Allie Funk

Allie Funk is a Senior Research Analyst for Technology and Democracy.

She serves as an expert on human rights in the digital age, and leads Freedom on the Net, Freedom House’s annual assessment of internet freedom. Her writing has been published in the Washington Post, WIRED, the Hill, the Diplomat, and Just Security, among others, and she is a frequent commentator in the media. Prior to joining Freedom House, Allie worked at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers on issues relating to U.S. surveillance, the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and the right to counsel, and also worked with Human Rights First’s foreign policy team. She holds a master's degree in human rights from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. in philosophy and political science from the University of Louisville.

Areas of Expertise

• Internet Freedom
• Human Rights
• National Security
• Freedom of Expression
• Privacy
• United States
• Asia
• Technology and Democracy

Outside Publications:

In India, US Defense Secretary Austin Must Not Overlook Its Democratic Decline | Just Security — March 16, 2021

Myanmar is Experiencing a Digital-Age Coup - Tech Companies Must Push Back | Just Security — February 16, 2021

The pandemic's digital shadow: increased surveillance | The Hill — October 14, 2020

Fighting Covid-19 Shouldn't Mean Abandoning Human Rights | WIRED — April 9, 2020

How the coronavirus could trigger a backslide on freedom around the world | The Washington Post — March 16, 2020

Iran Tensions Increase Social Media Surveillance at the Border | WIRED — January 9, 2020

I Opted Out of Facial Recognition at the Airport—It Wasn't Easy | WIRED — July 2, 2019

New US visa requirements threaten privacy and freedom of expression | The Hill — June 23, 2019