civil liberties

U.S. Trade Office Withholds Documents on Secret IP Enforcement Treaty

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:47:01 -0700

Big Sister Is Watching: EDVIGE and the Angry French

Stevie Converse — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:42:54 -0700

Groups Sue U.S. for Data on Tracking by Cellphone

Holiday Shapiro — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:29:50 -0700

Two civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government yesterday, seeking records related to the government's use of cellphones as tracking devices.

Seizing Laptops and Cameras Without Cause

Stevie Converse — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:26:21 -0700

Returning from a brief vacation to Germany in February, Bill Hogan was selected for additional screening by customs officials at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. Agents searched Hogan's luggage and then popped an unexpected question: Was he carrying any digital media cards or drives in his pockets?

House Approves Surveillance Bill, Protects Telecoms

Stevie Converse — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:33:57 -0700

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would continue a controversial surveillance program at the U.S. National Security Agency with limited court oversight, while likely ending lawsuits against telecommunications carriers that participated in the program.

House Approves Unconstitutional Surveillance Legislation

Stevie Converse — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:06:31 -0700

Following a vote in the House of Representatives sanctioning warrantless wiretapping and handing immunity to telecommunications companies for their role in domestic spying, the American Civil Liberties Union expressed outrage at representatives who voted for the unconstitutional legislation. The bill, H.R.

Center for Democracy & Technology Urges Rejection of FISA Bill Compromise

Stevie Converse — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:38:57 -0700

The Center for Democracy & Technology today urged Congress to reject legislation to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that is expected to be voted on in the House tomorrow and in the Senate next week. The legislation, H.R.

Surveillance Bill Offers Protection to Telecom Firms

Stevie Converse — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:36:11 -0700

House and Senate leaders agreed yesterday on surveillance legislation that could shield telecommunications companies from privacy lawsuits, handing President Bush one of the last major legislative victories he is likely to achieve.

Spy Bill to Shield Phone Companies from Lawsuits

Stevie Converse — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:30:49 -0700

U.S. telephone companies that took part in President George W. Bush's warrantless domestic spying program could be shielded from billions of dollars in lawsuits under a electronic spy bill finalized on Thursday by congressional and White House negotiators.

Under the measure, federal courts would determine if the evidence supports protection of companies from civil liability.

This Spade Is a Spade: FISA Deal Is Bunk

Stevie Converse — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:44:06 -0700

So, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced his precious FISA deal today and I’m sure it will not come as great shock to this general audience that we at the ACLU think it’s crap. And by “crap” I mean unconstitutional.

Return to Old Spy Rules Is Seen as Deadline Nears

Stevie Converse — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:12:25 -0700

With Congress at an impasse over the government’s spy powers, Congressional and intelligence officials are bracing for the possibility that the government might have to revert to the old rules of terrorist surveillance, a situation that some officials predict could leave worrisome gaps in intelligence.

Congress May OK Compromise Bill to Derail Spying Lawsuits

Stevie Converse — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:58:05 -0700

The U.S. Congress may soon vote on a new "compromise" spy law that would still likely derail pending suits against AT&T and other companies accused of opening their networks to the government in violation of wiretap law.

Domestic Spying Far Outpaces Terrorism Prosecutions

Holiday Shapiro — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:53:24 -0700

The number of Americans being secretly wiretapped or having their financial and other records reviewed by the government has continued to increase as officials aggressively use powers approved after the Sept. 11 attacks. But the number of terrorism prosecutions ending up in court -- one measure of the effectiveness of such sleuthing -- has continued to decline, in some cases precipitously.

EU Groups: Data Retention Policies Violate Rights Convention

Holiday Shapiro — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:06:19 -0700

A group of 43 European civil liberties groups today filed a brief with the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg that argues for overturning a 2006 EU directive mandating data retention policies across EU countries. The groups assert that the directive is illegal, but more importantly that the directive interferes with basic human rights granted to all Europeans.