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# Technology and Privacy 

At a Glance 

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, youth online safety, identification, data security, and the information economy; the importance of free speech; the benefits of new technologies including artificial intelligence; regulation of traditional telecommunications, internet network management, and electromagnetic spectrum.

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#### Featured Content 

[![ai health](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-09/GettyImages-2213261043.jpg?itok=WH6AP26M)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/more-people-are-asking-ai-health-questions-thats-good) 

Commentary 

## [More People Are Asking AI Health Questions, and That’s Good](/commentary/more-people-are-asking-ai-health-questions-thats-good) 

By [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) and [Jeffrey A. Singer](https://www.cato.org/people/jeffrey-singer) 

ChatGPT is not your doctor, but AI chatbots can be an important tool for empowering patients, improving access to information, and even providing better medical care.

[![social media ban](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-07/GettyImages-2197507386.jpg?itok=4ps4gA3S)](https://www.cato.org/research-briefs-economic-policy/australias-social-media-ban-did-not-change-norms) 

Study 

### [Australia’s Social Media Ban Did Not Change Norms](/research-briefs-economic-policy/australias-social-media-ban-did-not-change-norms) 

By Leonardo Bursztyn, Aaron Leonard, Angela L. Duckworth, Rafael Jiménez-Durán, Filip Milojević, Christopher Roth, & Cass R. Sunstein 

Adherence to Australia’s social media ban was low and declined over time, suggesting that restrictions can be easily circumvented and may do little to reduce use when teenagers’ peers remain online.

[![artificial intelligence slow down](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-09/GettyImages-2252885806.jpg?itok=KLdwmsbo)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/even-slowed-down-ai-may-trigger-severe-economic-disruption) 

Commentary 

### [Even a Slowed-Down AI May Trigger Severe Economic Disruption](/commentary/even-slowed-down-ai-may-trigger-severe-economic-disruption) 

By [Ryan Bourne](https://www.cato.org/people/ryan-bourne) 

Putting the brakes on artificial intelligence development won’t stop the technology from delivering a GDP boost — and widespread job displacement.

[![Typical Flock camera](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-08/Flock%20camera.jpg?itok=2kJJFFIs)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/dems-republicans-unite-behind-common-enemy-flock-cameras-are-documenting-everybody) 

Commentary 

### [Dems and Republicans Unite Behind a Common Enemy: Flock Cameras That Are ‘Documenting Everybody All the Time’](/commentary/dems-republicans-unite-behind-common-enemy-flock-cameras-are-documenting-everybody) 

By [Rikki Schlott](https://www.cato.org/people/rikki-schlott) 

There are no uniform national rules restricting how the information collected by Flock cameras can be accessed or used, and police departments across the country have wildly different retention periods for the data.

[![Artificial Intelligence - AI - digital](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2025-06/GettyImages-2084953035.jpg?itok=2L1-YkCC)](https://www.cato.org/regulation/fall-2026/ai-how-safe-safe-enough) 

Regulation 

### [AI: How Safe Is Safe Enough?](/regulation/fall-2026/ai-how-safe-safe-enough) 

By Randall Mayes 

Risk assessment of artificial intelligence using proportionality and foresight, not government overregulation, maximizes benefits and minimizes risks.

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##### [Will Duffield](/people/will-duffield)

Adjunct Scholar

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##### [Christopher Gardner](/people/christopher-gardner)

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##### [Jennifer Huddleston](/people/jennifer-huddleston)

Senior Fellow in Technology Policy

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##### [David Inserra](/people/david-inserra)

Fellow for Free Expression and Technology

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##### [Juan Londoño](/people/juan-londono)

Policy Analyst

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##### [John Samples](/people/john-samples)

Senior Fellow