Joseph Gordon-Levitt Uses Snowden Paycheck to Launch Tech and Democracy Project

Snowden star Joseph Gordon-Levitt has found his newest gig.

The actor, who is also the founder of the online collaborative production company hitRECord, will be partnering with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on a project examining the intersection between democracy and technology.

In what you might call a “pitch” video, Gordon-Levitt raises questions about technology’s impact on democracy and how people feel living in a culture where the lines between them are often obscured—intentionally or not.

The hitRECord founder is calling on the public to participate by submitting their positions on whether “today’s technology is good or bad for democracy,” according to Gordon-Levitt. They can even ask questions of their own.

“Some people believe that the right to privacy is a cornerstone of democracy, and [that] without privacy, we don’t really live in a free country,” Gordon-Levitt explains in the video. “Other people, and especially perhaps people who are so open about their lives online anyway, don’t seem to mind being watched.”

Gordon-Levitt will use the money he earned for his role in Snowden to help fund the program, compensating participants whose project submissions are selected for the final video. The remainder of the funds will go directly to the ACLU.