SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 27, 2020 – This past fall, the Knight Foundation announced $3.5M in grants to 22 universities, think tanks, and advocacy organizations to support new, independent research into issues at the forefront of national tech policy debates. Among the grantees is Santa Clara University School of Law Professor Eric Goldman, who received $150,000 to continue his work on legal issues raised by online content, Section230, and content moderation. Professor Goldman’s grant is a part of a $50 million commitment by the Knight Foundation to support research on the ways in which technology transforms our democracy.

A member of the Santa Clara Law faculty since 2006, Goldman is a professor of law, co-directs the High Tech Law Institute, and supervises the Privacy Law Certificate, which recently received a $750,000 gift from three SCU current and former trustees. Goldman’s research and teaching focuses on Internet, IP, and advertising law topics, and he blogs on these topics at the Technology & Marketing Law Blog.

“Eric Goldman is an internationally recognized leader in his field,” said Santa Clara Law Interim Dean Anna Han. “We are so proud to have him on our faculty, and we are thrilled that the Knight Foundation has recognized and invested in his critical and timely work with this grant. We look forward to continued innovative scholarship from Professor Goldman.”

“I’m very honored to receive a grant from the Knight Foundation,” said Goldman. “The grant will advance my research on topics that remain of paramount importance to our society. Congress has been increasingly skeptical towards Internet services that publish third-party content, even as our society has become more dependent on those services during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.


About the High Tech Law Institute

The High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law is a nationally recognized program that educates and trains lawyers who find innovative legal solutions to intellectual property and technology issues. The Institute manages several programs including the Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic, a clinical program for upper-division law students; Tech Edge JD, an innovative legal education program combining law, business, technology, and individualized mentorship; and a robust certificate program including the High Tech Law Certificate (with specializations in intellectual property law, international law, or corporate law), and the Privacy Law Certificate, which in 2019 was ranked among the top 5 percent in the U.S. by the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

About Santa Clara University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law, one of the nation’s most diverse law schools, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. Santa Clara Law offers students an academically rigorous program including certificates in high tech law, international law, public interest and social justice law, and privacy law, as well as numerous graduate and joint degree options. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Law is nationally distinguished for its faculty engagement, preparation for practice, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property. For more information, see lawscuedustage.wpengine.com.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.

Media Contact

Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121

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Eric Goldman

Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Law and Co-Director, High Tech Law Institute