Staff

Nicole Schneidman

Tech Counsel & Policy Strategist

Nicole Schneidman is head of the technology and data governance team at Protect Democracy working to combat anti-democratic applications and impacts of technology, including disinformation. Prior to Protect Democracy, Nicole was Head of Community Product Partnerships at Facebook where she led a team advocating for the needs of community leaders in the development of Facebook’s community product suite and related integrity policies with a focus on Facebook Groups. Nicole earned her JD/MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Law and Wharton School and her BA from Georgetown University. 

Work Themes

Featured Work

The DHS logo on the side of the DHS headquarters.

The SAVE tool, explained 

The use of the SAVE tool are part of a larger effort to weaponize government data and tilt the 2026 elections before a single ballot is cast. 

January 29, 2026

  • Protecting Elections
  • Analysis

Featured in the Press

Privacy advocates urge states not to comply with USDA requests for food stamp data (opens a new window)

  • May 13, 2025
  • NPR

“If any private company who processes and has access to states’ sensitive data complies with these kinds of federal demands, that is a dangerous and very slippery slope,” said Nicole Schneidman, an attorney and technology policy strategist with Protect Democracy, which describes itself as “a cross-ideological nonprofit group” dedicated to defeating authoritarian threats and protecting freedoms.

“It would validate a tactic where government pressure on vendors effectively allows the federal government access to states’ data while making an end run around states,” Schneidman said.