Technology-Neutral
Rules should not become obsolete merely because a vendor, platform, sensor, algorithm, or technical architecture changes.
About the initiative
Rights Should Not Depend on the Technology of the Moment.
The American Bill of Digital Rights is an independent public-policy initiative exploring how enduring constitutional principles apply when governmental power is exercised through modern data systems, surveillance technologies, automated decisions, biometrics, and private technology vendors.
Independent initiativeTechnology-neutralVendor-neutralFunction & effect
The idea
Constitutional Principles in a Digital World
The project does not begin with a particular product or company. It asks what governmental power is being exercised, what information or interests are affected, and what safeguards should follow from that function and effect.
Accountability Follows Power
Using a contractor, commercial database, cloud provider, or shared system should not make public power unaccountable.
Human Consequences Matter
Digital systems ultimately affect people—their movements, information, opportunities, legal interests, and ability to understand government action.
Authors
The People Behind the Work
The South Carolina and American publications are coauthored by Brittany Farr and Valerie McCarthy.
BF
Brittany Farr
Coauthor of the American Bill of Digital Rights and South Carolina Bill of Digital Rights initiative.
VM
Valerie McCarthy
Coauthor of the American Bill of Digital Rights and South Carolina Bill of Digital Rights initiative.
Technology changes. Rights do not.
A concise statement of the project's technology-neutral design philosophy.
How the work developed
National Idea. State Implementation.
The American initiative came first conceptually. South Carolina then became the first fully developed state publication, allowing the project to work through implementation questions in much greater detail.
American Framework
The national initiative established the umbrella concept and federal constitutional orientation.
South Carolina — Version 1.0
The state work developed a complete constitutional framework, white paper, proposed Act, Judiciary materials, authorities, comparative analysis, and FAQ.
Updated National Publication
The next national publication will incorporate appropriate lessons from the state work in a federal context rather than simply republishing the earlier draft.
Independence & transparency
What This Site Is—and Is Not
Clear status labels are part of the design so readers can distinguish published frameworks, proposed legislation, research materials, and future work.
Independent
This is not an official government website or government publication.
Source-Forward
The formal publications and supporting research remain available so readers can move beyond summaries.
Status Matters
Proposed statutory language is identified as proposed legislation and should not be confused with enacted law.