ExamSoft Flags One-Third of California Bar Exam Test Takers for Cheating
One of EFF’s chief concerns about exam proctoring software—in addition to the fact that it subjects students to excessive surveillance—is the risk that it will incorrectly flag students for cheating, called “false positives.” This can be due either to the software’s technical failures or to its requirements that students...
The CASE Act Is Just the Beginning of the Next Copyright Battle
Year-End Challenge for Online Rights
You weathered a year that pressed the limits of endurance. But thankfully, the more we leaned on technology to stay connected, the harder EFF members fought to protect privacy, security, and free expression. This collective mission is more meaningful than ever, and you can keep us going strong.If you donate...
This Disastrous Copyright Proposal Goes Straight to Our Naughty List
Just yesterday we saw two wretched copyright bills-the CASE Act and a felony streaming bill -- slipped into law via a must-pass spending bill. But it seems some people in Congress were just getting started. Today, Senator Thom Tillis launched a "discussion draft" of the so-called Digital...
EFF to Ninth Circuit: Don’t Grant Immunity to Notorious Spyware Company
EFF filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of WhatsApp’s lawsuit against notorious Israeli spyware company NSO Group. WhatsApp discovered last year that NSO Group had breached its systems and enabled NSO Group’s government clients to hack into the mobile...
The U.S. Government Is Targeting Cryptocurrency to Expand the Reach of Its Financial Surveillance
One of the most important aspects of cryptocurrencies from a civil liberties perspective is that they can provide privacy protections for their users. But EFF is concerned that the U.S. government has been increasingly taking steps to undermine the anonymity of cryptocurrency transactions and importing the widespread financial surveillance of...
The Slow-Motion Tragedy of Ola Bini's Trial
EFF has been tracking the arrest, detention, and subsequent investigation of Ola Bini since its beginnings over 18 months ago. Bini, a Swedish-born open-source developer, was arrested in Ecuador's Quito Airport in a flurry of media attention in April 2019. He was held without trial for ten weeks while...
Facebook’s Laughable Campaign Against Apple Is Really Against Users and Small Businesses
Update as of Feb 17, 2021: This blogpost has been updated to add information about reports of litigation from FacebookFacebook has recently launched a campaign touting itself as the protector of small businesses. This is a laughable attempt from Facebook to distract you from its poor track record of...
Victory! Federal Appeals Court Confirms FOIA Requests Requiring a Database Query are Allowed Under the Law
At a time when the federal government is collecting and creating massive amounts of digital data that can implicate people’s privacy and free speech rights, it is crucial that the public know what the government is doing with that information. A ruling from a federal appellate court earlier this month...
A Decade After the Arab Spring, Platforms Have Turned Their Backs on Critical Voices in the Middle East and North Africa
Many in the U.S. have spent 2020 debating the problems of content moderation on social media platforms, misinformation and disinformation, and the perceived censorship of political views. But globally, this issue has been in the spotlight for a decade. This year is the tenth anniversary of what became known as...
