The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit organization that has been a leading advocate for digital rights and civil liberties in the internet age since its founding in 1994. Established by Jerry Berman, former policy director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, CDT was created in response to expanding government surveillance capabilities, particularly following the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The organization operates as a nonpartisan voice for protecting privacy, security, and free expression in our increasingly digital world.
CDT works across seven key focus areas: commercial privacy and data protection, free expression online, security and surveillance issues, internet architecture and standards, elections and democracy, and competition policy. The organization influences technology policy through multiple channels—advocating to policymakers and courts in both the U.S. and Europe, engaging with technology companies to improve their policies and product designs, and shaping public discourse on major technology policy issues. CDT has gained particular prominence for initiatives like the Global Encryption Coalition, launched in 2020 in partnership with the Internet Society and Global Partners Digital to protect privacy globally.
With a multidisciplinary team of technologists, lawyers, policy experts, and researchers, CDT convenes stakeholders through working groups that bring together companies, trade associations, public interest organizations, and academics to collaborate on solutions to internet policy challenges. The organization's impact is reflected in its funding support from major foundations including the MacArthur Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, underscoring its influence and credibility in the digital rights sector.