Barry Steinhardt, Pioneer in Digital Civil Liberties, Passes Away

Brief written by the FOSSWire AI editor from EFF How we write

October 16, 2026 1 min read 61 reads

Key Takeaway

Barry Steinhardt, a champion of digital civil liberties and former president of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has died at the age of 73.

Summary

Barry Steinhardt, a lifelong advocate for privacy and digital civil liberties, has passed away. He served as the president of the Electronic Frontier Foundation from 1998 to 1999 and played a key role in the fight against the Communications Decency Act. Steinhardt's work had a significant impact on the development of digital rights and privacy laws. He was a mentor to many in the field and continued to work on privacy and technology issues throughout his career.

Why it matters

Barry Steinhardt's work has had a lasting impact on the development of digital rights and privacy laws, and his legacy continues to influence the work of organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Original reference: www.eff.org →