Simon Columbus is a student, researcher, and occasional journalist. For a full CV, please download the PDF. #

I am an undergraduate student in psychology, economics, and information at Amsterdam University College. I have written several peer-reviewed papers on social media, digital activism and mobile telephony, and as an intern I have researched Internet censorship with the OpenNet Initiative at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. My current research interests focus on neuroeconomics as well as citizen journalism and mobile phone use in developing countries. #

As a journalist, my focus has mostly been on German and international Internet policy, including issues such as censorship, privacy, and intellectual property. I have interned with two of Germany’s most prestigious blogs writing about these issues, netzpolitik.org and Spreeblick. There is also a full list of my writings on this website. #

In addition, I have long been a committed activist fighting surveillance and advancing digital civil rights. I was a founding member of a local chapter of the Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung (working group on data retention) in my home town, Siegen, and co-founded the Privacy Workshop Project to teach kids how to manage their privacy in social networks. #