Traffic Cops Who Snooped Sexy Selfies Face Federal Charges
David McKnight and Julian Alcala were accused of separate plots to steal sexually explicit photos from women's phones during traffic stops.
Privacy
Why the California Ban on "Disseminat[ing] Information" "Relating to a Sealed Arrest" Violates the First Amendment
The heart of our argument for a preliminary injunction in First Amendment Coalition, LaRoe & Volokh v. Chiu.
First Amendment Coalition, LaRoe & Volokh v. Chiu
We're challenging a California statute that bans publishing "information relating to a sealed arrest."
Apple Makes It More Difficult for Crooks and Cops To Look at Your Phone
A new "inactivity reboot" protects data from thieves and helps preserve due process.
Feds Use 'Border Security' To Justify Social Media Surveillance
Supposedly targeted at immigrants and travelers, the program endangers everybody’s liberty.
Fifth Circuit Stays Broad Discovery Regarding Media Matters Donors in X v. Media Matters
The court concludes that X's requested discovery is broader than necessary, though it leaves open the door to some considerably narrower discovery.
Glasses Equipped with Facial Recognition Are in Our Future
Two Harvard undergrads give us a glimpse of the surveillance future.
Police Want the Password to Your Phone
Without a warrant and specific proof of incriminating evidence, police should never be allowed past your phone’s lock screen.
State Constitution Tool
A great free resource for lawyers, judges, academics, and students doing cross-state constitutional law research.
How Post-Arrest DNA Swabs Threaten Innocent People's Privacy
Most states collect DNA from felony arrestees pretrial. They should need a warrant to do so.
Limit Government's Use of Surveillance Technology Before It's Too Late
We can't stop technological advancement, but we should limit government misuse of it.
In Venezuela, Digital Freedom Is a Threat to Dictators
Now more than ever, people’s freedom lies in their ability to communicate and access information with privacy and security.
The Feds Are Skirting the Fourth Amendment by Buying Data
The government needs a warrant to spy on you. So agencies are paying tech companies to do it instead.
NFL's Facial Recognition Technology Sparks Fears of Fan Surveillance
Personal data retained by government or private entities are always at risk of compromise, misuse, or access by law enforcement.
Can Nostr Make Twitter's Dreams Come True?
Twitter's founder says Nostr is “100 percent what we wanted”—an open, ownerless network.
A 'Reformist' Legal Expert Calls for a Surveillance State
A lawyer who should know better wants to ignore the history of snooping cops to fight guns and crime.
South Carolina Cops and Courts Rig the Game Against Drivers
An uneven playing field allows the aggressive tactics and legal loopholes that turn traffic stops into cash grabs.
Inside the Unchecked Bus Searches by South Carolina Police
Routine searches of commercial buses violate privacy, target low-income passengers, and result in widespread violations.
South Carolina Cops Target Out-of-State Drivers for Highway Robbery
No arrest necessary as South Carolina police hunt for cash
Operation Rolling Thunder: The Shocking Truth Behind Spartanburg's Traffic Stops
A 21-month legal battle unveils the dark side of South Carolina's annual traffic crackdown.
Courts Close the Loophole Letting the Feds Search Your Phone at the Border
Customs and Border Protection insists that it can search electronics without a warrant. A federal judge just said it can't.
Senate To Vote on Web Censorship Bill Disguised as Kids Safety
The Kids Online Safety Act would have cataclysmic effects on free speech and privacy online.
New Jersey Wants Your Baby's Genes
Collecting and analyzing newborns' blood could allow the state to surveil people for life.
FTC Opens a Backdoor Route to Age Verification on Social Media
In a "novel" order concerning the app NGL, the agency takes aim at online anonymity and at minors on social media.
Tennessee Will Not Appeal Ruling Over Wildlife Agents Planting Cameras
While the decision is great news for Tennesseans, it's only the first step in reclaiming Americans' property rights against the open fields doctrine.
Judges Block Indiana and Mississippi Age Verification Laws for Porn, Social Media
And the Supreme Court agrees to weigh in.
Be Wary of the Department of Homeland Security's AI Ambitions
Americans shouldn’t count on the department to use the technology responsibly or in a limited way.
Baltimore Brings Back Controversial Cellphone Hacking System
A year after a court told Maryland police that Cellebrite searches were too broad, Baltimore quietly resumed using the software.
'I Don't Support Mandates From Government': John Stossel Interviews Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver
The candidate makes the case against the two-party system.
If Pseudonyms, Then What Kind? How About "Doe WHBE 3"?
Should pseudonymous litigants, and any precedents set in their cases, be known by the initials of the law firms that represent them?
Judge Tosses Biometric Data Suit Against X
X's child porn detection system doesn’t violate an Illinois biometric privacy law, the judge ruled.
Illinois License Plate Cameras Are Violating People's Constitutional Rights, Says New Suit
The plaintiffs are challenging the state's widespread surveillance, which it collects through over 600 cameras.
Colorado Will Replace Cops With Drones for Some 911 Calls
While drones are less likely to shoot or maim innocent civilians, they could also pose privacy issues.
The Illusion of Financial Privacy
Decades of legislation have chipped away at the financial privacy Americans believe they still have.
Australians Abandon Physical Cash and the Freedom It Protects
Digital payments are easy to use, but also to monitor and block.
Old Enough for a Gun, Too Young for TikTok: What's Legal for Teens in Your State?
From tattoos to abortions to gender expression, a confusing mess of laws govern which Americans are considered adults.
Here's How the CIA Plans To Use Your Ad Tracking Data
The intelligence community is admitting that info from data brokers is sensitive but isn’t accepting hard limits on how to use it.
The Government Fears This Privacy Tool
The Department of Justice indicted the creators of Samourai Wallet, an application that helps people spend their bitcoins anonymously.
Groundhog Day for the Crypto Wars: The DOJ on Bitcoin Prowl
The government always has seemingly good reasons to sidestep people’s rights.
Does the Constitution Protect the Right To Get High?
Columbia law professor David Pozen recalls the controversy provoked by early anti-drug laws and the hope inspired by subsequent legal assaults on prohibition.
Appeals Court Rules That Cops Can Physically Make You Unlock Your Phone
The 9th Circuit determined that forcibly mashing a suspect's thumb into his phone to unlock it was akin to fingerprinting him at the police station.
Biden Opposes Bill That Would Keep Cops and Feds From Buying Your Data
The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act would prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from purchasing data that they would otherwise need a warrant to obtain.
