Privacy and cybersecurity can foster 21st Century democracy

Preparing for an online start to the winter term: for more information. Canada Research Chair Ian Goldberg sees privacy as a precondition for freedom, dignity and autonomy  When people think about privacy in digital spaces, many think about things like protecting their credit card information. But for cybersecurity researcher Ian Goldberg, privacy is a much more expansive concept, one that is intertwined with the possibilities for individual flourishing and the practice of democracy in a digital age. Goldberg is the Canada Research Chair in Privacy Enhancing Technologies and a professor in the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. His research and innovation in cybersecurity and privacy have made him a giant in the field. Along with his academic appointments, Goldberg was chair of the board of directors for one of the best-known and most widely used cybersecurity programs: the original Tor Project and its famous onion browser.  -   "Privacy is a much broader concept than just keeping information secret," he says. "Privacy is about freedom, dignity and autonomy, some of the core ideals of democratic societies."  - Cybersecurity is about more than protecting personal information .