CMU Brings Data Privacy Day to the Heinz History Center

Carnegie Mellon University’s Privacy Engineering program took its annual celebration of International Data Privacy Day beyond campus this year, welcoming families and community members to a free, hands-on event at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

Held on Sunday, February 1, Data Privacy Day 2026 transformed the museum’s first-floor Great Hall into a hub of learning, where visitors could drop in for interactive activities, short talks, and conversations about how personal data is collected, used, and protected in everyday life.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, CMU faculty members shared insights from their work. Sarah Scheffler returned from last year’s event to highlight real-world examples of how data can be collected in unexpected ways, while Joe Calandrino, one of CyLab’s newest core faculty members, discussed recent privacy cases brought by the Federal Trade Commission.

Families and younger visitors were a central focus of the event. Lorrie Cranor, CyLab director and author of the children’s book Privacy, Please!, hosted story time sessions and book signings, helping introduce privacy concepts to kids in an approachable way.

Students from the Privacy Engineering program staffed a Privacy Clinic throughout the event, leading hands-on demonstrations while offering practical tips on topics such as password safety, phishing awareness, and everyday digital security.