CDE and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) held an insightful and open conversation on “Digital Ethics & The Freedom of Thought” on Monday, September 18, 2023, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT at Georgetown University, hosted by the Communication, Culture & Technology Program. The panelists and participants navigated the intricate intersections of technology, digital ethics, and the freedom of thought.

Panelists included
SUSIE ALEGRE, an international human rights lawyer and author of the groundbreaking book Freedom to Think, which charts the history and fragility of our most important human right–freedom of thought–using case studies across politics, criminal justice, and everyday life.
LAURA DENARDIS, Georgetown’s Professor and Endowed Chair in Technology, Ethics, and Society, author of The Global War for Internet Governance and other books, and a globally recognized scholar in Internet governance and an advocate for digital rights.
AARON SHULL, the Managing Director and General Counsel at a renowned tech think tank, the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). With a background in law and technology, Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge on the legal implications of digital innovations.

• Susie Alegre, an international human rights lawyer and author of the groundbreaking book Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate Our Minds/Protecting a Fundamental Human Right in the Digital Age. In her book, Alegre explores how the powerful have always sought to influence how we think and what we buy, connecting the dots from Galileo to Alexa. She charts the history and fragility of our most important human right: freedom of thought. With shocking case studies across politics, criminal justice, and everyday life, Alegre reveals how our mental freedom is under threat like never before in this digital age.
• Laura DeNardis, Georgetown’s Professor and Endowed Chair in Technology, Ethics, and Society,and a globally recognized scholar in Internet governance and an advocate for digital rights. The author of The Global War for Internet Governance and other books, her extensive research has shaped policy decisions worldwide, making her a leading voice in the field. 
• Aaron Shull, the Managing Director and General Counsel at a renowned tech think tank, the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). With a background in law and technology, Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge on the legal implications of digital innovations.

Drawing upon Alegre’s new book, the discussion addressed “emerging complexities around technology and society,” from “the shadowy realms of disinformation to the challenges posed by algorithms.”

The discussion, which was directed in part by questions from the audience of students, faculty, staff, and other participants, addressed questions about the scope and efficacy of international regulatory efforts on the reach of digital technology, especially in light of international human rights law and the transnational reach of the private sector; how to understand and apply the concept of “digital ethics,” and the compatibility of privacy and security.