Blog

In May and June of this year, we had several blog posts about privacy concerns associated with the new Google Street View service. See here. The Street View photographs included identifiable people and license plates and the procedures for requesting take-down of that information was more difficult than it should have been. There was not a direct link from the image to re... Read More

San Francisco – California cities are moving quickly to install video surveillance cameras on public streets and plazas without regulations, with little or no public debate, and without an evaluation of their effectiveness, according to an ACLU report released today.Even though 37 cities have some type of video surveillance program, and 10 cities are considering expansive programs, no jurisdiction... Read More

The public overflowed the courtroom and late-comers filed into an adjoining video room, members of the press hovered around the courthouse, and oral argument lasted an hour and forty five minutes- that was the scene yesterday afternoon as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard the government's appeal in Hepting v. AT&T. Hepting is one of several cases, including two filed ... Read More

The outcome in the lawsuit Hepting v. AT&T, being heard today by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, will be important to the various challenges to illegal spying of Americans. I'm attending the hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. today, after which I will provide a reaction to what occurred inside the room. (ETA 8/16/07: Read my reaction here.) Background on the Signific... Read More

ReportsUnder the Watchful Eye: The Proliferation of Video Surveillance Systems in California (Full Report)Under the Watchful Eye, a report issued by the California ACLU affiliates, examines the justifications for and consequences of the dramatic expansion in government video surveillance of public space at the local level. This report explains in detail the joint assessment of the three California... Read More

EarthLink announces halt on new municipal wireless build-outs- San Francisco plan may be delayed. Read More

Washington, DC - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the failure of an amendment offered to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that would have authorized $300 million of federal funding for states to implement the Real ID driver's license program, which has been estimated by DHS to cost $23.1 billion. The ACLU deemed the proposal "sucker money" because it aimed ... Read More

The privacy and security concerns associated with the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is in the news again. A new article about RFID and privacy and security issues was written this week by the Associated Press. Chips: High Tech Aids or Tracking Tools? The ACLU of Northern California is working on four landmark privacy bills on RFID technology- SB 28, 29, 30, and 31. ... Read More

Want to know why the new San Francisco municipal wireless contract needs to include privacy and free speech protections? Read Make free wi-fi truly free, the opinion piece written by Kurt Opsahl, from EFF, and me, about the San Francisco wireless contract. It was published in today's San Francisco Chronicle. For a copy of the joint letter submitted by ACLU of Northern Cal... Read More

At yesterday's Budget Committee meeting, the San Supervisors delayed voting on the Earthlink/Google contract until July 25. Watch it here. We were very pleased that Supervisor Peskin announced at the meeting that he is negotiating modifications to the contract, including the provisions related to privacy and free speech protections. Read More

Wednesday San Francisco Board of Supervisors Hearing on Muni WiFiWHEN: Wednesday, July 11, 2007TIME: 1:00pm (approximate start time)WHERE: City Hall, Board Chamber, room 250, Budget and Finance CommitteeThe SF Board of Supervisor's Budget Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday afternoon about the Earthlink/Google contract.The Budget Committee will vote whether to approve the contract, s... Read More

In a 2-1 decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals today dismissed a legal challenge to the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program. The challenge was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of prominent journalists, scholars, attorneys and national nonprofit organizations who say that the unchecked surveillance program is disrupting their ability to communicate e... Read More