< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In a moment of clarity after initially moving forward a deeply flawed piece of legislation, the French National Assembly has done the right thing: it rejected a…
Category: Deeplinks
New USPTO Memo Makes Fighting Patent Trolls Even Harder
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) just made a move that will protect bad patents at the expense of everyone else. In a memo released February…
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Google Search? Courts Must Enable Competition While Protecting Privacy.
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Can we get from a world where Google is synonymous with search to a world where other search engines have a real chance to compete? The U.S.…
State AGs Must Act: EFF Expands Call to Investigate Crisis Pregnancy Centers
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Back in January, EFF called on attorneys general in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri to investigate potential privacy violations and hold accountable crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) that…
EFF’s Reflections from RightsCon 2025
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> EFF was delighted to once again attend RightsCon—this year hosted in Taipei, Taiwan between 24-27 February. As with previous years, RightsCon provided an invaluable opportunity for human…
California’s A.B. 412: A Bill That Could Crush Startups and Cement A Big Tech AI Monopoly
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> California legislators have begun debating a bill (A.B. 412) that would require AI developers to track and disclose every registered copyrighted work used in AI training. At…
EFF Joins 7amleh Campaign to #ReconnectGaza
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In times of conflict, the internet becomes more than just a tool—it is a lifeline, connecting those caught in chaos with the outside world. It carries voices…
The Foilies 2025
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Recognize the Worst in Government Transparency Co-written by MuckRock’s Michael Morisy, Dillon Bergin, and Kelly Kauffman The public’s right to access government information is constantly under siege…
EFF to NSF: AI Action Plan Must Put People First
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> This past January the new administration issued an executive order on Artificial Intelligence (AI), taking the place of the now rescinded Biden-era order, calling for a new…
EFF Thanks Fastly for Donated Tools to Help Keep Our Website Secure
EFF’s most important platform for welcoming everyone to join us in our fight for a better digital future is our website, eff.org. We thank Fastly for their generous in-kind contribution of services helping keep EFF’s website online. Eff.org was first…
EFFecting Change: Is There Hope for Social Media?
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Please join EFF for the next segment of EFFecting Change, our livestream series covering digital privacy and free speech. EFFecting Change Livestream Series:Is There Hope for Social Media?Thursday, March 20th12:00 PM – 1:00 PM…
EFF Joins AllOut’s Campaign Calling for Meta to Stop Hate Speech Against LGBTQ+ Community
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In January, Meta made targeted changes to its hateful conduct policy that would allow dehumanizing statements to be made about certain vulnerable groups. More specifically, Meta’s hateful…
In Memoriam: Mark Klein, AT&T Whistleblower Who Revealed NSA Mass Spying
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> EFF is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mark Klein, a bona fide hero who risked civil liability and criminal prosecution to help expose a…
EFF Stands with Perkins Coie and the Rule of Law
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> As a legal organization that has fought in court to defend the rights of technology users for almost 35 years, including numerous legal challenges to federal government overreach, Electronic Frontier Foundation…
Anchorage Police Department: AI-Generated Police Reports Don’t Save Time
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Anchorage Police Department (APD) has concluded its three-month trial of Axon’s Draft One, an AI system that uses audio from body-worn cameras to write narrative police…
Hawaii Takes a Stand for Privacy: HCR 144/HR 138 Calls for Investigation of Crisis Pregnancy Centers
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In a bold push for medical privacy, Hawaii’s House of Representatives has introduced HCR 144/HR 138, a resolution calling for the Hawaii Attorney General to investigate whether…
Ten Years of The Foilies
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> A look back at the games governments played to avoid transparency In the year 2015, we witnessed the launch of OpenAI, a debate over the color of a dress going viral,…
Right to Repair: A Prime Example of Grassroots Advocacy
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Good old-fashioned grassroots advocacy is one of the best tools we have right now for making a positive change for our civil liberties online. When we unite toward a shared goal, anything…
EFF Sends Letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Opposing the STOP CSAM Act
On Monday, March 10, EFF sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing the Strengthening Transparency and Obligation to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act (STOP CSAM Act) ahead of a committee hearing on the bill. EFF…
RightsCon Community Calls for Urgent Release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Last month saw digital rights organizations and social justice groups head to Taiwan for this year’s RightsCon conference on human rights in the digital age. During the…
First Porn, Now Skin Cream? ‘Age Verification’ Bills Are Out of Control
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> I’m old enough to remember when age verification bills were pitched as a way to ‘save the kids from porn’ and shield them from other vague dangers…
Simple Phish Bait: EFF Is Not Investigating Your Albion Online Forum Account
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> We recently learned that users of the Albion Online gaming forum have received direct messages purporting to be from us. That message, which leverages the fear of…
Trump Calls On Congress To Pass The “Take It Down” Act—So He Can Censor His Critics
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> We’ve opposed the Take It Down Act because it could be easily manipulated to take down lawful content that powerful people simply don’t like. Last night, President…
Meet Rayhunter: A New Open Source Tool from EFF to Detect Cellular Spying
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> At EFF we spend a lot of time thinking about Street Level Surveillance technologies—the technologies used by police and other authorities to spy on you while you…
Ninth Circuit Correctly Rules That Dating App Isn’t Liable for Matching Users
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit correctly held that Grindr, a popular dating app, can’t be held responsible for matching users and enabling them…
Anti-Surveillance Mapmaker Refuses Flock Safety’s Cease and Desist Demand
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Flock Safety loves to crow about the thousands of local law enforcement agencies around the United States that have adopted its avian–themed automated license plate readers (ALPRs).…
Fresh Threats to Privacy Around the Globe | EFFector 37.2
EFF is here to keep you up-to-date with the latest news in the world of civil liberties and human rights online with our EFFector newsletter! This edition of the newsletter covers Apple’s recent decision to turn off Advanced Data Protection…
EFF to UK PM Starmer: Call Sisi to Free Alaa and Save Laila
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a public commitment on February 14 to Laila Soueif, the mother of Alaa Abd El Fattah, stating “I will do all…
The Senate Passed The TAKE IT DOWN Act, Threatening Free Expression and Due Process
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Earlier this month, the Senate passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act (S. 146), by a voice vote. The bill is meant to speed up the removal of…
New Yorkers Deserve Stronger Health Data Protections Now—Governor Hochul Can Make It Happen
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> With the rise of digital surveillance, securing our health data is no longer just a privacy issue—it’s a matter of personal safety. In the wake of the…
The Judicial Conference Should Continue to Liberally Allow Amicus Briefs, a Critical Advocacy Tool
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> EFF does a lot of things, including impact litigation, legislative lobbying, and technology development, all to fight for your civil liberties in the digital age. With litigation,…
Cornered by the UK’s Demand for an Encryption Backdoor, Apple Turns Off Its Strongest Security Setting
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Today, in response to the U.K.’s demands for a backdoor, Apple has stopped offering users in the U.K. Advanced Data Protection, an optional feature in iCloud that…
EFF at RightsCon 2025
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> EFF is delighted to be attending RightsCon again—this year hosted in Taipei, Taiwan between 24-27 February. RightsCon provides an opportunity for human rights experts, technologists, activists, and…
Copyright and AI: the Cases and the Consequences
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The launch of ChatGPT and other deep learning quickly led to a flurry of lawsuits against model developers. Legal theories vary, but most are rooted in copyright:…
AI and Copyright: Expanding Copyright Hurts Everyone—Here’s What to Do Instead
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> You shouldn’t need a permission slip to read a webpage–whether you do it with your own eyes, or use software to help. AI is a category of…
Stop Censoring Abortion: The Fight for Reproductive Rights in the Digital Age
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> With reproductive rights under fire across the U.S. and globally, access to accurate abortion information has never been more critical—especially online. That’s why reproductive health and rights…
EFF and Repro Uncensored Launch #StopCensoringAbortion Campaign
Campaign Aims to Ensure that People Can Access Reproductive Rights Information Through Social Media < div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> SAN FRANCISCO—The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the Repro Uncensored coalition on Wednesday…
Saving the Internet in Europe: Defending Privacy and Fighting Surveillance
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> This post is part three in a series of posts about EFF’s work in Europe. Read about how and why we work in Europe here. EFF’s mission…
Crimson Memo: Analyzing the Privacy Impact of Xianghongshu AKA Red Note
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Early in January 2025 it seemed like TikTok was on the verge of being banned by the U.S. government. In reaction to this imminent ban, several million…
Alaa Abd El Fattah’s Mother, Laila Soueif, Calls on UK Government to Help as She Continues Hunger Strike
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> As calls by UK’s top leaders for the release of British-Egyptian blogger, coder, and activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah from prison in Cairo continue, Alaa’s mother, math professor…
First Trump DOJ Assembled “Tiger Team” To Rewrite Key Law Protecting Online Speech
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> As President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order in 2020 to retaliate against online services that fact-checked him, a team within the Department of Justice (DOJ) was finalizing a proposal to…
Yes, You Have the Right to Film ICE
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Across the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already begun increasing enforcement operations, including highly publicized raids. As immigrant communities, families, allies, and activists think…
When Platforms and the Government Unite, Remember What’s Private and What Isn’t
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> For years now, there has been some concern about the coziness between technology companies and the government. Whether a company complies with casual government requests for data,…
EFF Sues OPM, DOGE and Musk for Endangering the Privacy of Millions
Lawsuit Argues Defendants Violated the Privacy Act by Disclosing Sensitive Data < div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> NEW YORK—EFF and a coalition of privacy defenders led by Lex Lumina filed a lawsuit today…
The TAKE IT DOWN Act: A Flawed Attempt to Protect Victims That Will Lead to Censorship
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Congress has begun debating the TAKE IT DOWN Act (S. 146), a bill that seeks to speed up the removal of a troubling type of online content:…
Privacy Loves Company
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Most of the internet’s blessings—the opportunities for communities to connect despite physical borders and oppressive controls, the avenues to hold the powerful accountable without immediate censorship, the…
Building a Community Privacy Plan
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Digital security training can feel overwhelming, and not everyone will have access to new apps, new devices, and new tools. There also isn’t one single system of…
Why the so-called AI Action Summit falls short
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Ever since Chat-GPT’s debut, artificial intelligence (AI) has been the center of worldwide discussions on the promises and perils of new technologies. This has spawned a flurry of debates on the…
Why the so-called AI Action summit falls short
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Ever since Chat-GPT’s debut, artificial intelligence (AI) has been the center of worldwide discussions on the promises and perils of new technologies. This has spawned a flurry of debates on the…
The UK’s Demands for Apple to Break Encryption Is an Emergency for Us All
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Washington Post reported that the United Kingdom is demanding that Apple create an encryption backdoor to give the government access to end-to-end encrypted data in iCloud.…
EFF to Ninth Circuit: Young People Have a First Amendment Right to Use Social Media (and All of Its Features)
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Minors, like everyone else, have First Amendment rights. These rights extend to their ability to use social media both to speak and access the speech of others…
EFF Applauds Little Rock, AR for Cancelling ShotSpotter Contract
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Community members coordinated to pack Little Rock City Hall on Tuesday, where board members voted 5-3 to end the city’s contract with ShotSpotter. Initially funded through a federal grant, Little Rock…
EFF Applauds Little Rock, AK for Cancelling ShotSpotter Contract
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Community members coordinated to pack Little Rock City Hall on Tuesday, where board members voted 5-3 to end the city’s contract with ShotSpotter. Initially funded through a federal grant, Little Rock…
Protecting Free Speech in Texas: We Need To Stop SB 336
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Texas legislature will soon be debating a bill that would seriously weaken the free speech protections of people in that state. If you live in Texas,…
Closing the Gap in Encryption on Mobile
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> It’s time to expand encryption on Android and iPhone. With governments around the world engaging in constant attacks on user’s digital rights and access to the internet,…
Paraguay’s Broadband Providers Continue to Struggle to Attain Best Practices at Protecting Users’ Data
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Paraguay’s five leading broadband service providers made some strides in making their privacy policies more accessible to the public, but continue to fall short in their commitments…
Victory! EFF Helps Defeat Meritless Lawsuit Against Journalist
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Jack Poulson is a reporter, and when a confidential source sent him the police report of a tech CEO’s arrest for felony domestic violence, he did what…
European Commission Gets Dinged for Unlawful Data Transfer, Sending a Big Message About Accountability
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The European Commission was caught failing to comply with its own data protection regulations and, in a first, ordered to pay damages to a user for the…
How State Tech Policies in 2024 Set the Stage for 2025
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> EFF has been at the forefront of defending civil liberties in the digital age, with our activism team working across state, federal, and local levels to safeguard…
Key Issues Shaping State-Level Tech Policy
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> We’re taking a moment to reflect on the 2024 state legislative session and what it means for the future of digital rights at the state level. Informed by insights from the…
Open Licensing Promotes Culture and Learning. That’s Why EFF Is Upgrading its Creative Commons Licenses.
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> At EFF, we’re big fans of the Creative Commons project, which makes copyright work in empowering ways for people who want to share their work widely. EFF…
Copyright is a Civil Liberties Nightmare
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> If you’ve got lawyers and a copyright, the law gives you tremendous power to silence speech you don’t like. Copyright’s statutory damages can be as high as…
Executive Order to the State Department Sideswipes Freedom Tools, Threatens Censorship Resistance, Privacy, and Anonymity of Millions
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In the first weeks of the Trump Administration, we have witnessed a spate of sweeping, confusing, and likely unconstitutional executive orders, including some that have already had…
The Internet Never Forgets: Fighting the Memory Hole
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> If there is one axiom that we should want to be true about the internet, it should be: the internet never forgets. One of the advantages of…
Protect Your Privacy on Bumble
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Late last year, Bumble finally rolled out its updated privacy policy after a coalition of twelve digital rights, LGBTQ+, human rights, and gender justice civil society organizations launched a campaign demanding…
EFF to State AGs: Time to Investigate Crisis Pregnancy Centers
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Discovering that you’re pregnant can trigger a mix of emotions—excitement, uncertainty, or even distress—depending on your circumstances. Whatever your feelings are, your next steps will likely involve…
What Proponents of Digital Replica Laws Can Learn from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> We’re taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…
California Law Enforcement Misused State Databases More Than 7,000 Times in 2023
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LACSD) committed wholesale abuse of sensitive criminal justice databases in 2023, violating a specific rule against searching the data to run…
Don’t Make Copyright Law in Smoke-Filled Rooms
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> < div class=”onecol column content-wrapper”> < div class=”column main-content”> < div class=”panel-pane pane-entity-view pane-node”> < div class=”node__content”> < div class=”eff-translation-links”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”>…
It’s Copyright Week 2025: Join Us in the Fight for Better Copyright Law and Policy
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> We’re taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are…
EFF to Michigan Supreme Court: Cell Phone Search Warrants Must Strictly Follow The Fourth Amendment’s Particularity and Probable Cause Requirements
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Last week, EFF, along with the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, ACLU, and ACLU of Michigan, filed an amicus brief in People v. Carson in the Supreme…
Face Scans to Estimate Our Age: Harmful and Creepy AF
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Government must stop restricting website access with laws requiring age verification. Some advocates of these censorship schemes argue we can nerd our way out of the many…
Face Scans to Estimate Our Age: Creepy AF and Harmful
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Government must stop restricting website access with laws requiring age verification. Some advocates of these censorship schemes argue we can nerd our way out of the many…
Second Circuit Rejects Record Labels’ Attempt to Rewrite the DMCA
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In a major win for creator communities, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has once again handed video streaming site Vimeo a solid win…
Speaking Freely: Lina Attalah
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> This interview has been edited for length and clarity.* Jillian York: Welcome, let’s start here. What does free speech or free expression mean to you personally? Lina…
Texas Is Enforcing Its State Data Privacy Law. So Should Other States.
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> States need to have and use data privacy laws to bring privacy violations to light and hold companies accountable for them. So, we were glad to see…
The FTC’s Ban on GM and OnStar Selling Driver Data Is a Good First Step
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Federal Trade Commission announced a proposed settlement agreeing that General Motors and its subsidiary, OnStar, will be banned from selling geolocation and driver behavior data to…
VICTORY! Federal Court (Finally) Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Better late than never: last night a federal district court held that backdoor searches of databases full of Americans’ private communications collected under Section 702 ordinarily require…
Protecting “Free Speech” Can’t Just Be About Targeting Political Opponents
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The White House executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship,” published Monday, misses the mark on truly protecting Americans’ First Amendment rights. The order…
EFF Sends Transition Memo on Digital Policy Priorities to New Administration and Congress
Topics Include National Security Surveillance, Consumer Privacy, AI, Cybersecurity, and Many More < div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> SAN FRANCISCO—Standing up for technology users in 2025 and beyond requires careful thinking about government…
VPNs Are Not a Solution to Age Verification Laws
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> VPNs are having a moment. On January 1st, Florida joined 18 other states in implementing an age verification law that burdens Floridians’ access to sites that host adult content, including pornography…
EFF Statement on U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision to Uphold TikTok Ban
We are deeply disappointed that the Court failed to require the strict First Amendment scrutiny required in a case like this, which would’ve led to the inescapable conclusion that the government’s desire to prevent potential future harm had to be…
Mad at Meta? Don’t Let Them Collect and Monetize Your Personal Data
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> If you’re fed up with Meta right now, you’re not alone. Google searches for deleting Facebook and Instagram spiked last week after Meta announced its latest policy…
Systemic Risk Reporting: A System in Crisis?
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The first batch of reports assessing the so called “systemic risks” posed by the largest online platforms are in. These reports are a result of the Digital…
Police Use of Face Recognition Continues to Wrack Up Real-World Harms
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Police have shown, time and time again, that they cannot be trusted with face recognition technology (FRT). It is too dangerous, invasive, and in the hands of…
Digital Rights and the New Administration | EFFector 37.1
It’s a new year and EFF is here to help you keep up with your New Year’s resolution to stay up-to-date on the latest digital rights news with our EFFector newsletter! This edition of the newsletter covers our tongue-in-cheek “awards”…
Platforms Systematically Removed a User Because He Made “Most Wanted CEO” Playing Cards
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> On December 14, James Harr, the owner of an online store called ComradeWorkwear, announced on social media that he planned to sell a deck of “Most Wanted…
Five Things to Know about the Supreme Court Case on Texas’ Age Verification Law, Free Speech Coalition v Paxton
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in a case that will determine whether states can violate adults’ First Amendment rights to access sexual content online…
Meta’s New Content Policy Will Harm Vulnerable Users. If It Really Valued Free Speech, It Would Make These Changes
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Earlier this week, when Meta announced changes to their content moderation processes, we were hopeful that some of those changes—which we will address in more detail in…
EFF Statement on Meta’s Announcement of Revisions to Its Content Moderation Processes
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> In general, EFF supports moves that bring more freedom of expression and transparency to platforms—regardless of their political motivation. We’re encouraged by Meta’s recognition that automated flagging…
Last Call: The Combined Federal Campaign Pledge Period Closes on January 15!
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> The pledge period for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) closes on Wednesday, January 15! If you’re a U.S. federal employee or retiree, now is the time to…
EFF Goes to Court to Uncover Police Surveillance Tech in California
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> Which surveillance technologies are California police using? Are they buying access to your location data? If so, how much are they paying? These are basic questions the Electronic Frontier Foundation is…
Online Behavioral Ads Fuel the Surveillance Industry—Here’s How
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> A global spy tool exposed the locations of billions of people to anyone willing to pay. A Catholic group bought location data about gay dating app users…
Deepening Government Use of AI and E-Government Transition in Latin America: 2024 in Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> Policies aimed at fostering digital government processes are gaining traction in Latin America, at local and regional levels. While these initiatives can streamline access to public services,…
Decentralization Reaches a Turning Point: 2024 in review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> The steady rise of decentralized networks this year is transforming social media. Platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads are still in their infancy but have already shown that when users are…
Kids Online Safety Act Continues to Threaten Our Rights Online: 2024 in Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> At times this year, it seemed that Congress was going to give up its duty to protect our rights online—particularly when the Senate passed the dangerous Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)…
Federal Regulators Limit Location Brokers from Selling Your Whereabouts: 2024 in Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> The opening and closing months of 2024 saw federal enforcement against a number of location data brokers that track and sell users’ whereabouts through apps installed on their smartphones. In January,…
Fighting Online ID Mandates: 2024 In Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> This year, nearly half of U.S. states passed laws imposing age verification requirements on online platforms. EFF has opposed these efforts, because they censor the internet and…
AI and Policing: 2024 in Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> There’s no part of your life now where you can avoid the onslaught of “artificial intelligence.” Whether you’re trying to search for a recipe and sifting through…
State Legislatures Are The Frontline for Tech Policy: 2024 in Review
< div class=”field field–name-body field–type-text-with-summary field–label-hidden”> < div class=”field__items”> < div class=”field__item even”> State lawmakers are increasingly shaping the conversation on technology and innovation policy in the United States. As Congress continues to deliberate key issues such as data privacy,…