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Nov 18, 2022

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We've mapped out more than 290+ surveillance towers along the U.S.-Mexico border, along with 50 more proposed sites.

CBP Is Expanding Its Surveillance Tower Program at the U.S.-Mexico

To provide researchers with the tools they need to analyze the impact of U.S. border security policy, EFF is releasing a new map and dataset of more than 290 surveillance towers installed by Customs

Worried about TikTok? Then pass comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation. By reducing the massive stores of personal data collected by all businesses, we will reduce opportunities for all governments to buy or steal this data.

Government Hasn't Justified a TikTok Ban

Freedom of speech and association include the right to choose one’s communication technologies. Politicians shouldn’t be able to tell you what to say, where to say it, or who to say it to.So we are

NEW on EFF’s “How to Fix the Internet” - social media researcher

@alicetiara

joins Cindy Cohn &

@JGKelley

to discuss curbing disinformation while ensuring that the most marginalized and vulnerable internet users are still empowered to speak out.

Podcast Episode: So You Think You’re A Critical Thinker

The promise of the internet was that it would be a tool to melt barriers and aid truth-seekers everywhere. But it feels like polarization has worsened in recent years, and more internet users are

Vallejo police shared data in violation of state law, watchdog alleges

20h

“Agencies outside of California are not allowed to access this data” from automated license plate readers, EFF’s Dave Maass told

@thevallejosun

. “That is a flat out violation of California law.”

vallejosun.com

Vallejo police shared data with law enforcement agencies in states like Texas that have enacted abortion bans.

How dangerous is TikTok really for the U.S.?

22h

“Overall, we need federal privacy legislation, we need an end to these massive data brokers, and we need to realize that this isn’t just a problem when China does it,” EFF’s

@CooperQ

told

@GridNews

. “It’s a problem when anybody does it.”

grid.news

Lawmakers are homing in on an effort to restrict the social app, perhaps even finally banning it. Are they overreacting?

22h

Hemos cartografiado más de 290 torres de vigilancia a lo largo de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, proporcionando a periodistas, investigadores y al público en general datos cruciales para evaluar la política de seguridad fronteriza.

CBP Is Expanding Its Surveillance Tower Program at the U.S.-Mexico

To provide researchers with the tools they need to analyze the impact of U.S. border security policy, EFF is releasing a new map and dataset of more than 290 surveillance towers installed by Customs

Public Health? Who Knows? Public Comments? Absolutely Not!

23h

“Social media is a valuable forum for public interaction,” EFF’s

@DavidGreene

told

@CaliforniaGlobe

, adding that the Los Angeles Department of Public Health citing the deliberative exemption is “ridiculous” in these circumstances.

californiaglobe.com

The public may not be able to comment on any Los Angeles Department of Public Health social media site, but they can find an herbal remedy that claims to

Today marks the 6th anniversary of Ahmed Mansoor's arrest. His only "crime" was exercising his peaceful right to freedom of expression and defending human rights in the UAE.

The EU is considering a proposal that would allow for widespread scanning of user messages.

Sign The Petition And Tell EU Legislators: Don’t Scan Us

The European Parliament is debating a proposal that, if it passes, could be disastrous for privacy worldwide. Every message, photo, or hosted file could be scanned, with the results sent to

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The

Final Conference takes place this week in Brussels, where EFF’s

@cschmon

will discuss flexibilities and end-user rights in EU copyright. Read more and tune in here:

reCreating Europe's Final Conference and Project Review

EFF's International Policy Director, Christoph Schmon, will be attending reCreating Europe's Final Conference on digital copyright law. He will be participating in a panel session on copyright

To ban the public from using TikTok, the government must come forward with specific evidence showing, at the very least, a real problem and a narrowly tailored solution. So far, it hasn’t. So we doubt a ban could survive constitutional review.

Government Hasn't Justified a TikTok Ban

As Child Care Programs Adopt Tech Tools, New Questions Arise About Privacy and Security - EdSurge...

“You don’t want someone to experience a data breach before they are even able to type on a keyboard or know what a word is,” EFF’s

@nappy_techie

told

@EdSurge

. “The worst case scenario is hundreds of pictures of children and their data being leaked.”

edsurge.com

When Alexis Hancock signed her child up for child care, she wasn’t expecting to have to download an app to participate. When that app began to send her ...

EFF has mapped 290+ surveillance towers along the U.S.-Mexico border, providing journalists, researchers and the public with crucial data for evaluating border security policy.

CBP Is Expanding Its Surveillance Tower Program at the U.S.-Mexico

To provide researchers with the tools they need to analyze the impact of U.S. border security policy, EFF is releasing a new map and dataset of more than 290 surveillance towers installed by Customs

Fancy yourself a tech expert? Show us what you’ve got! It's EFF's 7th Annual Tech Trivia Night on April 27th—put your digital security, online rights, & internet culture knowledge to the test! #EFFTechTrivia eff.org/techtrivia2023

2023 EFF Tech Trivia Night Banner with 3 rainbow-gradient circuit board stylized brains on a black background

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Want better journalism and less B.S.? Demand stronger public record laws.

“Even if you despise the media, you should be rooting for more government transparency.” (With a nice shout-out to The #Foilies, EFF’s annual awards for the worst public-records obfuscators!)

reason.com

While the FOIA is a powerful and vital law on paper, government delays and obfuscation have neutered it in practice.

A agência brasileira Anatel bloqueou o uso do Flipper Zero. A proibição total do dispositivo é prejudicial, já que ele também serve à pesquisa de segurança e de hardware, pen testing para ajudar a fortalecer a segurança de redes e outros usos legítimos.

Dispositivos Flipper Zero estão sendo apreendidos pela Agência de

Você já deve ter ouvido falar do Flipper Zero. É comercializado como um "Dispositivo Multiferramenta Portátil para Geeks"—um dispositivo portátil programável embalado com hardware que facilita os

Using the DMCA in this matter isn’t about infringement. It’s about control.

A Playlist Is Copyright Infringement, According to the MPA

Is a playlist that allows you to play a publicly available, free, no-registration-required stream on the video app of your choice infringement? The law and common sense say no. The Motion Picture

Letters are invaluable to incarcerated people. So why is this jail teaming up with a for-profit company to take letters out of their hands and put them on limited tablets and kiosks?

Why We’re Suing to Protect the Right of Incarcerated People to

In 2021, San Mateo County, California, banned people incarcerated in county jails from receiving physical mail. Instead, family and friends were required to mail their letters to Smart

Is a playlist that allows you to play a publicly available, free, no-registration-required stream on the video app of your choice infringement? The law and common sense say no. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) says yes. They are very wrong.

A Playlist Is Copyright Infringement, According to the MPA

Is a playlist that allows you to play a publicly available, free, no-registration-required stream on the video app of your choice infringement? The law and common sense say no. The Motion Picture

The FBI and NSA illegally spied on Rep. LaHood. His inability to sue to protect his rights is part of a larger problem—one that we’ve been trying to fix for decades.

Even Rep. LaHood likely can't sue the NSA or FBI to protect his rights

In a stunning revelation, a sitting U.S. Congressman has publicly identified himself as the subject of likely illegal surveillance by the NSA and FBI. During a hearing on the question of renewal the

Support EFF's work today and stay shaded and stylish with our Grey EFF hat! eff.org/join

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End-to-end encryption is vital to have a private digital life. It’s under attack around the world, including a critical battle in the UK.

Tell the UK’s House of Lords: Protect End-to-End Encryption in the

Private communication is a basic, universal right. In the online world, the best tool we have to defend this right is end-to-end encryption. End-to-end encryption ensures that governments, tech

Tell the UK’s House of Lords: Protect End-to-End Encryption in the Online Safety Bill

The Online Safety Bill would force internet services to scan millions of messages sent by users who’ve done nothing wrong. Services currently providing encryption could be pressured to abandon it. Tell the UK’s House of Lords to protect privacy for all:

act.eff.org

The UK government has had years to revise its Online Safety Bill into a proposal that wouldn’t harm users’ basic rights. It has failed to do so. As drafted, the Bill undermines end-to-end encryption...

schedule.mozillafestival.org

This year's #MozFest is just around the corner! On March 20, EFF's

will join

(

(

), and Jan Penfrat (

) to explore how legislation in the EU impacts the Global South. Find all the details here:

Mozilla Festival 2023 Schedule

It’s #SunshineWeek! Time to celebrate the best and boo the worst agency responses to our freedom of information requests. Check out The Foilies for the offices that made some terrible transparency calls this past year.

The Foilies are our annual tongue-in-cheek “awards” for agencies and officials that thwart the public's right to government information or otherwise respond outrageously to requests for documents and

The Foilies 2023

Humble Tech Book Bundle: Think Like a Programmer by No Starch

Sharpen your programming skills and help out EFF, too! The

@nostarch

"Think Like a Programmer" book bundle is available until March 20.

humblebundle.com

We’ve teamed up with No Starch Press for our newest bundle. Get books like Write Great Code & more programming resources. Plus, pay what you want & support charity!

Our surveillance system is so broken, even a member of Congress illegally spied on likely can’t sue the FBI or NSA. Here’s how that can change.

Even Rep. LaHood likely can't sue the NSA or FBI to protect his rights

In a stunning revelation, a sitting U.S. Congressman has publicly identified himself as the subject of likely illegal surveillance by the NSA and FBI. During a hearing on the question of renewal the

City Weekly March 16, 2023

Hello Salt Lake City! The Foilies have hit the streets IRL. Pick up this week's

@CityWeekly

to learn about last year's worst transgressions against government transparency.

issuu.com

We all have the right to have a private conversation—period. Online or offline.

Tell the UK’s House of Lords: Protect End-to-End Encryption in the

Private communication is a basic, universal right. In the online world, the best tool we have to defend this right is end-to-end encryption. End-to-end encryption ensures that governments, tech

This month’s patent troll has a front man who claims he’s the owner but gets only a 5% cut of its revenue.

Stupid Patent of the Month: Clocking In To Work—On an App

What if we told you the Stupid Patent of the Month has a sponsor, but we don’t know who it is? That would seem shady, wouldn’t it? This month’s stupid patent was brought to you—to all of us,

Take Action: Tell the House of Lords to protect encryption in the online safety bill:

act.eff.org

Tell the UK’s House of Lords: Protect End-to-End Encryption in the Online Safety Bill

The CFP for Black Hat USA is live! If you’re submitting to #BHUSA and have any legal concerns regarding your talk, feel free to reach out to us at info@eff.org. blackhat.com/call-for-paper

Listen up! Hear about the latest rising issues in online security, privacy, and free expression with EFF's EFFector newsletter:

Digital Rights Updates with EFFector 35.3

New month, new digital rights updates! Version 35, issue 3 of our EFFector newsletter is out now. Catch up on the latest EFF news by reading our newsletter or listening to the audio version below.

⚡️You have the power⚡️EFF's Electric Fist hoodie is back online but in limited quantities! Every donation and purchase supports EFF's fight for your rights online eff.org/efhs

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Brazil’s regulator blocked the use of the hacking multi-tool Flipper Zero. This ban will result in tangible harms as it also serves security research, hardware research, pen testing to help harden network security, and other legitimate uses.

Flipper Zero Devices Being Seized by Brazil’s Telecom Agency

You may have heard of the Flipper Zero. It’s marketed as a “Portable Multi-tool Device for Geeks”—a programmable portable device packed with hardware that facilitates wireless penetration testing and

An Ecuadorian court declared security expert

@olabini

innocent in a crucial ruling which resisted interpreting cybercrime law broadly to criminalize coders. Yet, over one month later, we still wait for the court to lift restrictions to his rights.