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Johnny Ryan
Senior Fellow at Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and Open Markets Institute
Johnny Ryan is a prominent figure in the field of digital rights and civil liberties, currently serving as a Senior Fellow at both the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and the Open Markets Institute. His work primarily focuses on critical issues such as surveillance, data rights, competition/anti-trust, and privacy.134
Professional Background
Dr. Ryan has held significant positions in various organizations:
- Chief Policy Officer at Brave, a private web browser, where he led initiatives for GDPR enforcement across the EU and engaged with global leaders in government and industry.24
- Chief Innovation Officer at The Irish Times, contributing to media and policy development.12
- He has also worked as a Senior Researcher at the Institute of International & European Affairs, where his research notably influenced European Commission policies against web censorship.13
Academic Credentials
Dr. Ryan holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, supported by an O’Reilly Foundation scholarship. He is recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS) and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s expert network focusing on media, entertainment, and information.15
Publications and Recognition
He is an accomplished author with two books to his name, including A History of the Internet and the Digital Future. His expertise has been sought in various prestigious media outlets such as The New York Times, The Economist, Wired, and The Financial Times.12 His advocacy work has earned him accolades, including being described as "a renowned global privacy expert" by Open Markets and recognized as "Google's biggest headache" by Die Zeit .13
Advocacy and Impact
Dr. Ryan actively engages with lawmakers on digital legislation and has testified before both the US Senate and EU institutions. He continues to be involved in litigation and regulatory proceedings aimed at enhancing data protection laws globally.134
For more insights into his professional journey, Dr. Ryan maintains a LinkedIn profile under the username johnnyryan1.

