NYU Stern Center for Business & Human RightsTechnology & Democracy

Politics and public life in the United States and certain other democracies around the world have taken a turn toward extreme polarization, with distrust of democratic institutions on the rise. We examine how major technology companies are exacerbating these problems by facilitating the creation and distribution of harmful online content. We focus on social media, artificial intelligence, gaming, and 3D immersive platforms. In all instances, we pair our analysis with practical recommendations for how industry and government can better regulate digital products and services in the interest of protecting democracy.

Addressing 3D Immersive Technology

Immersive technologies powering the "metaverse" pose serious threats to consumer privacy and safety.

Combating Extremism in Online Gaming

Online gaming companies, which boast more than three billion consumers globally, have been slow to counteract the exploitation of their sites by violent extremists and other bad actors.

In the absence of adequate tech industry self-regulation, government needs to extend more systematic oversight of companies like Meta, Google, TikTok, and X.

Safeguarding AI

Digital products built with generative artificial intelligence hold great promise but also can facilitate fraud, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks.

Supreme Court Advocacy

We file friend-of-the-court (amicus) briefs in leading U.S. Supreme Court cases that bear on the effects of technology on democracy.

Publications

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Report

October 2024

Setting Higher Standards: How Governments Can Regulate Corporate Human Rights Performance

Our report, released three months after the landmark CSDDD entered into force, provides a roadmap for regulators and companies navigating a new era of corporate human rights responsibility.

Report

October 2024

Covert Campaigns: Safeguarding Encrypted Messaging Platforms from Voter Manipulation

Our new report on encrypted messaging platforms reveals how political propagandists are exploiting these tools to manipulate voters globally, while offering recommendations for platforms, policymakers, and researchers to mitigate these threats without undermining end-to-end encryption.

Image of a cracked iPad screen that shows images from various politically motivated events

Report

September 2024

‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’ How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and Violence

As a volatile election nears, our report reveals that social media is consistently exploited to facilitate political intimidation and violence, and recommends crucial changes that social media companies and governments can implement to reduce these harms.

Report

February 2024

Digital Risks to the 2024 Elections: Safeguarding Democracy in the Era of Disinformation

A new report by Paul M. Barrett, Justin Hendrix and Cecely Richard-Carvajal highlights that this year's primary tech-related threat to elections isn't AI-generated content, but the spread of false, hateful, and violent content on social media platforms.

Amicus Brief

December 2023

NetChoice Amicus Brief

In this brief, the Center urged the Supreme Court not to grant the social media industry full immunity from regulation, while also arguing that content moderation laws in Florida and Texas violate the First Amendment.

Report

September 2023

Reality Check: How to Protect Human Rights in the 3D Immersive Web

Our report written by Mariana Olaizola Rosenblat explains the risks to privacy and safety exacerbated by immersive technologies and recommends steps tech companies and the government can take to minimize those risks.