Tech reporter, author Farivar goes 'On the Issues' to discuss data collection, privacy issues and the law

April 5, 2018

MILWAUKEE — Cyrus Farivar, author of "Habeas Data: Privacy vs. the Rise of Surveillance Tech," will be the featured guest in an upcoming "On the Issues with Mike Gousha," Thursday, April 12, at 12:15 p.m. in the Lubar Center at Marquette University Law School's Eckstein Hall.

We live in an age where our personal information is routinely collected, including data from our cell phones, credit cards, our online viewing history and video from closed-circuit surveillance cameras. In his new book, Farivar writes, "With technology that can capture all of this information routinely for private companies and governments, de facto mass surveillance becomes trivial. Today, it's almost impossible to hide from such data collection without essentially acting like a crazy person: ditching your phone, your car and turning away from the modern world." The problem, Farivar says, is that American privacy law is ill-equipped to respond to the explosive growth in surveillance technology. To make his case, Farivar examines 10 historic court decisions that have defined our privacy rights and matches them against the capabilities of modern technology.

Farivar, an award-winning tech reporter, is the senior business editor of Ars Technica and the author of "The Internet of Elsewhere." He is also a radio producer and has reported for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, National Public Radio, Public Radio International, The Economist, Wired, The New York Times and others.

Gousha, an award-winning broadcast journalist, is the Law School's distinguished fellow in law and public policy. His "On the Issues" series of conversations with newsmakers supports Marquette Law School's commitment to serve as a modern-day public square for the city of Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and beyond.

Through public programming such as the Marquette Law School Poll, debates featuring candidates in significant political races, Gousha's "On the Issues" conversations with newsmakers, public lectures by leading scholars and conferences on significant issues of public importance, the Law School serves as the region's leading venue for serious civil discourse about law and public policy matters.

The event is open to members of the general public at no cost; registration is required and is available online. Members of the media who are interested in attending should contact Chris Jenkins in the Office of Marketing and Communication.