Center for Democracy & Technology
 | |
| Type: | Non-Profit |
| Industry: | Internet |
| Headquarters: | Washington |
| Country: | United States |
| Website: | http://www.cdt.org |
| Key People | |
| Leslie Harris, President and CEO | |
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) is an organization composed of experts in law, policy and technology. They are dedicated in working to develop, ensure and maintain the free expression and privacy in communications and technologies, particularly the Internet. The organization is continuously looking for practical and innovative solutions to the challenges in public policy while protecting the liberty of the people.
It is also committed to building agreements between all parties that are interested in the future of the Internet industry as well as other emerging mediums of communications.[1]
Leslie Harris is the President and CEO of CDT and the organization is located in Washington, D.C.
History
For more than 15 years now, CDT has been assisting the government in formulating internet related policies focusing on issues from the First Amendment free speech rights, to Fourth Amendment of “search and seizure” protections to provide a top-level security encryption and online privacy for consumers.[2]
Mission
A 501 (c) (3) non-profit public policy organization, CDT is dedicated to promoting the democratic potential of today's open, decentralized, global Internet. Its mission is to conceptualize, develop, and implement public policies to maintain an openness, innovation and free expression in the internet.[3]
The Center for Democracy and Technology is focused on following issues:
- Free Expression
- Health Privacy Security and Surveillance
- Digital Copyright
- Global Internet Freedom
- Open Government
- Internet Openness and Standards[4]
Awards
CDT received the 2011 Privacy Leadership Award from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) in March 10, 2011, in recognition for their on-going efforts in implementing internet innovation and their advocacy in online privacy. The IAPP President and CEO Trevor Hughes cited that the organization has been "consistently and effectively been a leading voice for free expression and privacy, and its tremendous work in building consensus among stakeholders and finding innovative solutions to guide online privacy policy.[5]
CDT and ICANN
CDT has been openly advocating policy makers to ensure that ICANN remains independent from any government agency and should not be involved in carrying out solutions in any legal disputes concerning individual web addresses.
On October 12, 2006, CDT issued as press statement criticizing the move of e360Insight, llc. asking the federal court in Chicago to order ICANN to suspend the web address of Spamhaus (spamhouse.org), a London-based anti-spam group. CDT argued that ICANN is a technical body that oversees the global Domain Name System and does not directly control or manage individual Internet addresses. Furthermore, the organization emphasized it doesn't have the legal authority to act on the e360Insight's proposal to the court.[6]