Latanya Sweeney

Latanya Sweeney (born 1966) is an American computer scientist and privacy advocate renowned for her groundbreaking work in privacy-preserving technologies and the risks of re-identification in supposedly anonymous datasets. She earned her Ph.D. from MIT and is currently the director of the Data Privacy Lab at Harvard University. Sweeney gained prominence in 1997 when she famously re-identified Governor William Weld's medical records by combining supposedly de-identified health data with publicly available voter registration information, demonstrating critical vulnerabilities in data anonymization practices. This landmark study fundamentally changed how organizations approach data privacy and security. She introduced the concept of k-anonymity, a formal privacy model that has become widely adopted in industry and academia. Sweeney's work extends beyond computer science into law, policy, and ethics, advocating for stronger privacy protections and algorithmic accountability. She has served as an advisor to government bodies and corporations on privacy standards. Her research continues to influence policy around healthcare data, census data, and consumer privacy. Sweeney's legacy includes establishing privacy as a critical consideration in data science and technology development.