CDT’s VP of Policy Samir Jain said in an emailed statement.”
“However, [CDT’s Jain] also warned that the EO should not be used as a ‘mechanism for the Admin to punish companies for political or other arbitrary reasons,’ noting that CDT will be monitoring implementation.”

An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday highlights security considerations and directs specific federal agencies to take actions intended to strengthen cybersecurity.

06/04/2026

From the “Polybius” urban legend to today’s debates over online harms, gaming has long been the subject of public anxiety. A new CDT essay series, Panic at the Arcade?, explores what games can teach us about trust & safety, and why evidence-based approaches matter. https://cdt.org/insights/panic-at-the-arcade-an-introduction-to-five-essays-on-gaming-trust-safety/
Online games are more than entertainment: they’re digital communities where people create, connect, and build identities, but they can also present real challenges around harassment, privacy, and safety. This series explores how the gaming industry approaches trust & safety. https://cdt.org/insights/panic-at-the-arcade-an-introduction-to-five-essays-on-gaming-trust-safety/
Across 5 essays, experts examine how design & moderation can help create safer online spaces:
🎮 Rachel Kowert on how civil society can better engage with gaming communities
🎮 Dr. Lindsay Grace on the “curb-cut effect” of digital safety
🎮 Vaishnavi J. on moving beyond violations in child safety

More perspectives:
🎮 Matt Soeth & Josh Chapdelaine on prosocial design in gaming
🎮 Mike Pappas on privacy-preserving approaches to moderation
Read Panic at the Arcade? An Introduction to Five Essays on Gaming Trust & Safety: https://cdt.org/insights/panic-at-the-arcade-an-introduction-to-five-essays-on-gaming-trust-safety/

06/04/2026

CDT’s Michal Luria on new research: “But when we started digging, we quickly learned that as tech companies’ products evolved beyond social media platforms to include [AI] chatbots, the incentives that previously encouraged dark patterns haven’t changed, so neither have the patterns themselves.”

Jun 2nd, 2026 - Can Claude Mythos Preview really supercharge cyberattackers’ ability to exploit vulnerabilities?

06/03/2026

“CDT’s VP of policy, Samir Jain, likewise said that the [AI] EO takes necessary steps to address risks to critical infrastructure, and like others, he praised the choice to make the framework non-mandatory. That trusted partners element, however, raised his hackles, too.”
CDT’s Jain: “The EO should not become a mechanism for the Administration to punish companies for political or other arbitrary reasons, and so we will be closely monitoring the details of its implementation as they emerge.”

Government gets a say in 'trusted partner' access, and that worries policy experts

06/03/2026

AI companions are becoming more common, but we know little about their long-term impacts. CDT’s new research with Wellesley College will explore how neurodivergent young adults use AI chatbots for social connection,& what design choices shape benefits + harms. Read more:

Also authored by McKynzie (Kynzie) Clark. AI chatbots capable of and even designed for social companionship have proliferated in recent years. Ranging from generative AI platforms with chat interfaces (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity) to more visually stimulating AI-powered avatars capable of t...

06/03/2026

“‘People may not have realized that for years these [automated license plate detectors] have been working,’ Tom Bowman, the policy counsel for CDT’s Security & Surveillance Project, told Fortune.”
CDT’s Bowman: “It was only once they saw ICE officials or CBP officials in their own communities that they realized that this data was leaking out from their immediate jurisdiction, and that really forced it into attention.”
“In many cases, these cities are caught in a contractual trap where [they] have signed multimillion dollar contracts with Flock without realizing that they lacked legal or technical mechanisms to force Flock to actually shut down the cameras upon cancellation:”
“‘If we’re not going to get sensible guardrails for these systems,’ [CDT’s] Bowman said, ‘maybe we shouldn’t be using these systems at all.’”

City governments across the country have suspended use of Flock Safety cameras over concerns of data being used for immigration enforcement.