How We Need to Legislate Drones
All but seven states have proposed or adopted legislation relating to the domestic use of drones, or unmanned aerial systems, in domestic airspace, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Now, at the invitation of the Aerospace States Association, EFF has rung in with the three crucial elements that all drone legislation must contain…
How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication on All Your Accounts
Twitter rolled out two-factor authentication last week, joining a growing group of tech companies to support the important security feature. Two-factor authentication can help mitigate the damage of a password breach or phishing attack. The principle comes from the idea that any authentication system—whether it’s the deadbolt on your front door, the lockscreen on your…
FBI Documents Suggest That Feds Read Your Emails Without a Warrant
New documents from the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ offices paint a troubling picture of the government’s email surveillance practices. Not only does the FBI claim it can read emails and other electronic communications without a warrant—even after a federal appeals court ruled that doing so violates the Fourth Amendment—but the documents strongly suggest that different…
How Automated License Plate Readers Threaten Our Privacy
Law enforcement agencies are increasingly using sophisticated cameras, called “automated license plate readers” or ALPR, to scan and record the license plates of millions of cars across the country. These cameras, mounted on top of patrol cars and on city streets, can scan up to 1,800 license plate per minute, day or night, allowing one…
Which Tech Companies Protect Your Data From the Government?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation just released its annual “Who Has Your Back” report card, detailing the privacy policies of tech companies. Here’s the rundown of who fights for your privacy in the face of government requests for your data—and who doesn’t even bother. Executive Summary When you use the Internet, you entrust your conversations, thoughts,…
New Documents Suggest the IRS Reads Your Emails Without a Warrant
Everyone knows the IRS is our nation’s tax collector, but it is also a law enforcement organization tasked with investigating criminal violations of the tax laws. New documents released to the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the IRS Criminal Tax Division has long taken the position that the IRS can read…
Big Data Brokers: They Know Everything About You and Sell it to the Highest Bidder
Data companies are scooping up enormous amounts of information about almost every American. They sell information about whether you’re pregnant or divorced or trying to lose weight, about how rich you are and what kinds of cars you have. Regulators and some in Congress have been taking a closer look at these so-called data brokers…