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There are many, many people who, as volunteers, invest their time, energy and talents in the ACLU in ways that make a real difference for real people. I'm talking about the people who step-up into leadership roles behind the scenes, and then keep it up, sometimes for years and years. Read More

Today the ACLU of Northern California has asked school districts in Sonoma County to comply with California law by replacing abstinence-only sex education with curricula that teach about condoms and contraception, as well as abstinence. the ACLU has requested written confirmation that abstinence-only instruction currently provided in some junior and high schools by an outside agency called Free to... Read More

Ever whiled away five minutes on a Facebook quiz, finding out what cartoon character is your look-alike or how your IQ stacks up? These quizzes may seem like a perfectly harmless way to spend a few spare minutes. But have you stopped to think about what these quizzes are learning about you and how that info could be used? Take our quiz and learn more!QUESTION 1: When you take a Facebook quiz, the ... Read More

On May 16, 2008, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California drafted and submitted an amicus brief in San Leandro Teachers Association v. San Leandro USD with the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties. The question presented in the case was whether a school district employer could censor political messages–concerning the loc... Read More

On May 18, 2009, ACLU Foundation of Northern California announced a settlement with the Vallejo City Unified School District on behalf of Rochelle Hamilton, a high school student who faced anti-gay harassment from teachers and school staff. The settlement is designed to combat harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at all the district's schools, and includes ... Read More

Although the technology has been around since World War II, state and local governments have recently begun incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices into identification documents such as student IDs and passports. Citizens are compelled to carry these RFID-enabled devices, which broadcast personal information and often lack meaningful privacy and security protections. As a resul... Read More

Although the technology has been around since World War II, state and local governments have recently begun incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices into identification documents like driver's licenses and passports. Citizens are compelled to carry these RFID-enabled devices, which broadcast their personal information and often lack meaningful privacy and security protections. A... Read More

SB 31, Simitian. Identification documents.This bill would provide that a person or entity that intentionally remotely reads or attempts to remotely read a person's identification document using radio frequency identification (RFID) without his or her knowledge and prior consent, as described, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, a fine of not more than $1,500, or ... Read More

SB 682 (2005) would have prohibited any person or entity from intentionally reading a person's government-issued identification document (ID) remotely using radio waves without the knowledge of that person. It includes strong criminal penalties for anybody who violates this statute. SB 682 would have required a governmental entity that issues IDs that can be read remotely using radio waves to pro... Read More

RFID devices are tiny chips with miniature antennae that are embedded within documents or objects for tracking and identification purposes. When a RFID reader emits a radio signal, all RFID-enabled devices in the vicinity respond by automatically transmitting their stored information to the reader. RFID has some useful applications but when embedded in ID documents, it can pose serious privacy an... Read More