A Politically Split Congress Can Perhaps Fuel Federal Surveillance Reforms
Part of a law that authorizes warrantless snooping is about to expire, opening up a opportunity to better protect our privacy rights.
Privacy
South Carolina's Supreme Court Says the State Constitution Protects a Right to Abortion
The court ruled that the state's six-week abortion ban violates the right to privacy.
Government Snoops in Maine Caught Spying on Peaceful Americans
Intelligence-gathering “fusion centers” repeatedly abuse civil liberties without making us safer.
Louisiana Now Checking IDs for Watching Porn
Plus: Still no House speaker, the gender gap in college scholarships, Meta fined $414 million, and more...
Illinois City Agrees To Stop Fining People for Resisting Warrantless Home Inspections
Zion’s attempts to push out unwanted renters collides with Fourth Amendment protections.
Democrats May Regret Compromising Taxpayer Privacy To Get Trump
The release of the former president’s tax returns sets a dangerous precedent.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams Wants You to Love Big Brother
A surveillance state is no less tyrannical when the snoops really believe it's for your own protection.
The Hidden Subtitle of the NDAA That Will Ban Basic Facts About Judges Online
No judge should have to fear for their lives as they defend the rule of law. But that doesn’t mean they can infringe on other civil liberties to protect their information.
A New Federal Press Shield Bill Falters Just Before the Finish Line in Congress
A law to protect people engaged in journalism from having to reveal sources gets blocked by Sen. Tom Cotton.
Why a Facial Recognition Device Barred This Woman From a Rockettes Show
Kelly Conlon's bizarre experience gives a glimpse into a future with omnipresent facial recognition systems.
Elizabeth Warren's Crypto Bill Targets Financial Freedom, Not Fraud
Senator Warren wants to extend the financial surveillance state cooked up by drug warriors and anti-terrorism fearmongers to cryptocurrencies.
Apple Announces Stronger Data Encryption, to the Dismay of FBI Snoops
Photos and information you store on iCloud will be safer from hackers, spies, and the government.
Geofencing Warrants Are a Threat to Privacy
A precedent set in the January 6 prosecutions could be dangerous to the public.
Wildlife Agents Placed a Camera on His Property Without a Warrant, Then Raided His Home After He Removed It
How a Prohibition-era legal precedent allows warrantless surveillance on private property.
U.K.'s Awful Internet Bill Becomes a Bit Less Hostile to Free Speech
At a dangerous moment for the free exchange of ideas, civil libertarians can tally a win.
The Respect for Marriage Act Shows That Congress Can Still Do Its Job
Congress should not forget that they can legislate in response to Supreme Court rulings.
China's Lockdown Protests Show Why You Shouldn't Let Government Weaken Encryption, Anonymity
Too many Western governments want to follow in the footsteps of authoritarians when it comes to tech privacy.
The Federal Government's Plan to Track Truckers' Every Movement Is a Privacy Nightmare
This surveillance would be unconstitutional—and there’s no reason to believe it will make anyone safer.
See the Surveillance State at Work in Your Own Community
The Atlas of Surveillance lets us monitor the agencies that snoop on the public.
The Kids Online Safety Act Would Make It Less Safe Online
The bill would amp up surveillance while doing little to actually protect anyone.
It's All About the Jimmy Hats
Rethinking the constitutional defense of reproductive rights after Dobbs via the Ninth Amendment
In Kentucky, Legal Abortion Is on the Ballot
Voters will soon cast ballots on a constitutional amendment that seeks to explicitly remove any protections for abortion in the state's constitution.
You Do Not Need To Store Your Kids' DNA in Case of Emergencies
Fearmongering about mass school shootings leads to some dumb, privacy-threatening ideas.
Gavin Newsom Vetoed California Crypto Regulations—and Invited Even Worse Federal Intervention
Any new rules for the crypto market should protect entrepreneurs and investors from overzealous intervention, not subject them to it.
A California Law Designed To Protect Children's Digital Privacy Could Lead to Invasive Age Verification
While the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act was hailed as a victory for digital privacy, critics warn of a litany of unintended consequences.
Federal Judge Decides Safe Deposit Boxes Aren't Safe From FBI
Judge Gary Klausner admits that the FBI probably hid their true motives in rifling through the contents of hundreds of safe deposit boxes, but says that's fine.
Muslim Male Inmate Entitled to Religious Exemption from Strip Searches by Female-to-Male Transgender Guard
"[A] prisoner's right to be free from highly invasive intrusions on bodily privacy by prison employees of the opposite sex—whether on religious or privacy grounds—does not change based on a guard's transgender status."
San Francisco Police Can Now Have Live Access to Nearly Any Camera in the City
A new ordinance passed by the city's Board of Supervisors allows police to request live access to private security cameras even for misdemeanor violations.
Anti-Cheating 'Room Scans' During Online Tests Are Unconstitutional, Rules Ohio District Court
An Ohio judge ruled on Monday that Cleveland State University's use of "room scans," a popular method for preventing cheating during online exams, violates the Fourth Amendment.
FBI Misled Judge in Obtaining Warrant To Seize Hundreds of Safe Deposit Boxes
New court documents show that the FBI planned for months to seize and forfeit property found inside safe deposit boxes in an L.A. raid under the pretext of doing an inventory.
The Tornado Cash Crackdown Is an Attack on Speech and Privacy
For the first time ever, the Treasury Department has sanctioned not a person or a group but a digital tool and all who would use it.
Zach Weissmueller: Why Cryptocurrency Privacy Software Restrictions Violate Free Speech Rights
Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller explores how the crackdown on cryptocurrency tools has implications for free speech and financial privacy.
Concerned About Abortion Surveillance and Law Enforcement? Time To Treat Encryption Seriously
A mother-daughter arrest in Nebraska was fueled in part by unencrypted Facebook messages police accessed through a warrant.
House Committee Can Get Trump Tax Returns
"The 2021 Request seeks information that may inform the United States House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means as to the efficacy of the Presidential Audit Program, and therefore, was made in furtherance of a subject upon which legislation could be had."
Pennsylvania Poaching Police Warrantlessly Installed Camera on Private Land To Surveil Hunting Club
Evidence turned over in a lawsuit shows that wildlife officers set up a trail camera at a private club to surveil hunters who may be breaking state laws.
No, Amazon Isn't Coming for Your Medical Data
One Medical and Amazon are going to provide a much-needed alternative to consumers who are already frustrated by the health care system.
Police Can Access Your Ring Camera Footage Without a Warrant
After Amazon admitted it gives Ring footage to police departments upon "emergency" request, San Francisco Mayor London Breed wants cops to be able to access any camera at any time.
What Is the FBI Trying To Hide About Its Raid on Innocent Americans' Safe Deposit Boxes?
Federal prosecutors want to keep key details about the planning and execution of the March 2021 raid at U.S. Private Vaults out of the public's sight.
Bitcoin Can Become Untraceable.
Bitcoin's creator designed it to be radically transparent, but the tools exist to make it as hard to trace as cash.
Homeland Security Is Buying Its Way Around the Fourth Amendment
Plus: The Respect for Marriage Act, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, and more...
When 'Pro-Life' Becomes 'Pro-Censorship'
Antiabortion activists are the new Anthony Comstocks.
Government Databases Invite Privacy Abuse in China and the U.S.
The surveillance state’s appetite for sensitive information is dangerous under any flag.
