In Memoriam: Barry Steinhardt
Barry Steinhardt, a leading figure in digital civil liberties and former president of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, died last week at 73. He played a central role in overturning key provisions of the Communications Decency Act, culminating in the Supreme Court's 1997 Reno v. ACLU decision.
Why this matters: Steinhardt was doing this work when almost no one else was. He helped establish that the First Amendment applies online, at a time when Congress was moving to regulate internet speech broadly. That fight shaped the open internet people use today. The lawyers and advocates working on digital rights now are building on a foundation he helped pour.
Who should care: General readers · Privacy officers · Policy
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