معرفی
Ronald Deibert is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the founder/director of the interdisciplinary Citizen Lab, which focuses on research at the intersection of information technologies, human rights, and global security. Under his leadership, the lab has produced over 180 reports exposing cyber espionage, commercial spyware, and state-sponsored surveillance across 40+ countries. His work includes landmark investigations like 'Tracking Ghostnet' and 'China’s Great Cannon'.
Deibert's research examines cybersecurity governance, digital authoritarianism, surveillance capitalism, and the environmental impact of digital infrastructure. He advocates for regulatory restraints on tech platforms and governments to protect civil liberties in the digital age.
He has authored influential books including Black Code: Surveillance, Privacy and the Dark Side of Cyberspace (2013) and RESET: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society (2020), which won the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize. His forthcoming book Chasing Shadows (2025) addresses cyber subversion's threat to democracy.
Awards & Honors:
- Officer of the Order of Canada (2022)
- Order of Ontario (2013)
- Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award (2015)
- ISA Canada Distinguished Scholar (2020)
- Honorary Doctorate from University of Guelph (2019)
Deibert co-founded the OpenNet Initiative (2003-2014) and Psiphon (censorship circumvention tool), and serves on advisory boards for Amnesty International, Privacy International, and PEN Canada.
