Cato’s research on technology policy advances a vision of free minds and free markets within the information policy, information technology, and telecommunications sectors of the American economy. Cato scholars work to address the many contentious public policy concerns and debates surrounding these important sectors, including privacy, identification, data security, and the information economy; regulation of traditional telecommunications, internet network management, and electromagnetic spectrum; and intellectual property issues such as copyrights and patents.
Technology and Privacy
Featured Study
Circumventing Section 230: Product Liability Lawsuits Threaten Internet Speech
Recent product liability suits intended to circumvent Section 230’s protections contravene the statute’s purpose and threaten Americans’ access to the tools upon which they increasingly rely.
Featured Content
Section 230 and the PACT Act
Section 230 of the Communications Act has a new piece of would‐be reform legislation, though the proposal highlights just how hard it is to do content moderation at scale. Mike Masnick of techdirt and Cato’s Will Duffield comment.
Does the 4th Amendment Prohibit Warrantless Drone Surveillance?
Does the Fourth Amendment, which protects against “unreasonable searches and seizures,” prohibit warrantless drone surveillance? The Supreme Court has yet to answer that question, but an appeals court in Michigan recently considered the question, and in an opinion written by Judge Kathleen Jansen answered “Yes.”
Deepfake Laws Risk Creating More Problems Than They Solve
Although deepfake technology is relatively new, it is not clear that it creates unique problems. Accordingly, lawmakers and officials should proceed with caution when considering deepfake technology. Absent careful consideration, legislation intended to prevent the malicious use of deepfake technology could stifle its valuable uses.
The Future of Telehealth: How COVID-19 Is Changing the Delivery of Virtual Care
Protect Privacy When Contact Tracing
Because contact tracing technologies analyze sensitive information about citizens’ locations, they raise civil liberties concerns. Here’s how lawmakers can make them effective and protective of sensitive data.