Center for Civil Rights and Technology
Ensuring that new technologies further, not hinder, civil rights protections
Civil rights are fundamental to a fair and just society. We are working in coalition to build a regulatory regime that includes civil rights guardrails, transparency and accountability to ensure technology is innovative rather than harmful.
The Center for Civil Rights and Technology is a first-of-its-kind research and advocacy hub, bringing together civil society, policymakers, and the tech sector to advance understanding of opportunities and challenges from the proliferation of AI and emerging technologies. Together, these diverse groups are working relentlessly to ensure that when AI policy is formulated, they center civil rights as a core issue.
Core Issues
Artificial Intelligence
Everyone deserves fairness and equity. As artificial intelligence (AI) use grows and provides opportunities for innovation and productivity, it is essential that the federal government protects everyone from the potential harms of AI and ensures we have equitable access for all communities to its benefits. Civil rights protections do not fall away when you interact with an automated system. AI systems that are biased do not provide full information or protections for marginalized communities. Therefore, the current decisions made using those systems cannot be trusted. We are advocating across the federal government and White House administration to ensure that AI legislation and regulatory measures center on civil rights, and that AI systems are equitable and do not discriminate.
2023 Letter to the White House on Forthcoming AI Executive Order ›
Holding Meta Accountable
In October 2017, we joined with civil rights organizations to express our deep concern regarding ads, pages, and hateful content on Meta’s platform used to divide our country, and in particular, to promote anti-Muslim, anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBTQ animus. In May 2018, Facebook committed to a long-overdue civil rights audit.
Along with Color of Change, we wrote to Facebook again in November 2018 urging them to take immediate steps to build public faith in the platform – faith that is further eroded as we learn more about how the company has undermined our democracy and civil society. We also called for an update on the status of their audit, and a commitment to addressing the problems and implementing recommendations.
Broadband Infrastructure
The transition from copper circuit-switched wireline networks to fiber, co-axial cable, and wireless all-Internet Protocol (IP) networks is an important evolution of our communications infrastructure that impacts all people in America. Upgrading technologies can offer great benefits for economic growth and competitiveness, flexibility, job creation, consumer service, and cost. But challenges may arise as providers upgrade the nation’s infrastructure.
On February 13, the Center for Civil Rights and Technology, a new initiative created by The Leadership Conference Education Fund, hosted its first major event: Regulatory Code: AI, Civil Rights, and the Future of Our Democracy. The event brought together congressional, regulatory, and industry leaders for a convening on the future of AI regulation and the intersection with key civil rights issues, including voting, employment, and health care. The Center for Civil Rights and Technology is the first of its kind research and advocacy hub, and this is the first major event it hosted.
Latest News
Racial Disparities in Facial Recognition Technology Use in Policing: An Interview with Tawana Petty
In this discussion, a community organizer based in Detroit examines the real-world impacts of the use of facial recognition technology in policing, illustrating the potential and actual harms to her community.
Data Privacy and AI Safeguards Are Essential to Protect Civil Rights
Data privacy and AI safeguards are essential to prevent individuals from harm, including through biased decisions.
Survey Shows 132M People of Color Unprotected Against Data-Driven Discrimination in U.S.
WASHINGTON — The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology today released new findings from a survey on state data privacy laws and civil rights protections and a legislative brief on the current landscape of data privacy and artificial intelligence (AI) safeguards. The survey examines comprehensive state data privacy laws, whether they include explicit civil rights protections, and state demographics on race and ethnicity. The legislative brief explores the status of AI and civil rights safeguards in federal policymaking.