Fred H. Cate
Senior Policy Advisor
​
C. Ben Dutton Professor of Law,  Distinguished Professor;  Director, Institute for Information Policy Research;  Co-director, Center for Law, Ethics & Applied Research in Health Information;  Director, Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research;  Adjunct Professor of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
A Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, Professor Cate is a leading authority on privacy, security, and other information law and policy issues. He participates in a wide range of projects for the Centre for Information Policy Leadership (CIPL) at Hunton Andrews Kurth, and is actively engaged in advising government and industry leaders about information privacy and security.

His work examines the impact of different tools for protecting privacy and security, the costs and benefits of using laws and regulations, and the broader context implicated by privacy and security and efforts to protect them, especially in global and electronic information flows. Educating policymakers and executives about these issues is a key focus of Professor Cate’s activities and the foundation of rational regulation and effective compliance.

Professor Cate testifies regularly before Congress and has appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Forum on Technology & Innovation; and the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services; Committee on Energy and Commerce; Committee on Government Reform; Committee on the Judiciary; and Committee on Ways and Means. Professor Cate served as the reporter for the U.S. Department of Defense Technology and Privacy Advisory Committee (TAPAC) and as a member of the Federal Trade Commission Advisory Committee on Online Access and Security. He advised the George W. Bush presidential campaign on privacy matters.

He is also actively involved with information privacy and security issues outside of the United States. He chaired the High-Level Experts on Electronic Signatures and Certification Authorities of the International Telecommunication Union and served as a member of the United Nations Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications. He has advised the governments of China, Finland, Japan, and Taiwan.

He is a member of the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Advisory Board and previously served on the Experian Consumer Advisory Council and as Vice Chair of the Electronic Communications and Privacy Interest Group of the American Bar Association Section on Health Law. He directed the Electronic Information Privacy and Commerce Study for the Brookings Institution and served as a Visiting Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Professor Cate is the author of many articles and books, including Privacy in the Information Age, Privacy in Perspective, and The Internet and the First Amendment, and he serves on the board of editors of Privacy & Information Law Report. A senator and fellow of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, he is an elected member of the American Law Institute and is listed in Who’s Who in American Lawand Who’s Who in America.

He has appeared on CNN, NPR, PBS, and many local television and radio programs, and has been quoted or cited in many popular publications, includingABA Banking Journal, ABA Journal, American Banker, Boston Globe, Business Week, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Editor & Publisher, The Independent (London), Los Angeles Times, National Journal, National Law Journal, New York Times, Roll Call, San Francisco Chronicle, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Washington Times, among many others.

He speaks regularly to industry and professional groups, including the American Bankers Association, American Bar Association, American Council of Life Insurers, American Medical Association, American Society for Newspaper Editors, Association of Life Insurance Counsel, Coalition of Service Industries, Direct Marketing Association, International Association of Privacy Professionals, Investment Company Institute, Life Insurance Marketing Association, National Newspaper Association, National Retail Federation, Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Association, and the Society for Professional Journalists.

​He is also active with government-related organizations, including the American Legislative Exchange Council, Conference of Western Attorneys General, National Association of Attorneys General, National Conference of State Legislators, National Governors’ Association, and the Republican Attorneys General Association.

Relevant Experience:
  • Testified before the United House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
  • Testified before the Senate Commerce Committee and Forum on Technology & Innovation and House Banking and Financial Services, Commerce, Government Reform, Judiciary, and Ways and Means Committees.
  • Member, Microsoft Corporation Trustworthy Computing Advisory Board.
  • Member, board of editors of Privacy & Information Law Report.
  • Advised the George W. Bush presidential campaign on privacy matters.
  • Directed the Electronic Information Privacy and Commerce Study for the Brookings Institution.
  • Selected Committees and Professional Appointments
    • Served as reporter for the U.S. Department of Defense Technology and Privacy Advisory Committee (TAPAC)
    • Chair of the High-Level Experts on Electronic Signatures and Certification Authorities, International Telecommunication Union (1999)
    • Member of the Federal Trade Commission Advisory Committee on Online Access and Security (2000)
    • Vice Chair of Electronic Communications and Privacy Interest Group, American Bar Association Section on Health Law (1998-2000)
    • Visiting Scholar, American Enterprise Institute (2000-02)
  • Addressed American Bankers Association, American Bar Association, American Council of Life Insurers, American Legislative Exchange Council, American Medical Association, American Society for Newspaper Editors, Associated Credit Bureaus, Association of Life Insurance Counsel, Coalition of Service Industries, Conference of Western Attorneys General, Direct Marketing Association, Investment Company Institute, Life Insurance Marketing Association, National Association of Attorneys General, National Conference of State Legislators, National Governors Association, National Newspaper Association, National Retail Federation, Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Association, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Privacy Officers Association, Republican Attorneys General Association, Society for Professional Journalists, TowerGroup.
  • Elected member of the American Law Institute.
  • Senator and fellow of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Click here to view full bio and CV

EDUCATION
  • JD, Stanford Law School, 1987
  • AB, Stanford University, with Honors and Distinction, 1984

​BAR ADMISSIONS
  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Indiana State Bar
  • U.S. Supreme Court Bar

Contact

Indiana University Maurer School of Law
211 South Indiana Ave.
​Bloomington, IN 47405

Phone: 812-855-1161
Email: fred@fredhcate.org