Alessandro Acquisti

Professor of Information Technology

Alessandro Acquisti is a Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy at the Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University. His interdisciplinary research combines economics, decision research, and data mining to explore the evolving role of privacy in the digital age. Moreover, he received the PET Award for Outstanding Research in Privacy Enhancing Technologies. As a result, many regard Alessandro as a thought leader in digital privacy and behavioral economics.

“A recipient of the PET Award for Outstanding Research in Privacy Enhancing”

Topics

The Necessities of Privacy
Privacy is an Illusion
What will a Future Without Secrets Look Like?

Languages

He presents in English.

How he presents

Alessandro engages his audience with compelling research, real-world examples, and thought-provoking questions. For instance, he often explains what motivates people to share personal data and how those motivations intersect with public policy and business strategy. Moreover, his presentations highlight the growing tension between innovation and personal privacy. As a result, listeners begin to think more critically about the digital choices they make every day.

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In Detail

Over the years, Alessandro’s work has shaped the economic analysis of privacy. In particular, he applies behavioral economics to explain how individuals value privacy and make disclosure decisions online. Furthermore, he investigates how social networks influence personal data sharing and public exposure. His research appears in leading journals such as Science, Journal of Economic Literature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Management Science, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, and Marketing Science. In addition, he contributes to edited books and conference proceedings, and he delivers keynote presentations at major global events. He also directs the Peex (Privacy Economics Experiments) lab and co-directs the Center for Behavioral and Decision Research (CBDR) at CMU.

What he offers you

Through his talks, Alessandro Acquisti explores the economics of privacy and the implications of a world where the boundaries between public and private are increasingly blurred. Therefore, he helps audiences understand why digital privacy matters and what it means for consumers, companies, and policymakers.

Whether speaking to business leaders or academic audiences, Alessandro shares deep insights into the risks and trade-offs individuals face when sharing personal information online. In this context, he explains how behavioral tendencies often lead to surprising privacy decisions.