Blog

Last night, the Bay Area city of Alameda unanimously rejected a proposed $500,000 contract to purchase license plate reader technology from Vigilant, a company that recently sold ICE access to its nationwide database. This is a win for the rights of all residents. Read More

Is law enforcement in your area demanding personal info from social media companies? Here's how to find out.

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These days, it seems like almost every city is launching “smart initiatives” that promise to turn data about the city into improved public services, a vibrant business community, or a new approach to challenges like public health. But it's not smart to assume that any given “smart city” technology will actually benefit the public. These technologies can cause real harm to people. They ha... Read More

A newly leaked FBI report contains troubling signs that the feds are scrutinizing and possibly surveilling Black activists in its search for potential "extremists."

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Anaheim used a 'covert purchase' procedure to hide $700,000 worth of acquisitions, loaned its surveillance equipment out to other jurisdictions, and used the devices to investigate a much broader array of crimes than was originally promised.

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As mobile iris-scanning apps and tools become available, racial profiling by law enforcement could lead to Latinos and people of color having their eyes scanned simply because they speak Spanish or have brown skin.

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In today's troublesome political climate, local police surveillance must be reined in. 

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There are some things you won't be able to avoid when the new school year starts up. Homework. Pop quizzes. Final exams.But one thing you shouldn’t have to do is let your school search your phone.Under California law, school officials cannot search your phone, tablet, or laptop unless they have a search warrant, there is a legitimate emergency (like a bomb threat), or you say it’s OK. No snooping ... Read More

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has launched a “Traveler Verification Service” (TVS) that envisions applying face recognition to all airline passengers, including U.S. citizens, boarding flights exiting the United States. This system raises very serious privacy issues.

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We’re suing the Justice Department to disclose when the government tells people it electronically spied on them. 

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ICE obtained a warrant to track and locate the cell phone of an immigrant from El Salvador who the government believed to be removable from the country. This is the first evidence we’ve seen of ICE using a Stingray in a specific immigration enforcement operation, but we’ve known for some time that the agency possesses the technology.

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In late February, Aaron Gach was returning to the United States from Brussels. An artist and activist, he had been abroad exhibiting works about mass incarceration, government control, and political dissent. In his pocket was a smartphone.    During a customs inspection at San Francisco International Airport, officers with Customs and Border Protection forced Aaron to submit to an i... Read More