Blog

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... Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

This January, as you consider a gym membership or taking up a new instrument, you also have the opportunity to commit to something else: a more private and secure digital life. Here are six easy steps you and your loved ones can take to help safeguard your digital life this coming year. Read More

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to move on from the past and turn towards the future. Put those holiday decorations back in boxes for the foreseeable future. Find a new strategy to ensure that you’re really going to live up to your resolutions this time. And enjoy a new era of digital privacy in California as CalECPA (SB 178) goes into effect. Read More

Facebook just announced concrete changes to its harmful “real name” policy. Following up on its promise to groups including the ACLU of California, the changes are meant to reduce risks such as abusive reporting and lockouts of users and their speech from the site. Read More

We just got a pile of public records from the police department in Fresno, California. Fresno police have been using several different brands of social media surveillance software – all without the public’s consent. What’s worse, the ACLU has discovered that Fresno police have been using an especially offensive piece of software called MediaSonar, which encourages the police to identify “threats t... Read More

A few weeks ago, Alameda County Sheriff Ahern requested authorization from the Board of Supervisors to upgrade the county’s StingRay surveillance equipment. Today, the Board again postponed the decision in order to develop a use-policy. Read More

In response to the demands of a global coalition, Facebook announced changes on Oct. 30 to its user name policy designed to reduce abusive targeting and increase due process for users. Read More

Documents recently obtained by the ACLU of Northern California from the Department of Justice confirm concerns about the federal government’s use of StingRays – a highly intrusive cell phone surveillance device – and underscore the need for transparency. Read More

Read why more people are using adblockers - not just to avoid annoying commercials, but to guard against tracking and profiling. Read More