Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society
Formation	1998
Founder	Charles Nesson
Type	Research center
Purpose	To explore and understand cyberspace; to study its development, dynamics, norms, and standards; and to assess the need or lack thereof for laws and sanctions.
Headquarters	Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Executive Director	Urs Gasser
Parent organization	Harvard Law School

Berman_Klein_Center_logo

Berkman_Center

The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society is a research center at Harvard University focused on the study of cyberspace. It was founded in 1998 by Charles Nesson and is affiliated with Harvard Law School. The center's mission is to explore and understand cyberspace, study its development, dynamics, norms, and standards, and assess the need or lack thereof for laws and sanctions.

History[edit | edit source]

The Berkman Klein Center was established in 1998 as the Berkman Center for Internet & Society. It was named after Jack N. and Lillian R. Berkman, who provided a significant endowment. In 2016, the center was renamed to honor Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt for their contributions.

Research and Initiatives[edit | edit source]

The center conducts interdisciplinary research on various aspects of the internet and society, including cybersecurity, digital privacy, internet governance, and online freedom of expression. It collaborates with scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to address complex issues related to the digital world.

Key Projects[edit | edit source]

Cyberlaw Clinic: Provides pro bono legal services on issues related to the internet and technology.
Youth and Media: Focuses on understanding the role of digital media in the lives of young people.
Lumen: A project that collects and analyzes requests to remove online content.

People[edit | edit source]

The Berkman Klein Center is led by Executive Director Urs Gasser. It includes a diverse group of faculty, fellows, and staff from various disciplines, including law, computer science, sociology, and communications.

Publications[edit | edit source]

The center produces a wide range of publications, including research papers, policy briefs, and books. These publications cover topics such as internet policy, digital rights, and technology ethics.