In a historic decision on April 21, 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reinstated our landmark lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen DataPlan Inc. for its role in the Bush administration's unlawful extraordinary rendition program. The court ruled that cases like this one may not be dismissed on the grounds that "the very subject matter" of the lawsuit is a state secret.
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.
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 provide the following basic security protections for the holders of those IDs:
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 both that fine and imprisonment, except as specified.
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. As a result, government is forcing citizens to carry RFID-enabled devices that compromise their safety.
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 result, government is forcing citizens to carry devices that compromise their safety.
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 local school board election—in a teachers’ union’s newsletter distributed through school district employee mailboxes.
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!
Real change starts with you – and every one of us can help make a difference.