The New Laptop Ban Adds to Travelers' Lack of Privacy and Security
It can be difficult to understand the intent behind anti-terrorist security rules on travel and at the border. As our board member Bruce Schneier has vividly described, much of it can appear to be merely "security theater"—steps intended to increase the feeling of security, while doing much less to...
Brazil Proposes New Digital Copyright Rules for the WTO
Copyright rules don't belong in trade agreements—so where do they belong? For the most part, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is probably the right place; it's a fully multilateral body that devotes its entire attention to copyright, patent, and other so-called intellectual property (IP) rules, rather...
If the Government Can't Get Domain Seizures Right, Why Would Big Pharma Do Better?
So far we've seen no response from the Domain Name Association (DNA) to our criticisms from earlier this month about its self-styled Registry/Registrar Healthy Practices [PDF]. Part of its plan is that domain registries ought to yank online pharmacy domains from the Internet without due process on Big...
EFF, ACLU, and 45 Civil Rights, Immigration, and Health Advocacy Organizations Oppose AB 165, a California Bill Stripping Students and Teachers of Basic Privacy Protections
“Californians cannot afford to go back to the digital dark ages,” groups warn.
EFF and a diverse coalition of advocacy groups sent a letter to the California legislature urging elected officials to oppose A,B, 165. This bill would roll back privacy protections for students and teachers by exempting California...
Payment Processors are Still Policing Your Sex Life, and the Latest Victim is FetLife
Eighteenth century writer and philosopher the Marquis de Sade spent the last 13 years of his life in prison for his crimes of writing pornographic novels such as Justine and Juliette.Today those who explore and write about similar sexual fantasies online—now known as BDSM and grounded in the consent of...
Leaked Report Slams European Link Tax and Upload Filtering Plans
Earlier this week we explained how the tide is turning against the European Commission's proposal for Internet platforms to adopt new compulsory copyright filters as part of its upcoming Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. As we explained, users and even the European Parliament's Committee on the...
Will the TPP Live on in NAFTA and RCEP?
The collapse of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was the worst defeat suffered by big content since we killed SOPA and PIPA five years ago. But our opponents are persistent, well-funded, and stealthy, and we can't expect them to give up that easily. So, just as they have continued...
A Dangerous California Bill Would Leave Students and Teachers Vulnerable to Intrusive Government Searches
A dangerous bill in California would make it easy for the government to search the cell phones and online accounts of students and teachers. A.B. 165 rips away crucial protections for the more than 6-million Californians who work at and attend our public schools. Under the proposed law, anyone...
FOIA Uncovers Part of U.K. Shadow Regulation on Search Engines and Copyright
Last month we wrote about the adoption of a new secret agreement between copyright holders and the major search engines, brokered by the U.K. Intellectual Property Office, aimed at making websites associated with copyright infringement less visible in search results. Since the agreement wasn't publicly available, we simultaneously issued...
NY City Council Measure Would Require Transparency for NYPD Electronic Surveillance
Two members of the New York City Council introduced a bill on Wednesday, March 1 to enact long overdue transparency rules for the NYPD’s procurement and deployment of electronic surveillance technology. It is the latest in a series of similar proposals around the country modeled on a...
