Arvind Narayanan

Arvind Narayanan is an Indian computer scientist, internet privacy and security researcher, and professor at Princeton University. He is author of many books, articles, and lectures in the fields of privacy and security and has become widely recognized for his groundbreaking work on protecting user data privacy online.

Narayanan was born in Pune, India, in 1983 and graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi with a degree in computer science in 2004. He earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley in 2009, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining the faculty at Princeton in 2010.

Narayanan’s work focuses on understanding and developing techniques to protect user privacy and security through a combination of technical, legal, and policy-based approaches. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of online advertising, cryptography and data security, privacy-preserving data sharing, and digital identity protection.

In 2010, Narayanan was the lead speaker at a TEDx conference held at Princeton on the theme of privacy and security where he gave an overview of his research and some of his thoughts on the need to protect personal information in the digital age. In 2013, he co-authored the book Doing Good With Technology, which provides readers with case studies and concrete examples of how technology can be used to improve society.

Narayanan has also been heavily involved in education, leading a number of courses at Princeton related to encryption and other privacy topics. He has written several textbooks, including Cryptography and Network Security, The Privacy Law Sourcebook, and Security and Privacy in Social Networks.

Narayanan’s research has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Princeton Class of 1939 Endowment Award, the Princeton Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Educator Award, and a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the White House. In 2018, Narayanan won the German Digital Leadership Award in recognition of his innovative work in privacy, security, and technology.

Narayanan continues to engage in critical public debates on issues ranging from facial recognition to big data privacy, regularly speaking at public events, writing for outlets such as The New York Times, and appearing in documentaries such as The Social Dilemma. He is also an active advisor to governments, technology companies, and civil society organizations.

Narayanan’s work has been highly influential and his writings and lectures have set the bar for technology privacy and security. His commitment to protecting user data privacy online and to helping bridge the gap between policy and technology has been critical in shaping the current landscape and understanding of cybersecurity and privacy.