
Blog
We can be pretty sure that each new day will bring two things: new threats to our civil liberties, and new stories of people standing up for their rights and winning. Behind every court ruling is a person. Behind every landmark law is a movement. Read the stories and hear the voices that ground our work.
On Government Abuse, Democracy, and Poverty... California Has a Long Way to Go
Mar 21, 2016
Bills sponsored by the ACLU of California would help move us forward.Every year, the ACLU of California sponsors several bills in the California Legislature. What does it mean to sponsor a bill? In most cases, it means we have collaborated with other advocacy groups and the legislative author in drafting the bill and providing our input on the text. We also may lobby legislators, testify in suppor...
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Long After Rodney King, We Need Transparent Policing More Than Ever
Mar 04, 2016
In the early hours of March 3, 1991, George Holliday stepped onto his balcony and saw police begin to beat a motorist on the street below. He then pulled out a video camera and filmed an incident that would become synonymous with police violence and misconduct: the beating of a young African American man named Rodney King by several Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers. News stations acro...
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Hey, Social Networks: Real Transparency Means Explaining All Content Removals
Mar 01, 2016
When Twitter released its most recent transparency report in late February, users got their first glimpse into the content the company removes for violating its terms of service after it receives formal legal demands. This is a step forward.
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Why I Support Privacy, and Security, in Apple vs. FBI
Feb 26, 2016
Today is not a typical ACLU day for me.I am going to Apple’s shareholder meeting to show my support for a company that is standing up for the privacy and security of people around the country and around the world.The federal government’s order for Apple to create a backdoor into the iPhone is not about just one phone. It is about all of our phones and devices, everywhere.Just like we rely on stron...
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VICTORY: Butte County Rejects Unfair Tax on Its Most Vulnerable Families
Feb 23, 2016
Butte County was one of 32 CA Counties that submitted bids for state financing to build new jails. Butte was the only county to try to use Inmate Welfare Fund money to pay the county’s required contribution.
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I Sued My School for Censorship and Won — Because Being a Lesbian Shouldn’t Violate the Dress Code
Feb 17, 2016
It all started with a t-shirt. I was at the mall, and I saw a shirt I knew I had to buy. It said “NOBODY KNOWS I’M A LESBIAN.” It made me laugh because pretty much everybody knows I’m a lesbian. My school tried to stop me from wearing it.
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New ACLU Guide: Tips for Tech Companies on Protecting User Privacy and Free Speech in 2016
Feb 10, 2016
The privacy and free speech mistakes of tech companies led to tons of embarrassing and costly stories last year. These missteps could've been avoided with better planning and processes in place, but many companies lack the resources to navigate this terrain.
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In Super Bowl City and Beyond, SF Must Affirm that #BlackLivesMatter
Feb 05, 2016
As thousands of people from around the country pour into Super Bowl City and the Bay Area, it’s important to remind the city of San Francisco: Black Lives Matter.
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ACLU of Northern California Statement on Hernan Jaramillo’s Death in Oakland Police Custody
Jan 29, 2016
The ACLU of Northern California is outraged by the death of Hernan Jaramillo, who died in 2013 while Oakland police officers restrained him and ignored his cries of “I can’t breathe.” Footage of the incident was released this week by the Oakland Tribune.
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Stuck in a Gender Rut: Clovis School Refuses to Bring Dress Code in Line with the Law
Jan 28, 2016
Clovis Unified School District outdid itself once again. The district had the opportunity to change its painfully outdated dress code, but the district defied reason - and the law - this week.
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Dirtbox Over Disneyland? New Docs Reveal Anaheim’s Cellular Surveillance Arsenal
Jan 27, 2016
Anaheim Police have spent almost a decade secretly building an inventory of powerful cell phone surveillance devices and making them available to neighboring cities in Orange County, Documents obtained [MC1] by the ACLU of California reveal.
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Can Government-Funded Hospitals Serving the Public Invoke Religious Directives to Deny Basic Healthcare to Women?
Jan 25, 2016
The answer should be "no." Yet that's the issue in a case the ACLU recently filed in California.
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