The Tech Oversight Project is a left-of-center technology policy advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. ¹ Using “campaign-style” tactics, the Project supports the breakup of Big Tech firms ² and antitrust legislation aimed at preventing technology firms from preferencing their own products in online searches on their own platforms. ³ The Tech Oversight Project also supports online censorship ostensibly promoted as “safeguards for children and families so that they are safe from online harassment, hate crimes, and disinformation.” ⁴

The Project is funded by the left-of-center Omidyar Network, a philanthropic network of eBay founder  Pierre Omidyar, and the advocacy arm of the Economic Security Project, which is led by Facebook co-founder and former 2008 Obama presidential campaign digital media adviser Chris Hughes. ^{5 6}

Sacha Haworth is the Tech Oversight Project’s executive director. ⁷ A “veteran of Democratic politics,” ⁸ Haworth has worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the left-of-center House Majority PAC, and Democratic Party operative David Brock’s American Bridge 21st Century Foundation. ⁹

History and Leadership

The Tech Oversight Project was founded in Washington, D.C., in January 2022. ¹⁰

Sacha Haworth is Tech Oversight Project’s executive director. ¹¹ She is a “veteran of Democratic politics” ¹² and has worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the left-of-center House Majority PAC, and the American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, a PAC created by Democratic Party operative David Brock to attack Republicans. ¹³ She was also the communications director for U.S. Senator Krysten Sinema (D-AZ)’s 2018 campaign and the senior communications advisor for now-U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA)’s unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017, Abdul El-Sayed’s unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Michigan, and former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN). ¹⁴

Activities and Funding

The Tech Oversight Project is a technology policy advocacy organization which supports the breakup of “Big Tech monopolies” ¹⁵ and antitrust legislation aimed at preventing technology firms from preferencing their own products in online searches on their own platforms. ¹⁶ The Project also supports online censorship disguised as “safeguards for children and families so that they are safe from online harassment, hate crimes, and disinformation.” ¹⁷

The Tech Oversight Project is operated as a direct response to NetChoice and the Connected Commerce Council, two advocacy groups funded by Big Tech to defend the tech industry against regulation. ¹⁸ In this role, the Project has labeled Apple and Google monopolies; ¹⁹ said technology firms are contributing to online harassment and “real-world hate crimes;” and accused Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon of undermining small business and “harming our collective mental health.” ²⁰

The Project also accuses major technology companies of platforming terrorists, lying to Congress, weaponizing personal data against users, leveraging power to crush small business, and robbing consumers of diverse and useful services a “once-pluralistic” internet offered. ²¹

Policy Advocacy and Lobbying

The Tech Oversight Project’s first advocacy and lobbying project is in support of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, ²² antitrust legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) that targets Big Tech companies for allegedly giving preferential treatment to their own services in search results. ²³

Funding

The Tech Oversight Project is primarily funded by the Omidyar Network, a philanthropic network of eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and the advocacy arm of the Economic Security Project, which is led by Facebook co-founder and former 2008 Obama presidential campaign digital media adviser Chris Hughes. ^{24 25}

The Tech Oversight Project also receives funding from non-tax-deductible donations from through its website, which are routed through Democratic Party-affiliated passthrough ActBlue. ²⁶

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