Archive

In recent years, the federal government has significantly ramped up its efforts to monitor people on social media. The FBI, for one, has repeatedly acknowledged that it engages in surveillance of social media posts. So it was surprising when the bureau responded to our Freedom of Information Act request on this kind of surveillance by saying that it “can neither confirm nor deny the existence of r... Read More

SEATTLE — A group of Amazon shareholders announced today that they have filed a shareholder resolution echoing widespread calls for Amazon to stop sales of facial recognition to the government. The shareholder resolution, which asks Amazon’s board of directors to prohibit sales of facial recognition technology to government agencies unless the board concludes that the technology does not pose actu... Read More

SACRAMENTO — Yesterday, the California Secretary of State confirmed that a bail-bond-industry-funded referendum campaign asking voters to overturn Senate Bill 10, the recent legislation that would eliminate the bail bond industry in California, has qualified to be on the November 2020 ballot. In response, the following statement can be jointly attributed to the three executive directors of the ... Read More

SAN FRANCISCO — The ACLU Foundation of Northern California has sent Public Records Act (PRA) requests to multiple law enforcement agencies on behalf of people seeking information about the officers involved in the killings of their loved ones. A new law, SB 1421, went into effect in California on Jan. 1. The historic legislation makes public previously secret information about officers who shoo... Read More

NEW YORK — A coalition of over 85 racial justice, faith, and civil, human, and immigrants’ rights groups today sent letters to Microsoft, Amazon, and Google demanding the companies commit not to sell face surveillance technology to the government.  The coalition makes it clear to each company that a decision to provide face surveillance technology to the government threatens the safety of commu... Read More

Kick off 2019 by joining ACLU activists in your home community! Check out this list for upcoming chapter events. Read More

SACRAMENTO — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom introduced his budget proposal for the 2019-20 Fiscal Year. Included in the budget was a commitment to expand paid family leave to six months from the current six weeks. In addition to expanding the length of leave, the Administration will consider other changes—including alignment of existing worker protections and non-retaliation protections—t... Read More

SAN DIEGO – As San Diego County struggles to address a growing migrant shelter crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom today unveiled his proposed budget for the 2019-20 Fiscal Year that includes a $25 million General Fund investment (including $5 million to be made available this year) for a community-based rapid response program for nonprofit first responders helping migrant families seeking protection fr... Read More

SACRAMENTO – Just days after being sworn in as California’s 40th governor, Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposed budget today for the 2019-20 Fiscal Year, including a $124.9 million investment to expand preschool education to all low-income four-year-olds over the next three years. In response, Sylvia Torres-Guillén, the ACLU of California's Director of Education Equity, issued the following state... Read More

SB1421 gives the public the right to see records related to police misconduct. Find out how you can make requests. Read More