Google’s FLoC Is a Terrible Idea
Update, April 9, 2021 : We've launched Am I FLoCed, a new site that will tell you whether your Chrome browser has been turned into a guinea pig for Federated Learning of Cohorts or FLoC, Google’s latest targeted advertising experiment. The third-party cookie is dying, and Google is trying...
The Justice in Policing Act Does Not Do Enough to Rein in Body-Worn Cameras
Reformers often tout police use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) as a way to prevent law enforcement misconduct. But, far too often, this technology becomes one more tool in a toolbox already overflowing with surveillance technology that spies on civilians. Worse, because police often control when BWCs are turned on and...
Officials in Baltimore and St. Louis Put the Brakes on Persistent Surveillance Systems Spy Planes
Baltimore, MD and St. Louis, MO, have a lot in common. Both cities suffer from declining populations and high crime rates. In recent years, the predominantly Black population in each city has engaged in collective action opposing police violence. In recent weeks, officials in both cities voted unanimously to...
What the AT&T Breakup Teaches Us About a Big Tech Breakup
The multi-pronged attempt by state Attorneys General, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to find Google and Facebook liable for violating antitrust law may result in breaking up these giant companies. But in order for any of this to cause lasting change,...
Federal Court Agrees: Prosecutors Can’t Keep Forensic Evidence Secret from Defendants
When the government tries to convict you of a crime, you have a right to challenge its evidence. This is a fundamental principle of due process, yet prosecutors and technology vendors have routinely argued against disclosing how forensic technology works.For the first time, a federal court has ruled on...
From Creativity to Exclusivity: The German Government's Bad Deal for Article 17
The implementation process of Article 17 (formerly Article 13) of the controversial Copyright Directive into national laws is in full swing, and it does not look good for users' rights and freedoms. Several EU states have failed to present balanced copyright implementation proposals, ignoring the concerns off EFF,...
The SAFE Tech Act Wouldn't Make the Internet Safer for Users
Section 230, a key law protecting free speech online since its passage in 1996, has been the subject of numerous legislative assaults over the past few years. The attacks have come from all sides. One of the latest, the SAFE Tech Act, seeks to address real problems...
Virginia's Weak Privacy Bill Is Just What Big Tech Wants
Virginia’s legislature has passed a bill meant to protect consumer privacy—but the bill, called the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, really protects the interests of business far more than the interests of everyday consumers.Take ActionVirginia: Speak Up for Real PrivacyThe bill, which both Microsoft and Amazon supported, is...
Interoperability Gains Support at House Hearing on Big Tech Competition
With a new year and a new Congress, the House of Representatives’ subcommittee covering antitrust has turned its attention to “reviving competition.” On Thursday, the first in a series of hearings was held, focusing on how to help small businesses challenge Big Tech. One very good idea kept coming up,...
EFF Joins Dozens of Organizations Urging More Government Transparency
EFF has joined 42 other organizations, including the ACLU, the Knight Institute, and the National Security Archive calling for the new Biden administration to fulfill its promise to “bring transparency and truth back to government.” Specifically, these organizations are asking the administration and the federal government at large to...








