
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.
A Hard-Fought Win for Sex Ed in Fresno Unified
Oct 28, 2015
For years, students in Fresno have been fighting to get comprehensive sex ed curriculum in their schools. And now that dream is a reality, thanks to Fresno Unified's school board.
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Gang Injunctions Are Ineffective and Criminalize Youth of Color
Oct 22, 2015
With all we now know about unrelenting bias and systemic racism in our criminal justice system, do we really want to let gang cops and prosecutors decide whose rights will be permanently restricted?
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Take Back Control of Your Online Identity
Oct 16, 2015
Read why more people are using adblockers - not just to avoid annoying commercials, but to guard against tracking and profiling.
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California Leads on Electronic Privacy. Other States Must Follow.
Oct 13, 2015
Last Thursday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which requires a warrant before California law enforcement can seize the contents or metadata of your communications, demand location records from your cell phone provider, or use a StingRay to gather information about your smartphone.
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ACLU of California Center for Advocacy & Policy: A Lobbying Machine
Oct 13, 2015
Last fall, the three ACLU affiliates in California launched our newly expanded Sacramento office: the ACLU of California Center for Advocacy & Policy. One year ago, we had a staff of four. Today, we have nine full-time and two part time advocates. This tremendous increase in capacity translated into significant victories in the Legislature this year.
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Facebook, It's Time to Fix Your Real Names Policy
Oct 05, 2015
What’s in a name? If you ask Facebook, it’s the text on a driver’s license or a formal document like a utility bill or library card.
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Enhanced Driver’s Licenses: A Civil Liberties Nightmare
Sep 30, 2015
If Gov. Brown fails to veto SB 249, the DMV will issue driver’s licenses enhanced with unencrypted computer chips that would make Californians' personal data vulnerable.
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ACLU Urges Alameda County to Vote No on StingRay Surveillance
Sep 29, 2015
UPDATE: The vote has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Oct. 13. TAKE ACTION - Ask your Alameda County Supervisor to vote NO!The Alameda County Sherriff has requested authorization from the Board of Supervisors to upgrade the county’s StingRay surveillance equipment.StingRays are a highly intrusive cell phone surveillance technology used by law enforcement to intercept information from a target cel...
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On Policing, What Will Gov. Brown's Legacy Be?
Sep 27, 2015
Now that AB 953 has been voted out of the California legislature, I wonder: what will Gov. Brown’s legacy on racial justice and fair policing be during this critical time in history?
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Let Young Parents Breastfeed in School
Sep 25, 2015
UPDATE! Gov. Brown has signed AB 302!It was my first week as a Fresno State student. I was ecstatic about stepping on campus and being a college student. But I knew the journey would be difficult, especially as a young mother.That first week, I walked into one of the campus restrooms and heard a noise I recognized—it was a breast pump. A classmate was sitting inside one of the toilet stalls pumpin...
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Ask the Experts! Meet Our New Board Chair Beverly Tucker
Sep 24, 2015
Beverly Tucker is a longtime supporter of the ACLU, serving on the board since September 2010 and previously from 1987 until 1990. We're honored to have Beverly's leadership expertise and deep knowledge of policy change in both the organizational and governmental spheres.
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Legislation: Advancing the Rights of All Californians
Sep 22, 2015
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 been involved in drafting the bill, providing input on the text. But we never work alone. Most of our bills are co-sponsored with other advocacy groups. The bill language is thus the result of a collaboration between the co-sponsors and the...
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