Press Releases: December, 2006
EFF Backs DontDateHimGirl.com in Defamation Case
Controversial Website Shielded by Federal Law Protecting Internet Free Speech
Pittsburgh - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) urged a Pennsylvania court today to dismiss defamation claims against the controversial website DontDateHimGirl.com, arguing that federal law shields the website from liability to protect the free flow of information online.
Computer Security Expert Edward W. Felten Joins EFF Board of Directors
Princeton Professor Behind Important E-voting Vulnerability Research
San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) welcomes the newest member of its Board of Directors, computer security expert Edward W. Felten. A professor of Computer Science and Public Affairs at Princeton University, Felten recently demonstrated the ability to manipulate results on a Diebold electronic voting machine -- showing that the equipment was extremely vulnerable to "vote-stealing" attacks that would undermine the accuracy of vote counts.
Lawsuit Demands Answers About Government's Secret 'Risk Assessment' Scores
Millions of U.S. Travelers Affected by Giant Data-Mining Program
Washington, D.C. - The FLAG Project at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in federal court today, demanding immediate answers about an invasive and unprecedented data-mining system deployed on American travelers.
The Automated Targeting System (ATS) creates and assigns "risk assessments" to tens of millions of citizens as they enter and leave the country. In November, DHS announced that the program would launch on December 4, but Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff later admitted that the program had already been in operation for several years.
"The news of this secret program sparked a nationwide uproar. DHS needs to provide answers, and provide them quickly, to the millions of law-abiding citizens who are worried about this 'risk assessment' score that will follow them throughout their lives," said EFF Senior Counsel David Sobel.
Under ATS, individuals have no way to access information about their "risk assessment" scores or to correct any false information about them. But while you cannot see your score, it will be made readily available to untold numbers of federal, state, local, and foreign agencies. The government will retain the data for 40 years.
While the publicly available information about ATS is disturbing enough, there are many critical details the government did not disclose. For example, DHS has not announced what the consequences might be of a "risk assessment" score that indicates an individual might be a threat. EFF's suit demands an urgent and expedited response to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed earlier this month, including all Privacy Impact Assessments for the ATS, all records that describe redress for individuals who believe the system includes inaccurate information, and all records that discuss potential consequences for travelers as a result of the system.
"ATS is precisely the sort of system that Congress sought to prohibit with the Privacy Act of 1974," said Sobel. "DHS needs to abide by the law and give Americans the information they deserve about this dangerous program."
Congressional leaders have indicated that they are likely to convene hearings on ATS when the new Congress convenes in January. Today's lawsuit cites that pending oversight as an additional reason why DHS must release details about the system on an expedited basis.
For the FOIA complaint filed against the Department of Homeland Security:
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/ats/ats_complaint.pdf
For more on the ATS program and other travel screening issues:
http://www.eff.org/privacy/travel/
Contacts:
David Sobel
Senior Counsel
Electronic Frontier Foundation
sobel@eff.org
Marcia Hofmann
Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation
marcia@eff.org
Fight to Unseal Critical Evidence in AT&T Surveillance Case
Thursday Hearing on Public Release of Documents
San Francisco - On Thursday, December 21, at 2 p.m., a federal judge in San Francisco will consider requests from media groups to unseal critical evidence in the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) class-action lawsuit against AT&T.
Tuesday Hearing on Critical E-Voting Evidence in Flawed Florida Election
Search for Thousands of Missing Votes in Sarasota County Congressional Race
Tallahassee, Fla. - On Tuesday, December 19th, at 1 p.m., a state judge in Tallahassee, Florida, will consider whether representatives of Florida voters will gain access to voting machines and software in a contested election for the U.S. House of Representatives seat for Florida's 13th congressional district.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other election advocacy groups last month filed suit on behalf of Sarasota County voters
