Technology and Civil Liberties

The ACLU of Northern California safeguards civil liberties in the digital world. As technology advances, we make sure that protections for privacy and free speech aren’t left behind. We push back on digital censorship and government surveillance.

About Amazon's dangerous new facial recognition tech... Read more

SB 1186 can restores CA's power to fight secret surveillance... Learn more

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ACLU Business Guide: How Companies Can Protect Privacy and Free... Read More

A Smart Surveillance guide for communities. Download

Article

Oakland's Surveillance Technology Ordinance Passes Out of Committee

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Criminal Justice and Drug Policy, Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

The Oakland City Council's Public Safety Committee has voted to move forward with Oakland's groundbreaking Surveillance Technology Ordinance. ACLU of Northern California organizer Tessa D'Arcangelew gave the following statement at tonight's meeting: Read more

Events

Protect Privacy, Resist Profiling: Malkia Cyril & Nicole Ozer

Oakland: Protect Privacy, Resist Profiling

May 9, 2017 - 6:30pm

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Privacy and Government Surveillance, Racial Justice, Technology and Civil Liberties

Join experts Nicole A. Ozer (ACLU of California) and Malkia Cyril (Center for Media Justice) for a conversation about digital rights and freedom in the Trump era. Read more

Blog

Why Did the Government Search an Artist’s iPhone at the Border?

May 4, 2017

File Under :

Free Speech, Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

In late February, Aaron Gach was returning to the United States from Brussels. An artist and activist, he had been abroad exhibiting works about mass incarceration, government control, and political dissent. In his pocket was a smartphone. During a... Read more »

News

A Victory for Digital Privacy: AB 165 Halted in California Assembly

April 14, 2017

File Under :

Education Equity, Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

Facing opposition from over 60 groups including the ACLU of California, AB 165 is dead, for now. The unnecessary, harmful bill would've exposed millions to invasive digital searches at California schools. Read more

News

Facebook symbols: friend requests, message alerts, and notifications

Facebook and Instagram Publicly Prohibit Surveillance of Users Following Coalition Demands

March 10, 2017

File Under :

Privacy and Government Surveillance, Racial Justice, Technology and Civil Liberties

Facebook now clearly prohibits the use of company data for surveillance. These updates respond to demands from a coalition that includes the ACLU of California, the Center for Media Justice, and Color of Change. As a next step, the coalition is... Read more

Blog

Oppose AB 165! Bill Would Roll Back Hard-Fought Privacy Protections in CA Schools

March 7, 2017

File Under :

Education Equity, Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

It’s essential for people to be able to communicate about issues that they care about. That’s why it's alarming that AB 165 has been introduced in the CA Legislature that would gut essential protections in public schools. Read more »

Case

City of San Jose v. Superior Court (Government Transparency)

File Under :

Technology and Civil Liberties

The City of San Jose claims that that electronic messages dealing with official business that its employees send to one another are not public records if the employees send them using their personal accounts or devices. The ACLU Foundations of... Read more

Events

Austin: Activism in the Era of Social Media Surveillance (SXSW Panel)

March 13, 2017 - 12:30pm

File Under :

Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

Don't miss our panel at SXSW 2017. Police across the country have been secretly piggybacking on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to surveil protesters, particularly activists of color. In late 2016, the ACLU of California discovered... Read more

Blog

Police in riot gear, holding batons, on a California street

Help Wanted: How You Can Act Locally To Stymie Trump’s Agenda

February 15, 2017

File Under :

Privacy and Government Surveillance, Racial Justice, Technology and Civil Liberties

Donald Trump told the American public, repeatedly, that upon taking office his policy agenda will include efforts to identify and immediately deport millions of undocumented immigrants , to track and surveil Muslims throughout the country, and to... Read more »

Blog

Trump Has the Keys to the Surveillance State, but CA has a Long History of Changing the Locks

January 19, 2017

File Under :

Criminal Justice and Drug Policy, Privacy and Government Surveillance, Technology and Civil Liberties

When Donald Trump takes the oath of office, he will inherit an unprecedented surveillance state that includes expansive powers and databases filled with information on millions of people. Read more »

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Technology and Civil Liberties

About Amazon's dangerous new facial recognition tech... Read more

SB 1186 can restores CA's power to fight secret surveillance... Learn more

ACLU Business Guide: How Companies Can Protect Privacy and Free... Read More

A Smart Surveillance guide for communities. Download

Oakland's Surveillance Technology Ordinance Passes Out of Committee

Oakland: Protect Privacy, Resist Profiling

Why Did the Government Search an Artist’s iPhone at the Border?

A Victory for Digital Privacy: AB 165 Halted in California Assembly

Facebook and Instagram Publicly Prohibit Surveillance of Users Following Coalition Demands

Oppose AB 165! Bill Would Roll Back Hard-Fought Privacy Protections in CA Schools

City of San Jose v. Superior Court (Government Transparency)

Austin: Activism in the Era of Social Media Surveillance (SXSW Panel)

Help Wanted: How You Can Act Locally To Stymie Trump’s Agenda

Trump Has the Keys to the Surveillance State, but CA has a Long History of Changing the Locks

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Technology and Civil Liberties

About Amazon's dangerous new facial recognition tech... Read more

SB 1186 can restores CA's power to fight secret surveillance... Learn more

ACLU Business Guide: How Companies Can Protect Privacy and Free... Read More

A Smart Surveillance guide for communities. Download

Pages

LEGISLATION