In May 2005, he succeeded Ren Bucholz as Activist Coordinator for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and then became EFF's International Outreach Coordinator. In April 2010, he moved to a new position as Internet Advocacy Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists. In February 2013, he became the Director of the International Department at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.[1]
He was Director of Strategy at the EFF from July 2019 – June 2021.
He become a Senior Fellow at the Filecoin Foundation, and Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web in July 2021.[2]
O'Brien also set up a pledge on PledgeBank to help coordinate the establishment of "an organisation that will campaign for digital rights in the UK", which led to the creation of the Open Rights Group.[3]
Family
O'Brien is married to Liz Henry. He was previously married to Quinn Norton,[4] with whom he has a daughter.