Protecting Privacy Policy and Advocacy Intern

Protect Privacy advocacy internship -

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group is a non-profit advocacy organization. We're looking for interns to join us in standing up for the public interest in the face of big corporations with unprecedented power in our society today. 

One of our issues is Big Tech and data privacy. We live in a digital world. Almost every interaction we have with companies happens through technology - which makes it possible for the company on the other end to harvest lots of detailed and sensitive data about you.

We’ve seen fast food loyalty apps harvesting people’s geolocation data 24/7; Amazon illegally keeping children’s voice recordings even after parents submit deletion requests; Mastercard selling people's transaction data; and GoodRx sharing people's prescription data with advertisers. 

The Public Interest Research Group's Don’t Sell My Data campaign is looking for part-time interns this spring to work to put people back in control of their data, educate the public, and get meaningful laws and regulations on the books.  

Internship Duration & Hours Expectation

Interns should commit somewhere between 5 - 25 hours a week for at least 6 weeks. Preferred start in January. However, exact dates and work schedule are flexible based on your availability. 

Internship Responsibilities

Interns will be selected for the internship that best fits their interests and skills.

Responsibilities may include:

• Long-form investigation and writing: Conceive of, pitch and work with an editor to craft long-form pieces about the role tech plays in young people’s lives or answering questions that you think Gen Z is asking. Past interns have written powerful personal stories, insightful explainers, important news updates, and pieces that are just plain fun. You will have your name listed as an author on public-facing sites.
• State policy: Help track the evolving field of state legislation throughout the beginning of the 2024 legislative session. Assist with organizing and recruiting state lawmakers to attend a national educational webinar we’re putting together about what strong data privacy laws should look like. Write concrete tips guides for states with privacy laws on the books about how residents can take advantage of their rights and keep these resources updated as new regulations are passed.
• Advice: Craft useful tips guides covering topics like: how to request your social media data, how to set the highest privacy settings, or how to identify apps that are harvesting excessive data about you. You will have your name listed as an author on public-facing sites and have the opportunity to pitch ideas for new pieces that are exciting to you while helping maintain our existing library.  Advice interns are encouraged to develop one long-form piece during their internship.
• Research: Serve as research support on an upcoming advocacy report furthering our goal of getting strong laws passed or regulatory rules written. Past intern projects have included first-hand research on trying to request their data from companies as part of a big comment to a federal agency, and testing out VR apps for a report exposing the dangers of this new technology for kids and teens. Topics are still evolving, but may include looking at the adverse affects of social media on teen mental health; apps that harvest data about kids; stopping banks from selling your financial data; or a review of possible AI safety policies. 
• Social: Craft strategic social media content for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms to publicize our research, tips guides and further our campaign message. Boost your work in your own social networks and help us identify new channels for reaching the broadest audience possible.  
   

You can check out more of our past intern’s work here.

Qualifications
Candidates must have completed at least one year of college. The right people will be motivated, curious, solid writers, open communicators, and have a strong desire to learn about working in the advocacy field protecting the public interest for the long-term. Maybe you already know a lot about the issue area, or maybe you want to learn more. In either case, we’re looking for folks who are eager to learn, able to hit deadlines, chase down facts, and for the writing-focused internships, want to improve their writing and are comfortable getting feedback.  

Location
Some part-time in-person time may be available to those in the Boston area. Most interns will work remotely. Remote interns can be based anywhere but must have access to a reliable internet connection, a working web camera, and be available during normal business hours at least 2 days a week.

Check with your school's Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting the hiring offer to determine if this position satisfies the criteria for receiving academic credit.

Application
Internships with PIRG are unpaid. We will happily work with interns to coordinate with their universities to meet requirements for course credit, or to apply for funding through their school. 

Applications will be reviewed and hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis. For more information, send an email to R.J. Cross (rj@pirg.org).


Tips for Applying

Use your cover letter to tell us - briefly - why you're excited about this position!

Carefully proofreading your work is also a great idea.  

Other Things to Know When You Apply 

U.S. PIRG is part of The Public Interest Network — a group of organizations that share a vision of a better country, a set of core values, and a coordinated strategic approach to getting things done. Visit publicinterestnetwork.org to learn more about the network before you apply.

PIRG is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, disability, pregnancy, or veteran status.