Preserving Civil Liberties: At a time when new technologies make it easier than ever for governments and corporations to monitor people’s lives, we must hold fast to the core principles of privacy and individual freedom. Tools like predictive policing and private-sector surveillance platforms risk drifting us toward an authoritarian model if left unchecked. Washington should commit to strong safeguards that prevent abuse, require transparency when surveillance tools are deployed, and ensure citizens retain meaningful control over their own data. Ultimately, we must remember who we are: the enlightenment values of liberty, freedom, self-direction.