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  5.    <description>EFF&#039;s Deeplinks Blog: Noteworthy news from around the internet</description>
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  9.    <title>Opt Out October: Daily Tips to Protect Your Privacy and Security</title>
  10.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/opt-out-october-daily-tips-protect-your-privacy-and-security</link>
  11.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Trying to take control of your online privacy can feel like a full-time job. But if you break it up into small tasks and take on one project at a time it makes the process of protecting your privacy much easier. This month we’re going to do just that. For the month of October, we’ll update this post with new tips every weekday that show various ways you can opt yourself out of the ways tech giants surveil you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  12. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/privacy-isnt-dead-far-it&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Online privacy isn’t dead&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. But the tech giants make it a pain in the butt to achieve. With these incremental tweaks to the services we use, we can throw sand in the gears of the surveillance machine and opt out of the ways tech companies attempt to optimize us into advertisement and content viewing machines. We’re also pushing companies to make more privacy-protective defaults the norm, but until that happens, the onus is on all of us to dig into the settings.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  13. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;All month long we’ll share tips, including some with the help from our friends at Consumer Reports’ &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Security Planner&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; tool. Use the Table of Contents here to jump straight to any tip. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  14. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Table of Contents&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  15. &lt;ul&gt;
  16. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip1&quot;&gt;Tip 1: Establish Good Digital Hygiene&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  17. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip2&quot;&gt;Tip 2: Learn What a Data Broker Knows About You&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  18. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip3&quot;&gt;Tip 3: Disable Ad Tracking on iPhone and Android&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  19. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip4&quot;&gt;Tip 4: Declutter Your Apps&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  20. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip5&quot;&gt;Tip 5: Disable Behavioral Ads on Amazon&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  21. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip6&quot;&gt;Tip 6: Install Privacy Badger to Block Online Trackers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  22. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip7&quot;&gt;Tip 7: Review Location Tracking Settings&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  23. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip8&quot;&gt;Tip 8: Limit the Data Your Gaming Console Collects About You&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  24. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip9&quot;&gt;Tip 9: Hide Your Start and End Points on Strava&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  25. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip10&quot;&gt;Tip 10: Find and Delete an Account You No Longer Use&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  26. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip11&quot;&gt;Tip 11: Search for Yourself&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  27. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#tip12&quot;&gt;Tip 12: Tell &quot;People Search&quot; Sites to Delete Your Information&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  28. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 13: Coming October 20&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  29. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 14: Coming October 21&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  30. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 15: Coming October 22&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  31. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 16: Coming October 23&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  32. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 17: Coming October 24&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  33. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 18: Coming October 27&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  34. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 19: Coming October 28&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  35. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 20: Coming October 29&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  36. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 21: Coming October 30&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  37. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 22: Coming October 31&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  38. &lt;/ul&gt;
  39. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Tip 1: Establish Good Digital Hygiene&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  40. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Before we can get into the privacy weeds, we need to first establish strong basics. Namely, two security fundamentals: using &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/creating-strong-passwords&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;strong passwords&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; (&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/choosing-the-password-manager-that-s-right-for-you&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;a password manager&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; helps simplify this) and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/creating-strong-passwords#multi-factor-authentication-and-one-time-passwords&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;two-factor authentication&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for your online accounts. Together, they can significantly improve your online privacy by making it much harder for your data to fall into the hands of a stranger. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  41. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Using unique passwords for every web login means that if your account information &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/12/breachies-2024-worst-weirdest-most-impactful-data-breaches-year&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;ends up in a data breach&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, it won’t give bad actors an easy way to unlock your &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;other&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; accounts. Since it’s impossible for all of us to remember a unique password for every login we have, most people will want to use a password manager, which generates and stores those passwords for you. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  42. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Two-factor authentication is the second lock on those same accounts. In order to login to, say, Facebook for the first time on a particular computer, you’ll need to provide a password and a “second factor,” usually an always-changing numeric code generated in an app or sent to you on another device. This makes it much harder for someone else to get into your account because it’s less likely they’ll have both a password &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; the temporary code.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  43. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This can be a little overwhelming to get started if you’re new to online privacy! Aside from our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/tool/get-a-password-manager&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;guides on Surveillance Self-Defense&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, we recommend taking a look at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Consumer Reports’ Security Planner&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for ways to help you get started &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/tool/get-a-password-manager&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;setting up your first password manager&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and turning on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/tool/set-up-multifactor-authentication-mfa&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;two-factor authentication&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  44. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip2&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 2: Learn What a Data Broker Knows About You&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  45. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/why-are-hundreds-data-brokers-not-registering-states&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Hundreds of data brokers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; you’ve never heard of are harvesting and selling your personal information. This can &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/11/internet-data-brokers-online-privacy-personal-information.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;include&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; your address, online activity, financial transactions, relationships, and even your location history. Once sold, your data can be abused by &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/epsilon-data-fraud-schemes/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;scammers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/planned-parenthood-location-track-abortion-ads-00141172&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;advertisers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/13/google-profiting-from-predatory-loan-adverts-promising-instant-cash&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;predatory companies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and even &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/data-broker-helps-police-see-everywhere-youve-been-click-mouse-eff-investigation&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;law enforcement agencies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  46. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Data brokers build detailed profiles of our lives but &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2025/08/companies-make-it-hard-to-delete-personal-data/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;try to keep their own practices hidden&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Fortunately, several state privacy laws give you the right to see what information these companies have collected about you. You can exercise this right by submitting a data access request to a data broker. Even if you live in a state without privacy legislation, some data brokers will still respond to your request. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  47. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;There are &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://privacyrights.org/data-brokers&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;hundreds of known data brokers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, but here are a few major ones to start with:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  48. &lt;ul&gt;
  49. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://privacyportal.onetrust.com/webform/342ca6ac-4177-4827-b61e-19070296cbd3/7229a09c-578f-4ac6-a987-e0428a7b877e&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Acxiom&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  50. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://legal.epsilon.com/dsr/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Epsilon&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  51. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://privacyportal-eu.onetrust.com/webform/2abc1a63-35c5-4ef7-b11b-1c55714738b5/61b81601-fe65-4dfe-a922-e1c5a68fa8cb&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Trade Desk&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  52. &lt;/ul&gt;
  53. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Data brokers have been &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/data-brokers-are-ignoring-privacy-law-we-deserve-better&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;caught ignoring&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; privacy laws, so there’s a chance you won’t get a response. If you do, you’ll learn what information the data broker has collected about you and the categories of third parties they’ve sold it to. If the results motivate you to take more privacy action, encourage your friends and family to do the same. Don’t let data brokers keep their spying a secret. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  54. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;You can also ask data brokers to delete your data, with or without an access request. We’ll get to that later this month and explain how to do this with people-search sites, a category of data brokers. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  55. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip3&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 3: Disable Ad Tracking on iPhone and Android&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  56. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Picture this: you’re doomscrolling and spot a t-shirt you love. Later, you mention it to a friend and suddenly see an ad for that exact shirt in another app. The natural question pops into your head: “&lt;em&gt;I&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;s my phone listening to me?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;” Take a sigh of relief because, no, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.digitalrightsbytes.org/topics/is-my-phone-listening-to-me&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;your phone is not listening to you&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. But advertisers are using shady tactics to profile your interests. Here’s an easy way to fight back: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/05/how-disable-ad-id-tracking-ios-and-android-and-why-you-should-do-it-now&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;disable the ad identifier on your phone&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to make it harder for advertisers and data brokers to track you. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  57. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Disable Ad Tracking on iOS and iPadOS:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  58. &lt;ul&gt;
  59. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Open &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Settings &amp;gt; Privacy &amp;amp; Security &amp;gt; Tracking&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  60. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Open &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Settings &amp;gt; Privacy &amp;amp; Security &amp;gt; Apple Advertising&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and disable “Personalized Ads” to also stop some of Apple’s internal tracking for apps like the App Store. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  61. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;If you use Safari, go to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Settings &amp;gt; Apps &amp;gt; Safari &amp;gt; Advanced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; and disable “Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  62. &lt;/ul&gt;
  63. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Disable Ad Tracking on Android:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  64. &lt;ul&gt;
  65. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Open &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Settings &amp;gt; Security &amp;amp; privacy &amp;gt; Privacy controls &amp;gt; Ads&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and tap “Delete advertising ID.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  66. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;While you’re at it, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-android-privacy-and-security-settings#run-through-google-s-privacy-checkup&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;run through Google’s “Privacy Checkup”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to review what info other Google services—like YouTube or your location—may be sharing with advertisers and data brokers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  67. &lt;/ul&gt;
  68. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;These quick settings changes can help keep bad actors from spying on you. For a deeper dive on securing &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-iphone-privacy-and-security-settings#disable-ad-tracking&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;your iPhone&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; or &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-android-privacy-and-security-settings#run-through-google-s-privacy-checkup&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Android device&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, be sure to check out our full &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Surveillance Self-Defense&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; guides.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  69. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip4&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 4: Declutter Your Apps&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  70. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Decluttering is all the rage for optimizers and organizers alike, but did you know a cleansing sweep through your apps can also help your privacy? Apps collect a lot of data, often &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/08/fog-revealed-guided-tour-how-cops-can-browse-your-location-data&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;in the background&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; when you are not using them. This can be a prime way companies harvest your information, and then repackage and sell it to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;other&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; companies you&#039;ve never heard of. Having a lot of apps increases the peepholes that companies can gain into your personal life. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  71. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Do you need &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;three&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; airline apps when you&#039;re not even traveling? Or the app for that hotel chain you stayed in once? It&#039;s best to delete that app and cut off their access to your information. In an ideal world, app makers would not process any of your data unless strictly necessary to give you what you asked for. Until then, to do an app audit:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  72. &lt;ul&gt;
  73. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Look through the apps you have and identify ones you rarely open or barely use. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  74. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Long-press on apps that you don&#039;t use anymore and delete or uninstall them when a menu pops up. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  75. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Even on apps you keep, take a swing through the location, microphone, or camera permissions for each of them. For iOS devices you can &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-iphone-privacy-and-security-settings#audit-your-privacy-permissions&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;follow these instructions&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to find that menu. For Android, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-android-privacy-and-security-settings#audit-your-privacy-permissions&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;check out this instructions page.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  76. &lt;/ul&gt;
  77. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;If you delete an app and later find you need it, you can always redownload it. Try giving some apps the boot today to gain some memory space &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; some peace of mind. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  78. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip5&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 5: Disable Behavioral Ads on Amazon&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  79. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Happy Amazon Prime Day! Let’s celebrate by taking back a piece of our privacy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  80. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Amazon collects an astounding amount of information about your shopping habits. While the only way to truly free yourself from the company’s all-seeing eye is to never shop there, there is something you can do to disrupt &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;some&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; of that data use: tell Amazon to stop using your data to market more things to you (these settings are for US users and may not be available in all countries). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  81. &lt;ul&gt;
  82. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Log into your Amazon account, then click “Account &amp;amp; Lists” under your name. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  83. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Scroll down to the “Communication and Content” section and click “Advertising preferences” (or just &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.com/adprefs&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;click this link&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to head directly there).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  84. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Click the option next to “Do not show me interest-based ads provided by Amazon.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  85. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;You may want to also delete the data Amazon already collected, so click the “Delete ad data” button.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  86. &lt;/ul&gt;
  87. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This setting will turn off the personalized ads based on what Amazon infers about you, though you will likely still see recommendations based on your past purchases at Amazon.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  88. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Of course, Amazon sells a lot of other products. If you own an Alexa, now’s a good time to review the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/tool/secure-your-smart-speaker&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;few remaining privacy options&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; available to you after the company &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cnet.com/home/security/a-privacy-ultimatum-starts-today-let-amazon-echo-process-your-data-or-stop-using-it/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;took away the ability to disable voice recordings&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Kindle users might want to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/how-to-disable-data-collection-on-your-kindle-or-fire-device&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;turn off some of the data usage tracking&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. And if you own a Ring camera, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ring.com/support/articles/7e3lk/using-video-end-to-end-encryption-e2ee?redirect=true&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;consider enabling end-to-end encryption&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to ensure you’re in control of the recording, not the company. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  89. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip6&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 6: Install Privacy Badger to Block Online Trackers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  90. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Every time you browse the web, you’re being tracked. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2020/03/11/google-is-tracking-you-on-86-of-the-top-50000-websites-on-the-planet/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Most websites&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; contain invisible tracking code that lets companies collect and profit from your data. That data can &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/online-behavioral-ads-fuel-surveillance-industry-heres-how&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;end up in the hands of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; advertisers, data brokers, scammers, and even government agencies. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://privacybadger.org&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Privacy Badger&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, EFF’s free browser extension, can help you fight back. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  91. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Privacy Badger automatically blocks hidden trackers to stop companies from spying on you online. It also tells websites not to share or sell your data by sending the “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/gpc-privacy-badger&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Global Privacy Control” signal&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, which is legally binding under some state privacy laws. Privacy Badger has evolved over the past decade to fight &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/online-tracking-out-control-privacy-badger-can-help-you-fight-back&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;various methods&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; of online tracking. Whether you want to protect your sensitive information from data brokers or just don’t want Big Tech monetizing your data, Privacy Badger has your back. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  92. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Visit &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://privacybadger.org&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;privacybadger.org&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; to install Privacy Badger&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  93. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;It’s available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera for desktop devices and Firefox and Edge for Android devices. Once installed, all of Privacy Badger’s features work automatically. There’s no setup required! If blocking harmful trackers ends up breaking something on a website, you can easily &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://privacybadger.org/#I-found-a-bug%21-What-do-I-do-now&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;turn off Privacy Badger for that site&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; while maintaining privacy protections everywhere else.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  94. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When you install Privacy Badger, you’re not just protecting yourself—you’re joining EFF and millions of other users in the fight against online surveillance.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  95. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip7&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Tip 7: Review Location Tracking Settings&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  96. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Data brokers don’t just collect information on your purchases and browsing history. Mobile apps that have the location permission turned on will deliver your coordinates to third parties in exchange for insights or monetary kickbacks. Even when they don’t deliver that data directly to data brokers, if the app serves ad space, your location will be delivered in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/online-behavioral-ads-fuel-surveillance-industry-heres-how&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;real-time bid requests&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; not only to those wishing to place an ad, but to all participants in the ad auction—even if they lose the bid. Location data brokers take part in these auctions just to harvest location data en masse, without any intention of buying ad space.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  97. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Luckily, you can change a few settings to protect yourself against this hoovering of your whereabouts. You can use &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-iphone-privacy-and-security-settings#audit-your-privacy-permissions&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;iOS&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; or &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-get-to-know-android-privacy-and-security-settings#audit-your-privacy-permissions&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Android&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; tools to audit an app’s permissions, providing clarity on who is providing what info to whom. You can then go to the apps that don’t need your location data and disable their access to that data (you can always change your mind later if it turns out location access was useful). You can also disable real-time location tracking by putting your phone into airplane mode, while still being able to navigate using offline maps. And by disabling mobile advertising identifiers (&lt;a href=&quot;#tip3&quot;&gt;see tip three&lt;/a&gt;), you break the chain that links your location from one moment to the next.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  98. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Finally, for particularly sensitive situations you may want to bring an entirely separate, single-purpose device which you’ve kept clean of unneeded apps and locked down settings on. Similar in concept to a burner phone, even if this single-purpose device does manage to gather data on you, it can only tell a partial story about you—all the other data linking you to your normal activities will be kept separate.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  99. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;For details on how you can follow these tips and more on your own devices, check out our more extensive &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/creators-police-location-tracking-tool-arent-vetting-buyers-heres-how-protect&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;post on the topic&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  100. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip8&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 8: Limit the Data Your Gaming Console Collects About You&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  101. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Oh, the beauty of gaming consoles—just plug in and play! Well... after you speed-run through a bunch of terms and conditions, internet setup, and privacy settings. If you rushed through those startup screens, don’t worry! It’s not too late to limit the data your console is collecting about you. Because yes, modern consoles do collect a lot about your gaming habits.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  102. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Start with the basics: make sure you have two-factor authentication turned on for your accounts. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.playstation.com/en-us/playstation-network/two-step-verification/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;PlayStation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-use-two-step-verification-with-your-microsoft-account-c7910146-672f-01e9-50a0-93b4585e7eb4&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Xbox&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/27496/~/how-to-set-up-2-step-verification-for-a-nintendo-account&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Nintendo&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; all have guides on their sites. Between payment details and other personal info tied to these accounts, 2FA is an easy first line of defense for your data.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  103. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Then, it’s time to check the privacy controls on your console:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  104. &lt;ul&gt;
  105. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PlayStation 5&lt;/strong&gt;: Go to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Users and Accounts&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; to adjust &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/account/privacy-settings-psn/&quot;&gt;what you share&lt;/a&gt; with both strangers and friends. To limit the data your PS5 collects about you, go to &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Users and Accounts&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;where you can adjust settings under &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Data You Provide &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Personalization&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
  106. &lt;/ul&gt;
  107. &lt;ul&gt;
  108. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Xbox Series X|S&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;span&gt; Press the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Xbox button&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Profile &amp;amp; System&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Account&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy &amp;amp; online safety&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Xbox Privacy&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span&gt; to fine-tune &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/family-online-safety/online-safety/manage-online-safety-and-privacy-settings-xbox-one&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;your sharing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. To manage &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/account-profile/manage-account/optional-data-sharing&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;data collection&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, head to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Profile &amp;amp; System&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Account&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy &amp;amp; online safety&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Data collection&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  109. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nintendo Switch&lt;/strong&gt;:&lt;span&gt; The Switch doesn’t share as much data by default, but you still have options. To control who sees your play activity, go to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;System Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Users&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[&lt;i&gt;your profile&lt;/i&gt;]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Play Activity Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt; To &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mozillafoundation.org/en/privacynotincluded/nintendo-switch/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;opt out of sharing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; eShop data, open the eShop, select your profile (top right), then go to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Google Analytics Preferences&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;i&gt;Do Not Share&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  110. &lt;/ul&gt;
  111. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Plug and play, right? Almost. These quick checks can help keep your gaming sessions fun—and more private.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  112. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip9&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 9: Hide Your Start and End Points on Strava&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  113. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Sharing your personal fitness goals, whether it be extended distances, accurate calorie counts, or GPS paths—sounds like a fun, competitive feature offered by today&#039;s digital fitness trackers. If you enjoy tracking those activities, you&#039;ve probably heard of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.strava.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Strava&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. While it&#039;s excellent for motivation and connecting with fellow athletes, Strava&#039;s default settings can reveal sensitive information about where you live, work, or exercise, creating serious security and privacy risks. Fortunately, Strava gives you control over how much of your activity map is visible to others, allowing you to stay active in your community while protecting your personal safety.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  114. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We&#039;ve &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/01/when-trading-track-records-means-less-privacy&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;covered how Strava data exposed classified military bases in 2018&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; when service members used fitness trackers. If fitness data can compromise national security, what&#039;s it revealing about you?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  115. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Here&#039;s how to hide your start and end points:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  116. &lt;ul&gt;
  117. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;On the website&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;: Hover over your profile picture &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy Controls&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Map Visibility&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  118. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;On mobile&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;: Open &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Settings&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Privacy Controls&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &amp;gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Map Visibility&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  119. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;You can then choose from three options: hide portions near a specific address, hide start/end of all activities, or hide entire maps&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  120. &lt;/ul&gt;
  121. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;You can also adjust individual activities:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  122. &lt;ul&gt;
  123. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Open the activity you want to edit.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  124. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Select the three-dot menu icon.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  125. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Choose &quot;Edit Map Visibility.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  126. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Use sliders to customize what&#039;s hidden or enable &quot;Hide the Entire Map.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  127. &lt;/ul&gt;
  128. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Great job taking control of your location privacy! Remember that these settings only apply to Strava, so if you share activities to other platforms, you&#039;ll need to adjust those privacy settings separately. While you&#039;re at it, consider reviewing your overall activity visibility settings to ensure you&#039;re only sharing what you want with the people you choose.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  129. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip10&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 10: Find and Delete An Account You No Longer Use&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  130. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Millions of online accounts are compromised each year. The more accounts you have, the more at risk you are of having your personal data illegally accessed and published online. Even if you don’t suffer a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/12/breachies-2024-worst-weirdest-most-impactful-data-breaches-year&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;data breach&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, there’s also the possibility that someone could find one of your abandoned social media accounts containing information you shared publicly on purpose in the past, but don’t necessarily want floating around anymore. And companies may still be profiting off details of your personal life, even though you’re not getting any benefit from their service. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  131. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;So, now’s a good time to find an old account to delete. There may be one you can already think of, but if you’re stuck, you can look through your password manager, look through logins saved on your web browser, or search your email inbox for phrases like “new account,” “password,” “welcome to,” or “confirm your email.” Or, enter your email address on the website &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://haveibeenpwned.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;HaveIBeenPwned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to get a list of sites where your personal information has been compromised to see if any of them are accounts you no longer use.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  132. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Once you’ve decided on an account, you’ll need to find the steps to delete it. Simply &lt;a href=&quot;#tip4&quot;&gt;deleting an app off of your phone&lt;/a&gt; or computer does not delete your account. Often you can log in and look in the account settings, or find instructions in the help menu, the FAQ page, or the pop-up customer service chat. If that fails, use a search engine to see if anybody else has written up the steps to deleting your specific type of account.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  133. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;For more information, check out the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/tool/delete-old-accounts/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Delete Unused Accounts tip&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; on Security Planner.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  134. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip11&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 11: Search for Yourself&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  135. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Today&#039;s tip may sound a little existential, but we&#039;re not suggesting a deep spiritual journey. Just a trip to your nearest search engine. Pop your name into search engines such as Google or DuckDuckGo, or even AI tools such as ChatGPT, to see what you find. This is one of the simplest things you can do to raise your own awareness of your digital reputation. It can be the first thing prospective employers (or future first dates) do when trying to figure out who you are. From a privacy perspective, doing it yourself can also shed light on how your information is presented to the general public. If there&#039;s a defunct social media account you&#039;d rather keep hidden, but it&#039;s on the first page of your search results, that might be a good signal for you to &lt;a href=&quot;#tip10&quot;&gt;finally delete that account&lt;/a&gt;. If you shared your cellphone number with an organization you volunteer for and it&#039;s on their home page, you can ask them to take it down.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  136. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Knowledge is power. It&#039;s important to know what search results are out there about you, so you understand what people see when they look for you. Once you have this overview, you can make better choices about your online privacy. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  137. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a id=&quot;tip12&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tip 12: Tell “People Search” Sites to Delete Your Information&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  138. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When you search online for someone’s name, you’ll likely see results from people-search sites selling their home address, phone number, relatives’ names, and more. People-search sites are a type of data broker with an especially &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-manage-your-digital-footprint#why-do-this&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;dangerous impact&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. They can expose people to scams, stalking, and identity theft. Submit opt out requests to these sites to reduce the amount of personal information that is easily available about you online.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  139. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Check out this &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HyLnCpbjdJiM76nvmrTEQpk99V8b008tCHMkCM8ttog/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.c144okha8dnr&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;list of opt-out links and instructions&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for more than 50 people search sites, organized by priority. Before submitting a request, check that the site actually has your information. Here are a few high-priority sites to start with: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  140. &lt;ul&gt;
  141. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Intelius&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.intelius.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; Find your information&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://suppression.peopleconnect.us/login&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;fill out the opt-out form&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  142. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Spokeo&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.spokeo.com/search&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Find your information&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and enter the URL of your profile on the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.spokeo.com/optout&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;opt-out page&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  143. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;BeenVerified&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;: Find your information and opt out of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.beenverified.com/app/optout/search&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;people search&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.beenverified.com/app/optout/address-search&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;property search&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  144. &lt;/ul&gt;
  145. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Data brokers continuously collect new information, so your data could reappear after being deleted. You’ll have to re-submit opt-outs periodically to keep your information off of people-search sites. Subscription-based services can automate this process and save you time, but a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/services-that-delete-data-from-people-search-sites-review-a2705843415/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Consumer Reports study&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; found that manual opt-outs are more effective.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  146. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Come back next week for another tip!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  147.  
  148. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  149.     <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:22:45 +0000</pubDate>
  150. <guid isPermaLink="false">111263 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  151. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  152. <dc:creator>Thorin Klosowski</dc:creator>
  153. <dc:creator>Lena Cohen</dc:creator>
  154. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  155. <dc:creator>Hayley Tsukayama</dc:creator>
  156. <dc:creator>Bill Budington</dc:creator>
  157. <dc:creator>Rindala Alajaji</dc:creator>
  158. <dc:creator>Yael Grauer</dc:creator>
  159. <dc:creator>Paige Collings</dc:creator>
  160. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/privacy-o-meter.jpg" alt="A meter that gauges a level of privacy from yikes to meh to tight" type="image/jpeg" length="133792" />
  161.  </item>
  162.  <item>
  163.    <title>No One Should Be Forced to Conform to the Views of the State</title>
  164.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/no-one-should-be-forced-conform-views-state</link>
  165.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Should you have to think twice before posting a protest flyer to your Instagram story? Or feel pressure to delete that bald JD Vance meme that you shared?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; Now imagine that you could get kicked out of the country—potentially losing your job or education—based on the Trump administration’s dislike of your views on social media.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  166. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35--uadl&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;That threat to free expression and dissent is happening now, but we won’t let it stand.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  167. &lt;p class=&quot;pull-quote&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;&quot;...they&#039;re not just targeting individuals—they&#039;re targeting the very idea of freedom itself.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  168. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The Electronic Frontier Foundation &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;and co-counsel&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; are representing the United Automobile Workers (UAW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of noncitizens’ First Amendment-protected speech online.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt;  The lawsuit asks a federal court to stop the government’s unconstitutional surveillance program, which has silenced citizens and noncitizens alike. It has even hindered unions’ ability to associate with their members. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  169. &lt;ul&gt;
  170. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;2&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;1&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/labor-unions-eff-sue-trump-administration-stop-surveillance-free-speech-online&quot;&gt;Press Release&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  171. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;2&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;2&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/uaw-v-dos-complaint&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Full Complaint in UAW v. State Department&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  172. &lt;/ul&gt;
  173. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;&quot;When they spy on, silence, and fire union members for speaking out, they&#039;re not just targeting individuals—they&#039;re targeting the very idea of freedom itself,” said UAW President Shawn Fain.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  174. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The Trump administration has built this mass surveillance program to monitor the constitutionally protected online speech of noncitizens who are lawfully present in the U.S. The program uses AI and automated technologies to scour social media and other online platforms to identify and punish individuals who express viewpoints the government considers &quot;hostile&quot; to &quot;our culture&quot; and &quot;our civilization&quot;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; But make no mistake: no one should be forced to conform to the views of the state.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  175. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Foundation of Democracy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;80}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  176. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Your free expression and privacy are fundamental human rights, and democracy crumbles without them. We have an opportunity to fight back, but we need you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;259}&quot;&gt;  EFF’s team of lawyers, activists, researchers, and technologists have been on a mission to protect your freedom online since 1990, and we’re just getting started.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  177. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35--uadl&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Donate and become a member of EFF today. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Your support helps protect crucial rights, online and off, for everyone.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  178. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35--uadl&quot;&gt;Give Today&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  179.  
  180. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-field-related-cases field--type-node-reference field--label-above&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__label&quot;&gt;Related Cases:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/cases/united-auto-workers-v-us-department-state&quot;&gt;United Auto Workers v. U.S. Department of State&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  181.     <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:05:02 +0000</pubDate>
  182. <guid isPermaLink="false">111328 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  183. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/social-media-surveilance">Social Media Surveillance</category>
  184. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/free-speech">Free Speech</category>
  185. <dc:creator>Lisa Femia</dc:creator>
  186. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/social-media-surveillance-1b_0.jpg" alt="Security camera screens display logos for Facebook, YouTube, SnapChat, Twitter, and Reddit " type="image/jpeg" length="143674" />
  187.  </item>
  188.  <item>
  189.    <title>Labor Unions, EFF Sue Trump Administration to Stop Ideological Surveillance of Free Speech Online</title>
  190.    <link>https://www.eff.org/press/releases/labor-unions-eff-sue-trump-administration-stop-surveillance-free-speech-online</link>
  191.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-field-pr-subhead field--type-text field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;Viewpoint-based Online Surveillance of Permanent Residents and Visa Holders Violates First Amendment, Lawsuit Argues&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;NEW YORK—The United Automobile Workers (UAW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) filed a lawsuit today against the Departments of State and Homeland Security for their viewpoint-based surveillance and suppression of protected expression online. The complaint asks a federal court to stop this unconstitutional surveillance program, which has silenced and frightened both citizens and noncitizens, and hampered the ability of the unions to associate with their members and potential members. The case is titled UAW v. State Department.&lt;/p&gt;
  192. &lt;p&gt;Since taking power, the Trump administration has created &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/eff-department-homeland-security-no-social-media-surveillance-immigrants&quot;&gt;a mass surveillance program&lt;/a&gt; to monitor constitutionally protected speech by noncitizens lawfully present in the U.S. Using AI and other automated technologies, the program surveils the social media accounts of visa holders with the goal of identifying and punishing those who express viewpoints the government doesn&#039;t like. This has been paired with a public intimidation campaign, silencing not just noncitizens with immigration status, but also the families, coworkers, and friends with whom their lives are integrated.&lt;/p&gt;
  193. &lt;p&gt;As detailed in the complaint, when asked in a survey if they had changed their social media activity as a result of the Trump administration&#039;s ideological online surveillance program, over 60 percent of responding UAW members and over 30 percent of responding CWA members who were aware of the program said they had. Among noncitizens, these numbers were even higher. Of respondents aware of the program, over 80 percent of UAW members who were not U.S. citizens and over 40 percent of CWA members who were not U.S. citizens said they had changed their activity online.&lt;/p&gt;
  194. &lt;p&gt;Individual union members reported refraining from posting, refraining from sharing union content, deleting posts, and deleting entire accounts in response to the ideological online surveillance program. Criticism of the Trump administration or its policies was the most common type of content respondents reported changing their social media activity around. Many members also reported altering their offline union activity in response to the program, including avoiding being publicly identified as part of the unions and reducing their participation in rallies and protests. One member even said they declined to report a wage theft claim due to fears arising from the surveillance program.&lt;/p&gt;
  195. &lt;p&gt;Represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Muslim Advocates (MA), and the Media Freedom &amp;amp; Information Access Clinic (MFIA), the UAW, CWA, and AFT seek to halt the program that affects thousands of their members individually and has harmed the ability of the unions to organize, represent, and recruit members. The lawsuit argues that the viewpoint-based online surveillance program violates the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.&lt;/p&gt;
  196. &lt;p&gt;&quot;The Trump administration&#039;s use of surveillance to track and intimidate UAW members is a direct assault on the First Amendment—and an attack on every working person in this country,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;UAW President Shawn Fain&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;When they spy on, silence, and fire union members for speaking out, they&#039;re not just targeting individuals—they&#039;re targeting the very idea of freedom itself. The right to protest, to organize, to speak without fear—that&#039;s the foundation of American democracy. If they can come for UAW members at our worksites, they can come for any one of us tomorrow. And we will not stand by and let that happen.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
  197. &lt;p&gt;&quot;Every worker should be alarmed by the Trump administration’s online surveillance program,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.&lt;/strong&gt; &quot;The labor movement is built on our freedoms under the First Amendment to speak and assemble without fear retaliation by the government. The unconstitutional Challenged Surveillance Program threatens those freedoms and explicitly targets those who are critical of the administration and its policies. This policy interferes with CWA members’ ability to express their points of view online and organize to improve their working conditions.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
  198. &lt;p&gt;&quot;Free speech is the foundation of democracy in America,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;AFT President Randi Weingarten&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The Trump administration has rejected that core constitutional right and now says only speech it agrees with is permitted—and that it will silence those who disagree. This suit exposes the online surveillance tools and other cyber tactics never envisioned by the founders to enforce compliance with the administration’s views. It details the direct harms on both the target of these attacks and the chilling effect on all those we represent and teach.&quot; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&quot;Using a variety of AI and automated tools, the government can now conduct viewpoint-based surveillance and analysis on a scale that was never possible with human review alone,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;EFF Staff Attorney Lisa Femia&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The scale of this spying is matched by an equally massive chilling effect on free speech.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;p&gt;&quot;The administration is hunting online for an ever-growing list of disfavored viewpoints,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Golnaz Fakhimi, Legal Director of Muslim Advocates&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;Its goal is clear: consolidate authoritarian power by crushing dissent, starting with noncitizens, but certainly not ending there. This urgent lawsuit aims to put a stop to this power grab and defend First Amendment freedoms crucial to a pluralistic and democratic society.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;p&gt;&quot;This case goes to the heart of the First Amendment,&quot; said &lt;strong&gt;Anthony Cosentino&lt;/strong&gt;, a student in the &lt;strong&gt;Media Freedom &amp;amp; Information Access Clinic&lt;/strong&gt;. &quot;The government can’t go after people for saying things it doesn’t like. The current administration has ignored that principle, developing a vast surveillance apparatus to find and punish people for their constitutionally protected speech. It is an extraordinary abuse of power, creating a climate of fear not seen in this country since the McCarthy era, especially on college campuses. Our laws and Constitution will not allow it.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For the complaint:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/uaw-v-dos-complaint&quot;&gt;https://www.eff.org/document/uaw-v-dos-complaint&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For more about the litigation: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/cases/united-auto-workers-v-us-department-state&quot;&gt;https://eff.org/cases/united-auto-workers-v-us-department-state&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Contacts:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Electronic Frontier Foundation: &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:press@eff.org&quot;&gt;press@eff.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Muslim Advocates: &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:golnaz@muslimadvocates.org&quot;&gt;golnaz@muslimadvocates.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  201.  
  202. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  203.     <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
  204. <guid isPermaLink="false">111327 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  205. <dc:creator>Hudson Hongo</dc:creator>
  206. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/social-media-surveillance-1b.jpg" alt="Surveillance cameras peering around, each with a social media company icon." type="image/jpeg" length="143674" />
  207.  </item>
  208.  <item>
  209.    <title>🎃 A Full Month of Privacy Tips from EFF | EFFector 37.14</title>
  210.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/full-month-privacy-tips-eff-effector-3714</link>
  211.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p data-start=&quot;1139&quot; data-end=&quot;1311&quot;&gt;Instead of catching you off-guard with a jump scare this Halloween season, EFF is here to catch you up on the latest digital rights news with our &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/effector&quot;&gt;EFFector newsletter&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;
  212. &lt;p data-start=&quot;1313&quot; data-end=&quot;1562&quot;&gt;In this issue, we’re helping you take control of your online privacy with &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/opt-out-october-daily-tips-protect-your-privacy-and-security&quot;&gt;Opt Out October&lt;/a&gt;; explaining the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/uk-still-trying-backdoor-encryption-apple-users&quot;&gt;UK’s attack on encryption&lt;/a&gt; and why it’s bad for all users; and covering shocking new details about an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/flock-safety-and-texas-sheriff-claimed-license-plate-search-was-missing-person-it&quot;&gt;abortion surveillance case&lt;/a&gt; in Texas.&lt;/p&gt;
  213. &lt;p data-start=&quot;1564&quot; data-end=&quot;1824&quot;&gt;Prefer to listen in? Check out our audio companion, where EFF Security and Privacy Activist Thorin Klosowski explains how small steps to protect your privacy can add up to big changes.  Catch the conversation on &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/au_hikg4U4Y&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/37.14&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  214. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/au_hikg4U4Y&quot;&gt;LISTEN TO EFFECTOR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action take-explainer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFFECTOR 37.14 - 🎃 A FULL MONTH OF PRIVACY TIPS FROM EFF&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  216. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Since 1990 EFF has &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff.org/effector&quot;&gt;published EFFector&lt;/a&gt; to help keep readers on the bleeding edge of their digital rights. We know that the intersection of technology, civil liberties, human rights, and the law can be complicated, so EFFector is a great way to stay on top of things. The newsletter is chock full of links to updates, announcements, blog posts, and other stories to help keep readers—and listeners—up to date on the movement to protect online privacy and free expression. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  217. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Thank you to the supporters around the world who make our work possible! If you&#039;re not a member yet, &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/effect&quot;&gt;join EFF today&lt;/a&gt; to help us fight for a brighter digital future.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  218.  
  219. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  220.     <pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2025 18:59:24 +0000</pubDate>
  221. <guid isPermaLink="false">111324 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  222. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  223. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/effector_banner_5.jpeg" alt="" type="image/jpeg" length="130379" />
  224.  </item>
  225.  <item>
  226.    <title>Victory! California Requires Transparency for AI Police Reports </title>
  227.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/victory-california-requires-transparency-ai-police-reports</link>
  228.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;California Governor Newsom has signed S.B. 524, a bill that begins the long process of regulating and imposing transparency on the growing problem of AI-written police reports. EFF &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/california-tell-governor-newsom-regulate-ai-police-reports-and-sign-sb-524&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;supported this bill &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;and has spent the last year &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/05/what-can-go-wrong-when-police-use-ai-write-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;vocally criticizing &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;the companies pushing AI-generated police reports as a service. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  229. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB524&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;S.B.524&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; requires police to disclose, on the report, if it was used to fully or in part author a police report. Further, it bans vendors from selling or sharing the information a police agency provided to the AI. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The bill is also significant because it required departments to retain all the various drafts of the report so that judges, defense attorneys, or auditors could readily see which portions of the final report were written by the officer and which portions were written by the computer. This creates major problems for police who use the most popular product in this space: Axon’s Draft One. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/axons-draft-one-designed-defy-transparency&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;By design, Draft One does not retain an edit log of who wrote what&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Now, to stay in compliance with the law, police departments will either need Axon to change their product, or officers will have to take it upon themselves to go retain evidence of what each subsequent edit and draft of their report looked like. Or, police can drop Axon’s Draft One all together. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p&gt;EFF will continue to monitor whether departments are complying with this state law.&lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/utah-bill-aims-make-officers-disclose-ai-written-police-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;After Utah&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, California has become the second state to pass legislation that begins to address this problem. Because of the lack of transparency surrounding how police departments &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/beware-bundle-companies-are-banking-becoming-your-police-departments-favorite&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;buy and deploy technology&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, it’s often hard to know if police departments are using AI to write reports, how the generative AI chooses to translate audio to a narrative, and which portions of reports are written by AI and which parts are written by the officers. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/effs-guide-getting-records-about-axons-ai-generated-police-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF has written a guide to help you file public records requests that might shed light on your police department’s use of AI to write police reports. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p&gt;It’s still unclear if products like Draft One run afoul of record retention laws, and how AI-written police reports will impact the criminal justice system. We will need to consider more comprehensive regulation and perhaps even prohibition of this use of generative AI. But S.B. 524 is a good first step. We hope that more states will follow California and Utah’s lead and pass even stronger bills.&lt;/p&gt;
  234.  
  235. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  236.     <pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:44:24 +0000</pubDate>
  237. <guid isPermaLink="false">111317 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  238. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  239. <dc:creator>Matthew Guariglia</dc:creator>
  240. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/robot-robot-3.png" alt="a robot writing a police report" type="image/png" length="42337" />
  241.  </item>
  242.  <item>
  243.    <title>EFF and Five Human Rights Organizations Urge Action Around Microsoft’s Role in Israel’s War on Gaza</title>
  244.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/eff-and-five-human-rights-organizations-urge-action-around-microsofts-role-israels</link>
  245.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/microsoft-must-come-clean-on-its-role-in-israels-war-on-gaza/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;letter&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; sent to Microsoft at the end of last month, EFF and five other civil society organizations—Access Now, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Fight for the Future, and 7amleh—called on the company to cease any further involvement in providing AI and cloud computing technologies for use in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in the Gaza Strip.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  246. &lt;p&gt;EFF also sent updated letters to Google and Amazon renewing our calls for each company to respond to the serious concerns we raised with each of them last year about how they are fulfilling their respective human rights promises to the public. Neither Google nor Amazon has responded substantively. Amazon failed to even acknowledge our request, much less provide any transparency to the public. &lt;/p&gt;
  247. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;Microsoft Takes a Positive Step Against Surveillance&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  248. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;On September 25, Microsoft’s Vice Chair &amp;amp; President &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/09/25/update-on-ongoing-microsoft-review/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;reported&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that the company had “ceased and disabled a set of services” provided to a unit within the Israel Ministry of Defense. The announcement followed an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/05/15/statement-technology-israel-gaza/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;internal review&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; at the company after The Guardian &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/microsoft-israeli-military-palestinian-phone-calls-cloud&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;reported&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; on August 6 that the IDF is using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  249. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This investigation by &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/microsoft-israeli-military-palestinian-phone-calls-cloud&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Guardian&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.972mag.com/microsoft-8200-intelligence-surveillance-cloud-azure/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;+972 Magazine&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mekomit.co.il/%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9f-%d7%a9%d7%99%d7%97%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%91%d7%a9%d7%a2%d7%94-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%90%d7%92%d7%a8-%d7%a9%d7%9c-8200-%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%a9%d7%a8%d7%aa%d7%99-%d7%9e%d7%99/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Local Call&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; also revealed the extent to which Israel’s military intelligence unit in question, Unit 8200, has used Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure and AI technologies to process intercepted communications and power AI-driven targeting systems against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc5923-economy-occupation-economy-genocide-report-special-rapporteur&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;potentially facilitating&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; war crimes and acts of genocide.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  250. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Microsoft’s actions are a positive step, and we urge its competitors Google and Amazon to, at the very least, do the same, rather than continuing to support and facilitate mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  251. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Next Steps&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  252. &lt;p&gt;But this must be the starting point, and not the end. Our joint letter therefore calls on Microsoft to provide clarity around:&lt;/p&gt;
  253. &lt;ol&gt;
  254. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;What further steps Microsoft will take to suspend its business with the Israeli military and other government bodies where there is evidence indicating that business is contributing to grave human rights abuses and international crimes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  255. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Whether Microsoft will commit to publishing the review findings in full, including the scope of the investigation, the specific entities and services under review, and measures Microsoft will take to address adverse human rights impacts related to its business with the Israeli military and other government bodies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  256. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;What steps Microsoft has taken to ensure that its current formal review thoroughly investigates the use of its technologies by the Israeli authorities, in light of the fact that the same law firm carried out the previous review and concluded that there was no evidence of use of Microsoft’s Azure and AI technologies to target or harm people in Gaza.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  257. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Whether Microsoft will conduct an additional human rights review, or incorporate a human rights lens to the current review.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  258. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Whether Microsoft has applied any limited access restrictions to its AI technologies used by the IDF and Israeli government to commit genocide and other international crimes. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  259. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Whether Microsoft will evaluate the “high-impact and higher-risk uses” of its evolving AI technology deployed in conflict zones.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  260. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;How Microsoft is planning to provide effective remedy, including reparations, to Palestinians affected by any contributions by the company to violations of human rights by Israel.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  261. &lt;/ol&gt;
  262. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Microsoft’s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/09/25/update-on-ongoing-microsoft-review/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;announcement&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; of an internal review and the suspension of some of its services is long overdue and much needed in addressing its potential complicity in human rights abuses. But it must not end here, and Microsoft should not be the only major technology company taking such action.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  263. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF, Access Now, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Fight for the Future, and 7amleh provided a deadline of October 10 for Microsoft to respond to the questions outlined in the letter. However, Microsoft is expected to send its written response by the end of the month, and we will publish the response once received.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Read the full letter to Microsoft &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/microsoft-must-come-clean-on-its-role-in-israels-war-on-gaza/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  265.  
  266. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  267.     <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 21:53:40 +0000</pubDate>
  268. <guid isPermaLink="false">111314 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  269. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/surveillance-human-rights">Surveillance and Human Rights</category>
  270. <dc:creator>Electronic  Frontier Foundation</dc:creator>
  271. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/gaza-2.jpg" alt="social media icon speaking about refugees, with war image background" type="image/jpeg" length="381027" />
  272.  </item>
  273.  <item>
  274.    <title>Watch Now: Navigating Surveillance with EFF Members</title>
  275.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/watch-now-navigating-surveillance-eff-members</link>
  276.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Online surveillance is everywhere—and understanding how you’re being tracked, and how to fight back, is more important than ever. That’s why EFF partnered with &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wisporg.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Women In Security and Privacy (WISP)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; for our annual Global Members’ Speakeasy, where we tackled online behavioral tracking and the massive data broker industry that profits from your personal information.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  277. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Our live panel featured &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/rory-mir&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Rory Mir&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; (EFF Associate Director of Community Organizing), &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/lena-cohen&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Lena Cohen&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; (EFF Staff Technologist), &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/mitch-stoltz&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Mitch Stoltz&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; (EFF IP Litigation Director) and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://yaelwrites.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Yael Grauer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, Program Manager at Consumer Reports. Together, they unpacked how we arrived at a point where a handful of major tech companies dictate so much of our digital rights, how these monopolies erode privacy, and what real-world consequences come from constant data collection—and most importantly, what you can do to fight back.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  278. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Members also joined in for a lively Q&amp;amp;A, exploring practical steps to opt out of some of this data collection, discussing the efficacy of privacy laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and sharing tools and tactics to reclaim control over their data.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  279. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;We&#039;re always excited to find new ways to connect with our supporters and spotlight the critical work that their donations make possible. And because we want everyone to learn from these conversations, you can now watch the full conversation on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/Xr9XztX6Bz0&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; or the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/093025-global-speakeasy-you-are-the-product&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  280. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr9XztX6Bz0&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/10/speakeasy.jpg&quot; width=&quot;2085&quot; height=&quot;1179&quot; alt=&quot;Screenshot from EFF&#039;s Global Members&#039; Speakeasy&quot; title=&quot;Screenshot from EFF&#039;s Global Members&#039; Speakeasy&quot; /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  281. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/Xr9XztX6Bz0&quot;&gt;WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  282. &lt;p class=&quot;take-explainer&quot;&gt;EFF’s Global Member Speakeasy: You Are the Product &lt;/p&gt;
  283. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Events like the annual Global Members’ Speakeasy are just one way we like to thank our members for powering EFF’s mission. When you become a member, you’re not only supporting our legal battles, research, and advocacy for digital freedom—you’re joining a global community of people who care deeply about defending privacy and free expression for everyone.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  284. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/memberspeakeasy&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Join EFF today&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, and you’ll receive invitations for future member events, quarterly insider updates on our most important work, and some conversation-starting EFF gear to help you spread the word about online freedom.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  285. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and our partners at WISP for helping make this event happen. We’re already planning &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/events&quot;&gt;upcoming in-person and virtual events&lt;/a&gt;, and we can’t wait to see you there.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  286.  
  287. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  288.     <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 21:32:44 +0000</pubDate>
  289. <guid isPermaLink="false">111312 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  290. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  291. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  292. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/communityprivacy-kittens.jpg" alt="A child and two women cultivate a community garden of wifi poppies -- the raised bed is a neighborhood block of businesses like markets and community centers." type="image/jpeg" length="901248" />
  293.  </item>
  294.  <item>
  295.    <title>EFF Austin: Organizing and Making a Difference in Central Texas</title>
  296.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/eff-austin-organizing-and-making-difference-central-texas</link>
  297.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Austin, Texas is a major tech hub with a population that’s engaged in advocacy and paying attention. Since 1991, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://effaustin.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF-Austin&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;span&gt;an independent nonprofit civil liberties organization, has been the proverbial beacon alerting those in central Texas to the possibilities and implications of modern technology.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; It is also an active member of the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://efa.eff.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Electronic Frontier Alliance (EFA)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. On a recent visit to Texas, I got the chance to speak with Kevin Welch, President of EFF-Austin, about the organization, its work, and what lies ahead for them: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  298. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;How did EFF-Austin get started, and can you share how it got its name?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  299. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF-Austin is concerned with emerging frontiers where technology meets society. We are a group of visionary technologists, legal professionals, academics, political activists, and concerned citizens who work to protect digital rights and educate the public about emerging technologies and their implications. Similar to our namesake, the national &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, “the dominion we defend is the vast wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology that resides online.” EFF-Austin was originally formed in 1991 with the intention that it would become the first chapter of the national Electronic Frontier Foundation. However, EFF decided not to become a chapters organization, and EFF-Austin became a separately-incorporated, independent nonprofit organization focusing on cyber liberties, digital rights, and emerging technologies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  300. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  301. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;What&#039;s the mission of EFF-Austin and what do you promote?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  302. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF-Austin advocates for establishment and protection of digital rights and defense of the wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology. We promote the right of all citizens to communicate and share information without unreasonable constraint. We also advocate for the fundamental right to explore, tinker, create, and innovate along the frontier of emerging technologies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  303. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  304. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;EFF-Austin has been involved in a number of initiatives and causes over the past several years, including legislative advocacy. Can you share a few of them?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  305. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We were one of the earliest local organizations that began to call out the Austin City Council over their use of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;automated license plate readers (ALPRs)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. After several years of fighting, EFF-Austin was proud to join the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.noalprs.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;No ALPRs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; coalition as a founding member with over thirty local and state activist groups. Through our efforts, Austin decided not to renew our ALPR pilot project, becoming one of the only cities in America to reject ALPRs. Building on this success, the coalition is broadening its scope to call out other uses of surveillance in Austin, like proposed contracts for park surveillance from Liveview Technologies, as well as data privacy abuses more generally, such as the potential partnership with Valkyrie AI to non-consensually provide citizen data for model training and research purposes without sufficient oversight or guardrails. In support of these initiatives, EFF-Austin also partnered with the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/event/austins-technology-commission-what-it-and-why-it-matters&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Austin Technology Commission&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to propose much stricter oversight and transparency rules around how the city of Austin engages in contracts with third party technology vendors.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  306. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF-Austin has also provided expert testimony on a number of major technology bills at the Texas Legislature that have since become law, including the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint/consumer-privacy-rights/texas-data-privacy-and-security-act&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Texas Data Privacy And Security Act (TDPSA)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/analysis/html/HB00149S.htm&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  307. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  308. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;How can someone local to central Texas get involved?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  309. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We conduct monthly meetups with a variety of speakers, usually the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://capitalfactory.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Capital Factory&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; (701 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701) in downtown Austin. These meetups can range from technology and legal explainers to digital security trainings, from digital arts profiles to shining a spotlight on surveillance. In addition, we have various one-off events, often in partnership with other local nonprofits and civic institutions, including our fellow EFA member &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://open-austin.github.io/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Open Austin.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; We also have annual holiday parties and SXSW gatherings that are free and open to the public. We don&#039;t currently have memberships, so any and all are welcome.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  310. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;While EFF-Austin events are popular and well-attended, and our impact on local technology policy is quite impressive for such a small nonprofit, we have no significant sustained funding beyond occasional outreach to our community. Any local nonprofits, activist organizations, academic initiatives, or technology companies who find themselves aligned with our cause and would like to fund our efforts are encouraged to reach out. We also always welcome the assistance of those who wish to volunteer their technical, organizational, or legal skills to our cause. In addition to emailing us at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;info@effaustin.org&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, follow us on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mastodon.social/@effaustin&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Mastodon&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://bsky.app/profile/effaustin.bsky.social&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Bluesky&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://x.com/effaustin&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Twitter&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/eff.austin&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.instagram.com/effaustin&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Instagram&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, or &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.meetup.com/eff-austin/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meetup&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and visit us at our website at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://effaustin.org&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://effaustin.org&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  311. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  312.  
  313. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  314.     <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:33:04 +0000</pubDate>
  315. <guid isPermaLink="false">111311 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  316. <dc:creator>Christopher Vines</dc:creator>
  317. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/efa-logo-banner.png" alt="Logo for the Electronic Frontier Alliance" type="image/png" length="11034" />
  318.  </item>
  319.  <item>
  320.    <title>PERA Remains a Serious Threat to Efforts Against Bad Patents</title>
  321.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/pera-remains-serious-threat-efforts-against-bad-patents</link>
  322.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;As &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/pera-and-prevail-acts-would-make-bad-patents-easier-get-and-harder-fight&quot;&gt;all things old&lt;/a&gt; are new again, a bill that would make obtaining bad patents easier and harder to challenge is being considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) would reverse over a decade of progress in fighting patent trolls and making the patent system more balanced.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  323. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;PERA would overturn long-standing court decisions that have helped keep some of the most problematic patents in check. This includes the Supreme Court’s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/06/happy-birthday-alice-two-years-busting-bad-software-patents&quot;&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alice v. CLS Bank decision&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; which bars patents on abstract ideas. While &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alice&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; has not completely solved the problems of the patent system or patent trolling, it has led to the rejection of hundreds of low-quality software patents and, as a result, has allowed innovation and small businesses to grow.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  324. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Thanks to the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alice&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; decision, courts have invalidated a&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/alice&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;rogue’s gallery of terrible software patents&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;—such as patents on&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/alice/photographer-attacked-ludicrous-online-voting-patent&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;online photo contests&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/08/appeals-court-knocks-out-computer-bingo-patents/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;online bingo&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8e50e947-d9f2-4357-b54a-e141c40f2e98&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;upselling&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/11/findthebest-destroys-matchmaking-patent-pushes-rico-case-against-troll/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;matchmaking&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/alice/patent-troll-and-scavenger-hunt&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;scavenger hunts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. These patents didn’t describe real inventions—they merely applied old ideas to general-purpose computers. But PERA would wipe out the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alice&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; framework and replace it with vague, hollow exceptions, taking us back to an era where patent trolls and large corporate patent-holders aggressively harassed software developers and small companies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  325. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This bill, combined with recent changes that have restricted access to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), would create a perfect storm—giving patent trolls and major corporations with large patent portfolios free rein to squeeze out independent inventors and small businesses.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  326. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF is proud to join a letter, along with Engine, the Public Interest Patent Law Institute, Public Knowledge, and R Street, to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing this poorly-timed and concerning bill. We urge the committee to instead focus on restoring the PTAB as the accessible, efficient check on patent quality that Congress intended.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  327.  
  328. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  329.     <pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:03:13 +0000</pubDate>
  330. <guid isPermaLink="false">111310 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  331. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/patents">Patents</category>
  332. <dc:creator>Katharine Trendacosta</dc:creator>
  333. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/patents-2.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="31203" />
  334.  </item>
  335.  <item>
  336.    <title>EFF and Other Organizations: Keep Key Intelligence Positions Senate Confirmed</title>
  337.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/eff-and-other-organizations-keep-key-intelligence-positions-senate-confirmed</link>
  338.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In a joint letter to the ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, EFF has joined with 20 other organizations, including the ACLU, Brennan Center, CDT, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Demand Progress, to express opposition to a rule change that would seriously weaken accountability in the intelligence community. Specifically, under&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span&gt;the proposed&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span&gt;Senate Intelligence Authorization Act, S. 2342, the general counsels of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) would no longer be subject t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;o&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; Senate confirmation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  339. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;You can read the entire letter &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/coalition-letter-senate-intelligence-authorization-act&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  340. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In theory, having the most important legal thinkers at these secretive agencies&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;the ones who presumably tell an agency if something is legal or not&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;approved or rejected by the Senate allows elected officials the chance to vet candidates and their beliefs. If, for instance, a confirmation hearing had uncovered that a proposed general counsel for the CIA thinks it&#039;s not only legal, but morally justifiable for the agency to spy on US persons on US soil because of their political or religious beliefs–then the Senate would have the chance to reject that person. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  341. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;As the letter says, “The general counsels of the CIA and ODNI wield extraordinary influence, and they do so entirely in secret, shaping policies on surveillance, detention, interrogation, and other highly consequential national security matters. Moreover, they are the ones primarily responsible for determining the boundaries of what these agencies may lawfully do. The scope of this power and the fact that it occurs outside of public view is why Senate confirmation is so important.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  342. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;It is for this reason that EFF and our ally organizations urge Congress to remove this provision from the Senate Intelligence Authorization Act. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  343.  
  344. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  345.     <pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:19:58 +0000</pubDate>
  346. <guid isPermaLink="false">111307 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  347. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying">NSA Spying</category>
  348. <dc:creator>Matthew Guariglia</dc:creator>
  349. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/flag-surveillance-color.jpg" alt="US flag with spying eyes for stars" type="image/jpeg" length="98960" />
  350.  </item>
  351.  <item>
  352.    <title>How to File a Privacy Complaint in California</title>
  353.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/how-file-privacy-complaint-california</link>
  354.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Privacy laws are only as strong as their enforcement. In California, the state’s privacy agency recently issued its &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/california-targets-tractor-supplys-tricky-tracking&quot;&gt;largest-ever fine&lt;/a&gt; for violation of the state’s privacy law—and all because of a consumer complaint.&lt;/p&gt;
  355. &lt;p&gt;The state’s  privacy law, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://privacy.ca.gov/california-privacy-rights/rights-under-the-california-consumer-privacy-act/&quot;&gt;California Consumer Privacy Act or CCPA&lt;/a&gt;, requires many companies to respect California customers&#039; and job applicants&#039; rights to know, delete and correct information that businesses collect about them, and to opt-out of some types of sharing and use. It also requires companies to give notice of these rights, along with other information, to customers, job applicants, and others. (Bonus tip: Have a complaint about something else, such as a data breach? Go to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://oag.ca.gov/&quot;&gt;CA Attorney General&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;/p&gt;
  356. &lt;p&gt;If you’re a Californian and think a business isn’t obeying the law, then the best thing to do is tell someone who can do something about it. How? It’s easy. In fewer than a dozen questions, you can share enough information to get the agency started.&lt;/p&gt;
  357. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Start With the Basics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  358. &lt;p&gt;First, head to the California Privacy Protection Agency’s website at &lt;a href=&quot;http://cppa.ca.gov/&quot;&gt;cppa.ca.gov&lt;/a&gt;. On the front page, you’ll see an option to “File a Complaint.” Click on that option.&lt;/p&gt;
  359. &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/07/cppa1.jpg&quot; width=&quot;1412&quot; height=&quot;1204&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  360. &lt;p&gt;That button takes you to the online complaint form. You can also print out the agency’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/pdf/paper-complaint.pdf&quot;&gt;paper complaint form here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  361. &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/07/cppa2.jpg&quot; width=&quot;1412&quot; height=&quot;1092&quot; alt=&quot;A screenshot of the CPPA&#039;s complaint page. It explains the agency&#039;s privacy policy.&quot; title=&quot;A screenshot of the CPPA&#039;s complaint page. It explains the agency&#039;s privacy policy.&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  362. &lt;p&gt;The complaint form starts, fittingly, by explaining the agency’s own privacy practices. Then it gets down to business by asking for information about your situation.&lt;/p&gt;
  363. &lt;p&gt;The first question offers a list of rights people have under the CCPA, such as a right to delete or a right to correct sensitive personal information. So, for example, if you’ve asked ABC Company to delete your information, but they have refused, you’d select “Right to Delete.” This helps the agency categorize your complaint and tie it directly to the requirements in the law.  The form then asks for the names of businesses, contractors, or people you want to report.&lt;/p&gt;
  364. &lt;p&gt;It also asks whether you’re a California resident. If you’re unsure, because you split residency or for other reasons, there is an “Unsure” option.&lt;/p&gt;
  365. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Adding the Details&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  366. &lt;p&gt;From there, the form asks for more detailed information about what’s happened. There is a character limit on this question, so you’ll have to choose your words carefully. If you can, check out the &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/faq.html#faq_comp_3&quot;&gt;agency’s FAQ&lt;/a&gt; on how to write a successful complaint before you submit the form. This will help you be specific and tell the agency what they need to hear to act on your complaint.&lt;/p&gt;
  367. &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/07/cppa3.jpg&quot; width=&quot;1392&quot; height=&quot;1406&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  368. &lt;p&gt;In the next question, include information about any proof you have supporting your complaint. So, for example, you could tell the agency you have your email asking ABC Company to delete your information, and also a screenshot of proof that they haven’t erased it. Or, say “I spoke to a person on the phone on this date.” This should just be a list of information you have, rather than a place to paste in emails or attach images.&lt;/p&gt;
  369. &lt;p&gt;The form will also ask if you’ve directly contacted the business about your complaint. You can just answer yes or no to this question. If it’s an issue such as a company not posting a privacy notice, or something similar, it may not have made sense to contact them directly. But if you made a deletion request, you probably have contacted them about it.&lt;/p&gt;
  370. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Anonymous or Not?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  371. &lt;p&gt;Finally, the complaint form will ask you to make either an “unsworn complaint” or a “sworn complaint.” This choice affects how you’ll be involved in the process going forward. You can file an anonymous unsworn complaint. But that will mean the agency can’t contact you about the issue in the future, since they don’t have any of your information.&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/07/cppa4.jpg&quot; width=&quot;879&quot; height=&quot;452&quot; alt=&quot;A screenshot of the CCPA&#039;s complaint page. This part of the form askes if you&#039;d like to make a sworn or unsworn statement.&quot; title=&quot;A screenshot of the CCPA&#039;s complaint page. This part of the form askes if you&#039;d like to make a sworn or unsworn statement.&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  372. &lt;p&gt;For a sworn complaint, you have to provide some contact information and confirm that what you’re saying is true and that you’d swear to it in court.&lt;/p&gt;
  373. &lt;p&gt;Just because you submit contact information, that doesn’t mean the agency will contact you. Investigations are usually confidential, until there’s something like a settlement to announce. But we’ve seen that consumer complaints can be the &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/announcements/2025/20250930.html&quot;&gt;spark for an investigation&lt;/a&gt;. It’s important for all of us to speak up, because it really &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/california-targets-tractor-supplys-tricky-tracking&quot;&gt;does make a difference&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  374.  
  375. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  376.     <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:09:16 +0000</pubDate>
  377. <guid isPermaLink="false">111297 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  378. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  379. <dc:creator>Hayley Tsukayama</dc:creator>
  380. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/california-state.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="21279" />
  381.  </item>
  382.  <item>
  383.    <title>California Targets Tractor Supply&#039;s Tricky Tracking</title>
  384.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/california-targets-tractor-supplys-tricky-tracking</link>
  385.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/announcements/2025/20250930.html&quot;&gt;issued a record fine&lt;/a&gt; earlier this month to Tractor Supply, the country’s self-proclaimed largest “rural lifestyle” retailer, for apparently ducking its responsibilities under the California Consumer Privacy Act. Under that law, companies are required to respect California customers’ and job applicants’ rights to know, delete, and correct information that businesses collect about them, and to opt-out of some types of sharing and use. The law also requires companies to give notice of these rights, along with other information, to customers, job applicants, and others. The CPPA said that Tractor Supply failed several of these requirements. This is the first time the agency has enforced this data privacy law to protect job applicants. Perhaps best of all, the company&#039;s practices came to light all thanks to a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/how-file-privacy-complaint-california&quot;&gt;consumer complaint&lt;/a&gt; filed with the agency.&lt;/p&gt;
  386. &lt;p class=&quot;pull-quote&quot;&gt;Your complaints matter—so keep speaking up. &lt;/p&gt;
  387. &lt;p&gt;Tractor Supply, which has 2,500 stores in 49 states, will pay for their actions to the tune of $1,350,000—the largest fine the agency has issued to date. Specifically, the agency said, Tractor Supply &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/pdf/20250930_tractor_supply_bd_sfo.pdf&quot;&gt;violated the law&lt;/a&gt; by:&lt;/p&gt;
  388. &lt;ul&gt;
  389. &lt;li&gt;Failing to maintain a privacy policy that notified consumers of their rights;&lt;/li&gt;
  390. &lt;li&gt;Failing to notify California job applicants of their privacy rights and how to exercise them;&lt;/li&gt;
  391. &lt;li&gt;Failing to provide consumers with an effective mechanism to opt-out of the selling and sharing of their personal information, including through opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control; and&lt;/li&gt;
  392. &lt;li&gt;Disclosing personal information to other companies without entering into contracts that contain privacy protections.&lt;/li&gt;
  393. &lt;/ul&gt;
  394. &lt;p&gt;In addition to the fine, the company also must take an inventory of its digital properties and tracking technologies and will have to certify its compliance with the California privacy law for the next four years.&lt;/p&gt;
  395. &lt;p&gt;It may surprise people to see that the agency’s most aggressive fine isn’t levied on a large technology company, data broker, or advertising company. But this case merely highlights what anyone who uses the internet knows: practically every company is tracking your online behavior. &lt;/p&gt;
  396. &lt;p&gt;The agency may be trying to make exactly this point by zeroing in on Tractor Supply. In its &lt;a href=&quot;https://cppa.ca.gov/announcements/2025/20250930.html&quot;&gt;press release&lt;/a&gt; on the fine, the agency&#039;s top enforcer was clear that they&#039;ll be casting a wide net. &lt;/p&gt;
  397. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt; “We will continue to look broadly across industries to identify violations of California’s privacy law,” said Michael Macko, the Agency’s head of enforcement. “We made it an enforcement priority to investigate whether businesses are properly implementing privacy rights, and this action underscores our ongoing commitment to doing that for consumers and job applicants alike.”&lt;/p&gt;
  398. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  399. &lt;p&gt;It is encouraging to see the agency stand up for Californians’ rights. For years, we have said privacy laws are only as strong as their enforcement. Ideally we&#039;d like to see privacy laws—including California’s—include a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/you-should-have-right-sue-companies-violate-your-privacy&quot;&gt;private right to action&lt;/a&gt; to let anyone sue for privacy violations, in addition to enforcement actions like this one from regulators. Since individuals can&#039;t stand up for the majority of their own privacy rights in California, however, it&#039;s even more &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/texas-enforcing-its-state-data-privacy-law-so-should-other-states&quot;&gt;important that regulators&lt;/a&gt; such as the CPPA are active, strategic, and bold. &lt;/p&gt;
  400. &lt;p&gt;It also highlights why it&#039;s important for people like you to submit complaints to regulators. As the agency itself said, “The CPPA opened an investigation into Tractor Supply’s privacy practices after receiving a complaint from a consumer in Placerville, California.” Your complaints matter—so &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/how-file-privacy-complaint-california&quot;&gt;keep speaking up&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  401.  
  402. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  403.     <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:09:08 +0000</pubDate>
  404. <guid isPermaLink="false">111304 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  405. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  406. <dc:creator>Hayley Tsukayama</dc:creator>
  407. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/ca-privacy-general-2.png" alt="lock icon with CA state map &amp;amp; vintage colors" type="image/png" length="486510" />
  408.  </item>
  409.  <item>
  410.    <title>Flock Safety and Texas Sheriff Claimed License Plate Search Was for a Missing Person. It Was an Abortion Investigation.</title>
  411.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/flock-safety-and-texas-sheriff-claimed-license-plate-search-was-missing-person-it</link>
  412.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;New documents and court records obtained by EFF show that Texas deputies queried Flock Safety&#039;s surveillance data in an abortion investigation, contradicting the narrative promoted by the company and the Johnson County Sheriff &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safetys-response-to-illinois-lpr-data-use-and-out-of-state-sharing-concerns&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;that she was&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; “being searched for as a missing person,” and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;that&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; “it was about her safety.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  413. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The new information shows that deputies had initiated a &quot;death investigation&quot; of a &quot;non-viable fetus,&quot; logged evidence of a woman’s self-managed abortion, and consulted prosecutors about possibly charging her. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  414. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Johnson County Sheriff Adam King repeatedly denied the automated license plate reader (ALPR) search was related to enforcing Texas&#039;s abortion ban, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safetys-response-to-illinois-lpr-data-use-and-out-of-state-sharing-concerns&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Flock Safety called&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; media accounts &quot;false,&quot; &quot;misleading&quot; and &quot;clickbait.&quot; However, according to a sworn affidavit by the lead detective, the case was in fact a death investigation in response to a report of an abortion, and deputies collected documentation of the abortion from the &quot;reporting person,&quot; her alleged romantic partner. The death investigation remained open for weeks, with detectives interviewing the woman and reviewing her text messages about the abortion. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  415. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The documents show that the Johnson County District Attorney&#039;s Office informed deputies that &quot;the State could not statutorily charge [her] for taking the pill to cause the abortion or miscarriage of the non-viable fetus.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  416. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/06/miller_2.png&quot; width=&quot;1268&quot; height=&quot;181&quot; alt=&quot;An excerpt from the police report, in which the detective talks about receiving evidence and calling the District Attorney&#039;s Office&quot; title=&quot;An excerpt from the police report, in which the detective talks about receiving evidence and calling the District Attorney&#039;s Office&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;An excerpt from the JCSO detective&#039;s sworn affidavit. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;The records include previously unreported details about the case that shocked public officials and reproductive justice advocates across the country when it was first reported by &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;404 Media&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in May. The case serves as a clear warning sign that when data from ALPRs is shared across state lines, it can put people at risk, including abortion seekers. And, in this case, the use may have run afoul of laws in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.atg.wa.gov/reproductive-and-gender-affirming-care-shielding-providers-seekers-and-helpers-out-state-legal&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Washington&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1577114&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Illinois&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  417. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;A False Narrative Emerges&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  418. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Last May, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;404 Media obtained data&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; revealing the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;nationwide search&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; of more than 83,000 Flock ALPR cameras, giving the reason in the search log: “had an abortion, search for female.” Both the Sheriff&#039;s Office and Flock Safety have attempted to downplay the search as akin to a search for a missing person, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2025/06/13/after-finding-fetal-remains-north-texas-cops-used-camera-network-to-search-for-woman/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;claiming&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; deputies were only looking for the woman to “check on her welfare” and that officers found a large amount of blood at the scene – a claim now contradicted by the responding investigator’s affidavit. Flock Safety went so far as to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safetys-response-to-illinois-lpr-data-use-and-out-of-state-sharing-concerns&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;assert&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that journalists and advocates covering the story intentionally misrepresented the facts, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/statement-network-sharing-use-cases-federal-cooperation&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;describing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; it as &quot;misreporting&quot; and &quot;clickbait-driven.&quot; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  419. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;As &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/statement-network-sharing-use-cases-federal-cooperation&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Flock wrote&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; of EFF&#039;s previous commentary on this case (bold in original statement): &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  420. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Earlier this month, there was purposefully&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;misleading reporting&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that a Texas police officer with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office used LPR “to target people seeking reproductive healthcare.” This organization is actively perpetuating narratives that have been proven false, even after the record has been corrected.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  421. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;According to the Sheriff in Johnson County himself, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;this claim is unequivocally false&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  422. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;… No charges were ever filed against the woman and she was never under criminal investigation by Johnson County. She was being searched for as a missing person, not as a suspect of a crime.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  423. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  424. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;That sheriff has since been &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/johnson-county-sheriff-indicted-felony-charges/287-b6b27cd8-5a94-4c69-8d5b-e2a9eb2a3ea5&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;arrested&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26173673-jcso-adam-king-indictments/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;indicted&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; on felony counts in an unrelated sexual harassment and whistleblower retaliation case. He has also been charged with &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/sheriff-adam-king-johnson-county-arrested-perjury-charge-sexual-harassment/287-20c555a0-c331-4ff8-bda1-62efecafea1e&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;aggravated perjury&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for allegedly lying to a grand jury. EFF filed public records requests with Johnson County to obtain a more definitive account of events.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  425. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The newly released incident report and affidavit unequivocally describe the case as a &quot;death investigation&quot; of a &quot;non-viable fetus.&quot; These documents also undermine the claim that the ALPR search was in response to a medical emergency, since, in fact, the abortion had occurred more than two weeks before deputies were called to investigate. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  426. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In recent years, anti-abortion advocates and prosecutors have increasingly attempted to use “fetal homicide” and “wrongful death” statutes – originally intended to protect pregnant people from violence – to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://jessica.substack.com/p/theyre-arresting-us-for-miscarriages&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;criminalize abortion and pregnancy loss&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. These laws, which exist in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/legal-landscape/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;dozens of states&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, establish legal personhood of fetuses and can be weaponized against people who end their own pregnancies or experience a miscarriage. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  427. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In fact, a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Pregnancy-as-a-Crime-An-Interim-Update-on-the-First-Two-Years-After-Dobbs.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;new report&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; from &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Pregnancy Justice&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; found that in just the first two years since the Supreme Court’s decision in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Dobbs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;, prosecutors initiated at least 412 cases charging pregnant people with crimes related to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or birth–most under child neglect, endangerment, or abuse laws that were never intended to target pregnant people. Nine cases included allegations around individuals’ abortions, such as possession of abortion medication or attempts to obtain an abortion–instances just like this one. The report also highlights how, in many instances, prosecutors use tangentially related criminal charges to punish people for abortion, even when abortion itself is not illegal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  428. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;By framing their investigation of a self-administered abortion as a “death investigation” of a “non-viable fetus,” Texas law enforcement was signaling their intent to treat the woman’s self-managed abortion as a potential homicide, even though Texas law does not allow criminal charges to be brought against an individual for self-managing their own abortion. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  429. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Investigator&#039;s Sworn Account&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  430. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Over two days in April, the woman went through the process of taking medication to induce an abortion. Two weeks later, her partner–who would later be charged with domestic violence against her–reported her to the sheriff&#039;s office. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  431. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The documents confirm that the woman was not present at the home when the deputies “responded to the death (Non-viable fetus).” As part of the investigation, officers collected evidence that the man had assembled of the self-managed abortion, including photographs, the FedEx envelope the medication arrived in, and the instructions for self-administering the medication. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  432. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Another Johnson County official ran two searches through the ALPR database with the note &quot;had an abortion, search for female,&quot; according to Flock Safety search logs obtained by EFF. The first search, which has not been previously reported, probed 1,295 Flock Safety networks–composed of 17,684 different cameras–going back one week. The second search, which was originally exposed by 404 Media, was expanded to a full month of data across 6,809 networks, including 83,345 cameras. Both searches listed the same case number that appears on the death investigation/incident report obtained by EFF. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  433. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;After collecting the evidence from the woman’s partner, the investigators say they consulted the district attorney’s office, only to be told they could not press charges against the woman. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  434. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/06/miller_1.png&quot; width=&quot;1299&quot; height=&quot;375&quot; alt=&quot;An excerpt from the detective&#039;s affidavit about investigating the abortion&quot; title=&quot;An excerpt from the detective&#039;s affidavit about investigating the abortion&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;An excerpt from the JCSO detective&#039;s sworn affidavit. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Nevertheless, when the subject showed up at the Sheriff’s office a week later, officers were under the impression that she came to “to tell her side of the story about the non-viable fetus.” They interviewed her, inspected text messages about the abortion on her phone, and watched her write a timeline of events. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  435. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Only after all that did they learn that she actually wanted to report a violent assault by her partner–the same individual who had called the police to report her abortion. She alleged that less than an hour after the abortion, he choked her, put a gun to her head, and made her beg for her life. The man was ultimately charged in connection with the assault, and the case is ongoing. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  436. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This documented account runs completely counter to what law enforcement and Flock have said publicly about the case. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  437. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Johnson County Sheriff Adam King &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;told 404 media&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: &quot;Her family was worried that she was going to bleed to death, and we were trying to find her to get her to a hospital.” He later told the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2025/06/13/after-finding-fetal-remains-north-texas-cops-used-camera-network-to-search-for-woman/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Dallas Morning News&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: “We were just trying to check on her welfare and get her to the doctor if needed, or to the hospital.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  438. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The account by the detective on the scene makes no mention of concerned family members or a medical investigator. To the contrary, the affidavit says that they questioned the man as to why he &quot;waited so long to report the incident,&quot; and he responded that he needed to &quot;process the event and call his family attorney.&quot; The ALPR search was recorded 2.5 hours after the initial call came in, as documented in the investigation report.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  439. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Desk Sergeant&#039;s Report&lt;span data-huuid=&quot;15905527759844928154&quot;&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;One Month Later&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  440. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF obtained a separate &quot;case supplemental report&quot; written by the sergeant who says he ran the May 9 ALPR searches. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  441. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The sergeant was not present at the scene, and his account was written belatedly on June 5, almost a month after the incident and nearly a week after &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;404 Media&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; had already published the sheriff’s alternative account of the Flock Safety search, kicking off a national controversy. The sheriff&#039;s office provided this sergeant&#039;s report to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2025/06/13/after-finding-fetal-remains-north-texas-cops-used-camera-network-to-search-for-woman/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Dallas Morning News&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  442. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In the report, the sergeant claims that the officers on the ground asked him to start &quot;looking up&quot; the woman due to there being &quot;a large amount of blood&quot; found at the residence&lt;span data-huuid=&quot;15905527759844928154&quot;&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;an unsubstantiated claim that is in conflict with the lead investigator’s affidavit. The sergeant repeatedly expresses that the situation was &quot;not making sense.&quot; He claims he was worried that the partner had hurt the woman and her children, so &quot;to check their welfare,&quot; he used TransUnion&#039;s TLO commercial investigative database system to look up her address. Once he identified her vehicle, he ran the plate through the Flock database, returning hits in Dallas.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  443. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/06/jcso_alpr_searches.png&quot; width=&quot;1019&quot; height=&quot;244&quot; alt=&quot;A data table showing the log of searches&quot; title=&quot;A data table showing the log of searches&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Two abortion-related searches in the JCSO&#039;s Flock Safety ALPR audit log&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;The sergeant&#039;s report, filed after the case attracted media attention, notably omits any mention of the abortion at the center of the investigation, although it does note that the caller claimed to have found a fetus. The report does not explain, or even address, why the sergeant used the phrase &quot;had an abortion, search for female” as the official reason for the ALPR searches in the audit log. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  444. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt; It&#039;s also unclear why the sergeant submitted the supplemental report at all, weeks after the incident. By that time, the lead investigator had already filed a sworn affidavit that contradicted the sergeant&#039;s account. For example, the investigator, who &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;was&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; on the scene, does not describe finding any blood or taking blood samples into evidence, only photographs of what the partner believed to be the fetus. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  445. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;One area where they concur: both reports are clearly marked as a &quot;death investigation.&quot; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  446. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;Correcting the Record&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  447. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Since 404 Media &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;first reported on this case&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, King has perpetuated the false narrative, telling reporters that the woman was never under investigation, that officers had not considered charges against her, and that &quot;it was all about her safety.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  448. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But here are the facts: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  449. &lt;ul&gt;
  450. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The reports that have been released so far describe this as a death investigation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  451. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The lead detective described himself as &quot;working a death investigation… of a non-viable fetus&quot; at the time he interviewed the woman (a week after the ALPR searches).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  452. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The detective wrote that they consulted the district attorney&#039;s office about whether they could charge her for &quot;taking the pill to cause the abortion or miscarriage of the non-viable fetus.&quot; They were told they could not.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  453. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Investigators collected a lot of data, including photos and documentation of the abortion, and ran her through multiple databases. They even reviewed her text messages about the abortion. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  454. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The death investigation was open for more than a month.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  455. &lt;/ul&gt;
  456. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The death investigation was only marked closed in mid-June, weeks after 404 Media&#039;s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;article&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and a mere days before the Dallas Morning News published its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2025/06/13/after-finding-fetal-remains-north-texas-cops-used-camera-network-to-search-for-woman/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;report&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, in which the sheriff inaccurately claimed the woman &quot;was not under investigation at any point.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  457. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Flock has promoted this unsupported narrative on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safetys-response-to-illinois-lpr-data-use-and-out-of-state-sharing-concerns&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;its blog&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2025/09/03/ai-startup-flock-thinks-it-can-eliminate-all-crime-in-america/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;multimedia&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/fVCVQcd9PLc?si=dnGtqGgZuxmdrPP5&amp;amp;t=1002&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;appearances&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. We did not reach out to Flock for comment on this article, as their communications director previously told us the company will not answer our inquiries until we &quot;correct the record and admit to your audience that you purposefully spread misinformation which you know to be untrue&quot; about this case. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  458. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Consider the record corrected: It turns out the truth is even more damning than initially reported.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  459. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Aftermath&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  460. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In the aftermath of the original reporting, government officials began to take action. The networks searched by Johnson County included cameras in Illinois and Washington state, both states where abortion access is protected by law. Since then: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  461. &lt;ul&gt;
  462. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Illinois Secretary of State has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ilsos.gov/content/dam/news/2025/june/250612d1.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;announced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; his intent to “crack down on unlawful use of license plate reader data,” and urged the state’s Attorney General to investigate the matter. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  463. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;In California, which also has prohibitions on sharing ALPR out of state and for abortion-ban enforcement, the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://apcp.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2025-07/sb-274-cervantes-apcp-analysis.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;legislature&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; cited the case in support of pending legislation to restrict ALPR use.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  464. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Ranking Members of the House Oversight Committee and one of its subcommittees&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/krishnamoorthi.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2025-08-06.garcia-krishnamoorthi-to-flock-re-lpr-tech-and-tracking.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; launched a formal investigation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; into Flock’s role in “enabling invasive surveillance practices that threaten the privacy, safety, and civil liberties of women, immigrants, and other vulnerable Americans.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  465. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Senator Ron Wyden &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-announces-agreement-by-license-plate-surveillance-tech-company-to-protect-oregonians-data-from-immigration-and-abortion-related-abuses&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;secured a commitment&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; from Flock to protect Oregonians&#039; data from out-of-state immigration and abortion-related queries.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  466. &lt;/ul&gt;
  467. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In response to mounting pressure, Flock &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safetys-response-to-illinois-lpr-data-use-and-out-of-state-sharing-concerns&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;announced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; a series of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/flock-safetys-feature-updates-cannot-make-automated-license-plate-readers-safe&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;new features&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; supposedly designed to prevent future abuses. These include blocking “impermissible” searches, requiring that all searches include a “reason,” and implementing AI-driven audit alerts to flag suspicious activity. But as we&#039;ve detailed &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/flock-safetys-feature-updates-cannot-make-automated-license-plate-readers-safe&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;elsewhere&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, these measures are cosmetic at best—easily circumvented by officers using vague search terms or reusing legitimate case numbers. The fundamental architecture that enabled the abuse remains unchanged. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  468. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meanwhile, as the news continued to harm the company&#039;s sales, Flock CEO Garrett Langley embarked on a press tour to smear reporters and others who had raised alarms about the usage. In an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/fVCVQcd9PLc?si=Jdb5WsoZsf2GvyMD&amp;amp;t=1076&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;interview with Forbes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, he even doubled down and extolled the use of the ALPR in this case. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  469. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;So when I look at this, I go “this is everything’s working as it should be.” A family was concerned for a family member. They used Flock to help find her, when she could have been unwell. She was physically okay, which is great. But due to the political climate, this was really good clickbait.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  470. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  471. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Nothing about this is working as it should, but it is working as Flock designed. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  472. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Danger of Unchecked Surveillance&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  473. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/06/flock_newer_model.png&quot; width=&quot;810&quot; height=&quot;540&quot; alt=&quot;A pair of Flock Safety cameras on a pole, with a solar panel&quot; title=&quot;A pair of Flock Safety cameras on a pole, with a solar panel&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Flock Safety ALPR cameras&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;This case reveals the fundamental danger of allowing companies like Flock Safety to build massive, interconnected surveillance networks that can be searched across state lines with minimal oversight. When a single search query can access more than 83,000 cameras spanning almost the entire country, the potential for abuse is staggering, particularly when weaponized against people seeking reproductive healthcare. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  474. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The searches in this case may have violated laws in states like &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/sexual-and-reproductive-health/abortion/know-your-rights?ref=404media.co&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Washington&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.aclu-il.org/en/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-abortion-illinois?ref=404media.co&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Illinois&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, where restrictions exist specifically to prevent this kind of surveillance overreach. But those protections mean nothing when a Texas deputy can access cameras in those states with a few keystrokes, without external review that the search is legal and legitimate under local law. In this case, external agencies should have seen the word &quot;abortion&quot; and questioned the search, but the next time an officer is investigating such a case, they may use a more vague or misleading term to justify the search. In fact, it&#039;s possible it has already happened. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  475. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;ALPRs were marketed to the public as tools to find stolen cars and locate missing persons. Instead, they&#039;ve become a dragnet that allows law enforcement to track anyone, anywhere, for any reason—including investigating people&#039;s healthcare decisions. This case makes clear that neither the companies profiting from this technology nor the agencies deploying it can be trusted to tell the full story about how it&#039;s being used.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  476. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;States must &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/09/automated-license-plate-readers-threaten-abortion-access-heres-how-policymakers&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;ban law enforcement from using ALPRs to investigate healthcare decisions&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and prohibit sharing data across state lines. Local governments may try remedies like reducing data retention period to minutes instead of weeks or months—but, really, ending their ALPR programs altogether is the strongest way to protect their most vulnerable constituents. Without these safeguards, every license plate scan becomes a potential weapon against a person seeking healthcare.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  477.  
  478. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  479.     <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
  480. <guid isPermaLink="false">111298 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  481. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/mass-surveillance-technologies">Surveillance Technologies</category>
  482. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  483. <dc:creator>Dave Maass</dc:creator>
  484. <dc:creator>Rindala Alajaji</dc:creator>
  485. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/alpr-cops.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="12016" />
  486.  </item>
  487.  <item>
  488.    <title>What Europe’s New Gig Work Law Means for Unions and Technology</title>
  489.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/what-europes-new-gig-work-law-means-unions-and-technology</link>
  490.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;At EFF, we&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/12/eff-agrees-nlrb-workers-need-protection-against-bossware&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;believe&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/tech-rights-are-workers-rights-doordash-edition&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;tech rights are worker’s rights&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Since the pandemic, workers of all kinds have been subjected to increasingly invasive forms of&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/inside-invasive-secretive-bossware-tracking-workers&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;bossware&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. These are the “algorithmic management” tools that surveil workers on and off the job, often running on devices that (nominally) belong to workers, hijacking our phones and laptops. On the job, digital technology can become both a system of ubiquitous surveillance and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://crackedlabs.org/en/data-work/publications/callcenter&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;a means of total control&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  491. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Enter the EU’s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2831/oj/eng&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;Platform Work Directive&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; (PWD). The PWD was finalized in 2024, and every EU member state will have to implement (“transpose”) it by 2026. The PWD contains far-reaching measures to protect workers from abuse, wage theft, and other unfair working conditions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  492. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But the PWD isn’t self-enforcing! Over the decades that EFF has fought for user rights, we’ve proved that having a legal right on paper isn’t the same as having that right in the real world. And workers are rarely positioned to take on their bosses in court or at a regulatory body. To do that, they need advocates.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  493. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;That’s where unions come in. Unions are well-positioned to defend their members – and all workers (EFF employees are proudly organized under the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  494. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The European Trade Union Confederation has just published “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.etuc.org/sites/default/files/publication/file/2025-09/Negotiating%20the%20Algorithm%20-%20Trade%20Union%20Manual_ETUC%20%28updated%29.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Negotiating the Algorithm&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,” a visionary – but detailed and down-to-earth – manual for unions seeking to leverage the PWD to protect and advance workers’ interests in Europe.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  495. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The report notes the alarming growth of algorithmic management, with 79% of European firms employing some form of bossware. Report author Ben Wray enumerates many of the harms of algorithmic management, such as “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.columbialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Dubal-On_Algorithmic_Wage_discrimination.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;algorithmic wage discrimination&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,” where each worker is offered a different payscale based on surveillance data that is used to infer how economically desperate they are.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  496. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Algorithmic management tools can also be used for wage theft, for example, by systematically undercounting the distances traveled by delivery drivers or riders. These tools can also subject workers to danger by penalizing workers who deviate from prescribed tasks (for example, when riders are downranked for taking an alternate route to avoid a traffic accident).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  497. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gig workers live under the constant threat of being “deactivated” (kicked off the app) and feel pressure to do unpaid work for clients who can threaten their livelihoods with one-star reviews. Workers also face automated de-activation: a whole host of “anti-fraud” tripwires can see workers de-activated without appeal. These risks do not befall all workers equally: Black and brown workers face a disproportionate risk of de-activation when they fail facial recognition checks meant to prevent workers from sharing an account (facial recognition systems&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.mozillafoundation.org/en/blog/facial-recognition-bias/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;make more errors when dealing with darker skin tones&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  498. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Algorithmic management is typically accompanied by a raft of cost-cutting measures, and workers under algorithmic management often find that their employer’s human resources department has been replaced with chatbots, web-forms, and seemingly unattended email boxes. When algorithmic management goes wrong, workers struggle to reach a human being who can hear their appeal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  499. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;For these reasons and more, the ETUC believes that unions need to invest in technical capacity to protect workers’ interests in the age of algorithmic management.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  500. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The report sets out many technological activities that unions can get involved with. At the most basic level, unions can invest in developing analytical capabilities, so that when they request logs from algorithmic management systems as part of a labor dispute, they can independently analyze those files.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  501. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But that’s just table-stakes. Unions should also consider investing in “counter apps” that help workers. There are workers that act as an external check on employers’ automation, like the&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://radicaldata.org/projects/ubercheats/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;UberCheats app&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, which double-checked the mileage that Uber drivers were paid for. There are apps that enable gig workers to collectively refuse lowball offers, raising the prevailing wage for all the workers in a region, such as&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://restofworld.org/2023/stopclub-app-uber-driver-cost-breakdown/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;the Brazilian StopClub app&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.vice.com/en/article/delivery-drivers-are-using-grey-market-apps-to-make-their-jobs-suck-less/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;Indonesian gig riders have a wide range of “tuyul” apps&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that let them modify the functionality of their dispatch apps. We love this kind of “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;adversarial interoperability&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.” Any time the users of technology get to decide how it works, we celebrate. And in the US, this sort of tech-enabled collective action by workers is likely to be &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/p251201laborexemptionpolicystatement.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;shielded&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; from antitrust liability even if the workers involved are classified as independent contractors.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  502. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Developing in-house tech teams also gives unions the know-how to develop the tools for organizers and workers to coordinate their efforts to protect workers. The report acknowledges that this is a lot of tech work to ask individual unions to fund, and it moots the possibility of unions forming cooperative ventures to do this work for the unions in the co-op. At EFF, we regularly hear from skilled people who want to become&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://public-interest-tech.com/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;public interest technologists&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and we bet there’d be plenty of people who’d jump at the chance to do this work.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  503. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The new Platform Work Directive gives workers and their representatives the right to challenge automated decision-making, to peer inside the algorithms used to dispatch and pay workers, to speak to a responsible human about disputes, and to have their privacy and other fundamental rights protected on the job. It represents a big step forward for workers’ rights in the digital age.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  504. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But as the European Trade Union Confederation’s report reminds us, these rights are only as good as workers’ ability to claim them. After 35 years of standing up for people’s digital rights, we couldn’t agree more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  505.  
  506. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  507.     <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:27:48 +0000</pubDate>
  508. <guid isPermaLink="false">111283 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  509. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/competition">Competition</category>
  510. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/dmca">DMCA</category>
  511. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/drm">DRM</category>
  512. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/big-tech">Big Tech</category>
  513. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/trade-agreements">Trade Agreements and Digital Rights</category>
  514. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/eff-europe">European Union</category>
  515. <dc:creator>Cory Doctorow</dc:creator>
  516. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/competition_banner_1.jpg" alt="" type="image/jpeg" length="69136" />
  517.  </item>
  518.  <item>
  519.    <title>Tile’s Lack of Encryption Is a Danger for Users Everywhere</title>
  520.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/tiles-lack-encryption-danger-users-everywhere</link>
  521.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In research shared &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.wired.com/story/tile-tracking-tags-can-be-exploited-by-tech-savvy-stalkers-researchers-say/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;with Wired this week&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, security researchers detailed a series of vulnerabilities and design flaws with Life360’s Tile Bluetooth trackers that make it easy for stalkers and the company itself to track the location of Tile devices.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  522. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tile trackers are small Bluetooth trackers, similar to Apple’s Airtags, but they work on their own network, not Apple’s. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/apples-android-app-scan-airtags-necessary-step-forward-more-anti-stalking&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;We’ve been raising concerns&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; about these types of trackers since they were first introduced and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-detect-bluetooth-trackers&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;provide guidance for finding them&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; if you think someone is using them to track you without your knowledge. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  523. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF has&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/08/industry-discussion-about-standards-bluetooth-enabled-physical-trackers-finally&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; worked on improving&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://datatracker.ietf.org/group/dult/about/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers standard&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that Apple, Google, and Samsung use, and these companies have at least made incremental improvements. But Tile has done little to mitigate the concerns we’ve raised around stalkers using their devices to track people. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  524. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;One of the core fundamentals of that standard is that Bluetooth trackers should rotate their MAC address, making them harder for a third-party to track, and that they should encrypt information sent. According to the researchers, Tile does neither. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  525. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This has a direct impact on the privacy of legitimate users and opens the device up to potentially even more dangerous stalking. Tile devices do have a rotating ID, but since the MAC address is static and unencrypted, anyone in the vicinity could pick up and track that Bluetooth device.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  526. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Other Bluetooth trackers don’t broadcast their MAC address, and instead use only a rotating ID, which makes it much harder for someone to record and track the movement of that tag. Apple, Google, and Samsung also all use end-to-end encryption when data about the location is sent to the companies’ servers, meaning the companies themselves cannot access that information.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  527. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://support.life360.com/hc/en-us/articles/30583010520087-Tile-Security-Privacy-Policy&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;privacy policy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, Life360 states that, “You are the only one with the ability to see your Tile location and your device location.” But if the information from a tracker is sent to and stored by Tile in cleartext (i.e. unencrypted text) as the researchers believe, then the company itself can see the location of the tags and their owners, turning them from single item trackers into surveillance tools. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  528. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;There are also issues with the “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.life360.com/blog/how-does-tile-anti-theft-mode-work&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;anti-theft mode&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;” that Tile offers. The anti-theft setting hides the tracker from Tile’s “Scan and Secure” detection feature, so it can’t be easily found using the app. Ostensibly this is a feature meant to make it harder for a thief to just use the app to locate a tracker. In exchange for enabling the anti-theft feature, a user has to submit a photo ID and agree to pay a $1 million fine if they’re convicted of misusing the tracker. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  529. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But that’s only helpful if the stalker gets caught, which is a lot less likely when the person being tracked can’t use the anti-stalking protection feature in the app to find the tracker following them. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/08/industry-discussion-about-standards-bluetooth-enabled-physical-trackers-finally&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;As we’ve said before&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, it is impossible to make an anti-theft device that secretly notifies only the owner without also making a perfect tool for stalking.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  530. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Life360, the company that owns Tile, told Wired it “made a number of improvements” after the researchers reported them, but did not detail what those improvements are.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  531. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Many of these issues would be mitigated by doing what their competition is already doing: encrypting the broadcasts from its Bluetooth trackers and randomizing MAC addresses. Every company involved in the location tracker industry business has the responsibility to create a safeguard for people, not just for their lost keys.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  532.  
  533. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  534.     <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:21:04 +0000</pubDate>
  535. <guid isPermaLink="false">111281 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  536. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  537. <dc:creator>Thorin Klosowski</dc:creator>
  538. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/air-tags-1b.png" alt="3 types of trackers on green and orange backgrounds" type="image/png" length="36386" />
  539.  </item>
  540.  <item>
  541.    <title>Hey, San Francisco, There Should be Consequences When Police Spy Illegally </title>
  542.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/hey-san-francisco-there-should-be-consequences-when-police-spy-illegally</link>
  543.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;A San Francisco supervisor has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://x.com/mattdorsey/status/1973132845813244126?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;proposed&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that police and other city agencies should have no financial consequences for breaking a landmark surveillance oversight law. In 2019, organizations from across the city worked together to help pass &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_admin/0-0-0-47320&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;that law&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, which required law enforcement to get the approval of democratically elected officials before they bought and used new spying technologies. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/09/san-franciscos-board-supervisors-grants-police-more-surveillance-powers&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Bit by bit&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, the San Francisco Police Department and the Board of Supervisors have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/what-proposition-e-and-why-should-san-francisco-voters-oppose-it&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;weakened&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that law&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;but one important feature of the law remained: if city officials are caught breaking this law, residents can sue to enforce it, and if they prevail they are entitled to attorney fees. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  544. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Now Supervisor Matt Dorsey &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://x.com/mattdorsey/status/1973132845813244126/photo/1&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;believes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that this important accountability feature is “incentivizing baseless but costly lawsuits that have already squandered hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars over bogus alleged violations of a law that has been an onerous mess since it was first enacted.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  545. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Between 2010 and 2023, San Francisco had to spend roughly &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://missionlocal.org/2023/06/millions-law-enforcement-sfpd-sheriff-lawsuit-settlements/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;$70 million to settle civil suits brought against the SFPD for alleged misconduct&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; ranging from shooting city residents to wrongfully firing whistleblowers. This is not “squandered” money; it is compensating people for injury. We are all governed by laws and are all expected to act accordingly&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;police are not exempt from consequences for using their power wrongfully. In the 21st century, this accountability must extend to using powerful surveillance technology responsibly. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  546. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The ability to sue a police department when they violate the law is called a “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/you-should-have-right-sue-companies-violate-your-privacy&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;private right of action&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;” and it is absolutely essential to enforcing the law. Government officials tasked with making other government officials turn square corners will rarely have sufficient resources to do the job alone, and often they will not want to blow the whistle on peers. But city residents empowered to bring a private right of action typically cannot do the job alone, either&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;they need a lawyer to represent them. So private rights of action provide for an attorney fee award to people who win these cases. This is a routine part of scores of public interest laws involving civil rights, labor safeguards, environmental protection, and more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  547. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Without an enforcement mechanism to hold police accountable, many will just ignore the law. They’ve done it before. AB 481 is a California state law that requires police to get elected official approval before attempting to acquire military equipment, including drones. The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/16/san-francisco-police-bought-drones-illegally-emails-warned/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;SFPD knowingly ignored this law&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. If it had an enforcement mechanism, more police would follow the rules. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  548. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;President Trump recently &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.kqed.org/news/12058130/san-francisco-officials-respond-to-trump-telling-us-generals-were-under-invasion-from-within&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;included San Francisco&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in a list of cities he would like the military to occupy. Law enforcement agencies across the country, either &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/the-trump-administration-is-turning-local-police-into-ice-agents/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;willingly&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; or by &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75qz76vdqzo&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;compulsion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, have been collaborating with federal agencies operating at the behest of the White House. So it would be best for cities to keep their co-optable surveillance infrastructure small, transparent, and accountable. With authoritarianism looming, now is not the time to make police less hard to control&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;especially considering SFPD has already disclosed surveillance data to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-aclu-sfpd-stop-illegally-sharing-data-ice-and-anti-abortion-states&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;in violation of California state law&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  549. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We’re calling on the Board of Supervisors to reject Supervisor Dorsey’s proposal. If police want to avoid being sued and forced to pay the prevailing party’s attorney fees, they should avoid breaking the laws that govern police surveillance in the city. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  550.  
  551. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-field-related-cases field--type-node-reference field--label-above&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__label&quot;&gt;Related Cases:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/cases/williams-v-san-francisco&quot;&gt;Williams v. San Francisco&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  552.     <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:07:14 +0000</pubDate>
  553. <guid isPermaLink="false">111282 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  554. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  555. <dc:creator>Matthew Guariglia</dc:creator>
  556. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/police-surveillance-hat.jpg" alt="A silhouette of a police officer, with spying eye on his hat" type="image/jpeg" length="124291" />
  557.  </item>
  558.  <item>
  559.    <title>#StopCensoringAbortion: What We Learned and Where We Go From Here</title>
  560.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/stopcensoringabortion-what-we-learned-and-where-we-go-here</link>
  561.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the tenth and final installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;here&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
  562. &lt;p&gt;When we launched &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/a&gt;, our goals were to understand how social media platforms were silencing abortion-related content, gather data and lift up stories of censorship, and hold social media companies accountable for the harm they have caused to the reproductive rights movement.&lt;/p&gt;
  563. &lt;p&gt;Thanks to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;nearly 100 submissions&lt;/a&gt; from educators, advocates, clinics, researchers, and individuals around the world, we confirmed what &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/obstacles-to-autonomy-post-roe-removal-of-abortion-information-online/&quot;&gt;many already suspected&lt;/a&gt;: this speech is being removed, restricted, and silenced by platforms at an alarming rate. Together, our findings paint a clear picture of censorship in action: platforms’ moderation systems are not only broken, but are actively harming those seeking and sharing vital reproductive health information.&lt;/p&gt;
  564. &lt;p&gt;Here are the key lessons from this campaign: what we uncovered, how platforms can do better, and why pushing back against this censorship matters more now than ever.&lt;/p&gt;
  565. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lessons Learned&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  566. &lt;p&gt;Across our submissions, we saw systemic over-enforcement, vague and convoluted policies, arbitrary takedowns, sudden account bans, and ignored appeals. And in almost every case we reviewed, &lt;strong&gt;the posts and accounts in question did &lt;em&gt;not &lt;/em&gt;violate any of the platform’s stated rules&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  567. &lt;p&gt;The most common reason Meta gave for removing abortion-related content was that it violated policies on &lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;Restricted Goods and Services&lt;/a&gt;, which prohibit any “attempts to buy, sell, trade, donate, gift or ask for pharmaceutical drugs.” But &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;most of the content submitted&lt;/a&gt; simply provided factual, educational information that clearly did not violate those rules. As we saw in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://mahotline.org/&quot;&gt;M+A Hotline&lt;/a&gt;’s case, this kind of misclassification deprives patients, advocates, and researchers of reliable information, and chills those trying to provide accurate and life-saving reproductive health resources.&lt;/p&gt;
  568. &lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;one submission&lt;/a&gt;, we even saw posts sharing educational abortion resources get flagged under the “&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;Dangerous Organizations and Individuals&lt;/a&gt;” policy, a rule intended to prevent terrorism and criminal activity. We’ve seen this policy cause &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/facebooks-secret-dangerous-organizations-and-individuals-list-creates-problems&quot;&gt;problems in the past&lt;/a&gt;, but in the reproductive health space, treating legal and accurate information as violent or unlawful only adds needless stigma and confusion.&lt;/p&gt;
  569. &lt;p&gt;Meta’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/decoding-metas-advertising-policies-abortion-content#main-content&quot;&gt;convoluted advertising policies&lt;/a&gt; add another layer of harm. There are specific, additional rules users must navigate to post &lt;em&gt;paid&lt;/em&gt; content about abortion. While many of these rules still contain exceptions for purely educational content, Meta is vague about how and when those exceptions apply. And ads that seem like they should have been allowed were frequently flagged under rules about “prescription drugs” or “social issues.” This patchwork of unclear policies forces users to second-guess what content they can post or promote for fear of losing access to their networks.&lt;/p&gt;
  570. &lt;p&gt;In another troubling trend, many of our submitters reported experiencing &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/algorithmic-suppression-abortion-content-creators#main-content&quot;&gt;shadowbanning and de-ranking&lt;/a&gt;, where posts weren’t removed but were instead quietly suppressed by the algorithm. This kind of suppression leaves advocates without any notice, explanation, or recourse—and severely limits their ability to reach people who need the information most.  &lt;/p&gt;
  571. &lt;p&gt;Many users also faced &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning#main-content&quot;&gt;sudden account bans without warning&lt;/a&gt; or clear justification. Though Meta’s policies &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning#main-content&quot;&gt;dictate&lt;/a&gt; that an account should only be disabled or removed after “repeated” violations, organizations like &lt;a href=&quot;https://womenhelp.org/en/&quot;&gt;Women Help Women&lt;/a&gt; received no warning before seeing their critical connections cut off overnight.&lt;/p&gt;
  572. &lt;p&gt;Finally, we learned that Meta’s enforcement outcomes were deeply inconsistent. Users often had their appeals denied and accounts suspended until someone with &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail#main-content&quot;&gt;insider access&lt;/a&gt; to Meta could intervene. For example, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.redriverwomensclinic.com/&quot;&gt;Red River’s Women’s Clinic&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://rise.emory.edu/&quot;&gt;RISE at Emory&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://aidaccess.org/en/&quot;&gt;Aid Access&lt;/a&gt; each had their accounts restored only after press attention or personal contacts stepped in. This reliance on backchannels underscores the inequity in Meta’s moderation processes: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;without connections, users are left unfairly silenced&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  573. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It’s Not Just Meta&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  574. &lt;p&gt;Most of our submissions detailed suppression that took place on one of Meta’s platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Threads), so we decided to focus our analysis on Meta’s moderation policies and practices. But we should note that &lt;strong&gt;this problem is by no means confined to Meta&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  575. &lt;p&gt;On LinkedIn, for example, Stephanie Tillman told us about how she had her entire account permanently taken down, with nothing more than a vague notice that she had violated LinkedIn’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.linkedin.com/legal/user-agreement&quot;&gt;User Agreement&lt;/a&gt;. When Stephanie reached out to ask what violation she committed, LinkedIn responded that “due to our Privacy Policy we are unable to release our findings,” leaving her with no clarity or recourse. Stephanie suspects that the ban was related to her work with &lt;a href=&quot;https://reprotlc.org/&quot;&gt;Repro TLC&lt;/a&gt;, an advocacy and clinical health care organization, and/or her posts relating to her personal business, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.feministmidwife.com/&quot;&gt;Feminist Midwife LLC&lt;/a&gt;. But LinkedIn’s opaque enforcement meant she had no way to confirm these suspicions, and no path to restoring her account.&lt;/p&gt;
  576. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/02/tillman_screenshot_redacted_f2.jpg&quot; width=&quot;567&quot; height=&quot;545&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by Stephanie Tillman to EFF (with personal information redacted by EFF)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  577. &lt;p&gt;And over on Tiktok, Brenna Miller, a creator who works in health care and frequently posts about abortion, posted a video of her “unboxing” an abortion pill care package from &lt;a href=&quot;https://carafem.org/&quot;&gt;Carafem&lt;/a&gt;. Though Brenna’s video was factual and straightforward, TikTok removed it, saying that she had violated TikTok’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines/en&quot;&gt;Community Guidelines&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  578. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/10/02/brenna_miller_screenshot.jpeg&quot; width=&quot;333&quot; height=&quot;747&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by Brenna Miller to EFF&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  579. &lt;p&gt;Brenna appealed the removal successfully at first, but a few weeks later the video was permanently deleted—this time, without any explanation or chance to appeal again.&lt;/p&gt;
  580. &lt;p&gt;Brenna’s far from the only one experiencing censorship on TikTok. Even Jessica Valenti, award-winning writer, activist, and author of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://jessica.substack.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Abortion Every Day&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; newsletter, recently had a video taken down from TikTok for violating its community guidelines, with no further explanation. The video she posted was about the Trump administration calling IUDs and the Pill ‘abortifacients.’ Jessica &lt;a href=&quot;https://jessica.substack.com/p/when-can-we-trust-the-police?open=false#%C2%A7censoring-abortion-online&quot;&gt;wrote&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;
  581. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;Which rule did I break? Well, they didn’t say: but I wasn’t trying to sell anything, the video didn’t feature nudity, and I didn’t publish any violence. By process of elimination, that means the video was likely taken down as &quot;misinformation.&quot; Which is…ironic.&lt;/p&gt;
  582. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  583. &lt;p&gt;These are not isolated incidents. In the &lt;a href=&quot;https://docsend.com/view/emzyirq6hfatmx2a&quot;&gt;Center for Intimacy Justice’s survey&lt;/a&gt; of reproductive rights advocates, health organizations, sex educators, and businesses, 63% reported having content removed on Meta platforms, 55% reported the same on TikTok, and 66% reported having ads rejected from Google platforms (including YouTube). Clearly, censorship of abortion-related content is a systemic problem across platforms.&lt;/p&gt;
  584. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How Platforms Can Do Better on Abortion-Related Speech&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  585. &lt;p&gt;Based on our findings, we&#039;re calling on platforms to take &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/decoding-metas-advertising-policies-abortion-content#main-content&quot;&gt;these concrete steps&lt;/a&gt; to improve moderation of abortion-related speech:&lt;/p&gt;
  586. &lt;ul&gt;
  587. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Publish clear policies&lt;/strong&gt;. Users should not have to guess whether their speech is allowed or not.&lt;/li&gt;
  588. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enforce rules consistently&lt;/strong&gt;. If a post does not violate a written standard, it should not be removed.&lt;/li&gt;
  589. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Provide real transparency&lt;/strong&gt;. Enforcement decisions must come with clear, detailed explanations and meaningful opportunities to appeal.&lt;/li&gt;
  590. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guarantee functional appeals&lt;/strong&gt;. Users must be able to challenge wrongful takedowns without relying on insider contacts.&lt;/li&gt;
  591. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Expand human review&lt;/strong&gt;. Reproductive rights is a nuanced issue and can be too complex to be left entirely to error-prone automated moderation systems.&lt;/li&gt;
  592. &lt;/ul&gt;
  593. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practical Tips for Users&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  594. &lt;p&gt;Don’t get it twisted: Users should not have to worry about their posts being deleted or their accounts getting banned when they share factual information that doesn’t violate platform policies. The onus is on platforms to get it together and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;uphold their commitments&lt;/a&gt; to users. But while platforms continue to fail, we’ve provided some &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/tips-protect-your-posts-about-reproductive-health-being-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;practical tips&lt;/a&gt; to reduce the risk of takedowns, including:&lt;/p&gt;
  595. &lt;ul&gt;
  596. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Consider limiting commonly flagged words and images&lt;/strong&gt;. Posts with pill images or certain keyword combinations (like “abortion,” “pill,” and “mail”) were often flagged.&lt;/li&gt;
  597. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be as clear as possible&lt;/strong&gt;. Vague phrases like “we can help you get what you need” might look like drug sales to an algorithm.&lt;/li&gt;
  598. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Be careful with links&lt;/strong&gt;. Direct links to pill providers were often flagged. Spell out the links instead.&lt;/li&gt;
  599. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Expect stricter rules for ads&lt;/strong&gt;. Boosted posts face harsher scrutiny than regular posts.&lt;/li&gt;
  600. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Appeal wrongful enforcement decisions. &lt;/strong&gt;Requesting an appeal might get you a human moderator or, even better, review from Meta’s independent Oversight Board.&lt;/li&gt;
  601. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Document everything and back up your content.&lt;/strong&gt; Screenshot all communications and enforcement decisions so you can share them with the press or advocacy groups, and export your data regularly in case your account vanishes overnight.&lt;/li&gt;
  602. &lt;/ul&gt;
  603. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keep Fighting&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  604. &lt;p&gt;Abortion information saves lives, and social media is the primary—and sometimes only—way for advocates and providers to get accurate information out to the masses. But now we have evidence that this censorship is widespread, unjustified, and harming communities who need access to this information most.&lt;/p&gt;
  605. &lt;p&gt;Platforms must be held accountable for these harms, and advocates must continue to speak out. The more we push back—through campaigns, reporting, policy advocacy, and user action—the harder it will be for platforms to look away.&lt;/p&gt;
  606. &lt;p&gt;So keep speaking out, and keep demanding accountability. Platforms need to know we&#039;re paying attention—and we won&#039;t stop fighting until everyone can share information about abortion freely, safely, and without fear of being silenced.&lt;/p&gt;
  607. &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is the tenth and final post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  608. &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Affected by unjust censorship? Share your story using the hashtag #StopCensoringAbortion. Amplify censored posts and accounts, share screenshots of removals and platform messages—together, we can demonstrate how these policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  609.  
  610. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  611.     <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  612. <guid isPermaLink="false">111279 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  613. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  614. <dc:creator>Molly Buckley</dc:creator>
  615. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-banner-e.png" alt="Banner with a pink background that reads &amp;quot;stop censoring abortion&amp;quot; but the Os are replaced with mifepristone tablet graphics." type="image/png" length="263375" />
  616.  </item>
  617.  <item>
  618.    <title>Tips to Protect Your Posts About Reproductive Health From Being Removed  </title>
  619.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/tips-protect-your-posts-about-reproductive-health-being-removed</link>
  620.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;
  621. &lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;
  622. &lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;
  623. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the ninth inst&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;allment in a blog series documenting EFF’s findings from the&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;0}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  624. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Meta has been getting content moderation wrong for years, like most platforms that host user-generated content. Sometimes it’s a result of deliberate design choices—privacy rollbacks, opaque policies, features that prioritize growth over safety—made even when the company knows that those choices could negatively impact users. Other times, it’s simply the inevitable outcome of trying to govern billions of posts with a mix of algorithms and overstretched human reviewers. Importantly, users shouldn’t have to worry about their posts being deleted or their accounts getting banned when they share factual health information that doesn’t violate the platforms&#039; policies. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;But knowing more about what the algorithmic moderation is likely to flag can help you to avoid &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;mistakes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;0}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  625. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We analyzed the roughly one-hundred survey submissions we received from social media users in response to our&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Stop Censoring Abortion campaign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;. Their stories revealed some clear patterns: certain words, images, and phrases seemed to trigger takedowns, even when posts didn’t come close to violating Meta’s rules. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  626. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;For example, your post &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.plancpills.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;linking to information&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;on how people are accessing abortion pills online clearly is not an offer to buy or sell pills, but an algorithm, or a human content reviewer who doesn’t know for sure, might wrongly flag it &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;for violating &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Meta’s policies on promoting or selling “restricted goods.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  627. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;That doesn’t mean you’re powerless. For years, people have used “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://theconversation.com/what-is-algospeak-inside-the-newest-version-of-linguistic-subterfuge-203460&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;algospeak&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;”—creative spelling, euphemisms, or indirection—to sidestep platform filters. Abortion rights advocates are now forced into similar strategies, even when their speech is perfectly legal. It’s not fair, but it might help you keep your content online. Here are some things we learned from our survey:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  628. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Practical Tips to Reduce the Risk of Takedowns&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  629. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;While traditional social media platforms can help people reach larger audiences, using them also generally means you have to hand over control of what you and others are able to see to the people who run the company. This is the deal that large platforms offer—and while most of us want platforms to moderate some content (even if that moderation is imperfect), current systems of moderation often reflect existing societal power imbalances and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/458227-in-debate-over-internet-speech-law-pay-attention-to-whose-voices-are/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;impact marginalized voices&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; the most.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;160}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  630. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;There are ways companies and governments could better balance the power between users and platforms. In the meantime, there are steps you can take right now to break the hold these platforms have:  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;160}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  631. &lt;ul&gt;
  632. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;7&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;1&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Images and keywords matter.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Posts with pill images, or accounts with “pill” in their names, were flagged often—even when the posts weren’t offering to sell medication. Before posting, consider whether you need to include an image of, or the word “pill,” or whether there’s another way to communicate your message.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  633. &lt;/ul&gt;
  634. &lt;ul&gt;
  635. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;7&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;2&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Clarity beats vagueness.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Saying “we can help you find what you need” or “contact me for more info” might sound innocuous, but to an algorithm, it can look like an offer to sell drugs. Spell out what kind of support you do and don’t provide—for example: “We can talk through options and point you toward trusted resources. We don’t provide medical services or medication.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  636. &lt;/ul&gt;
  637. &lt;ul&gt;
  638. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;7&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;3&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Be careful with links.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Direct links to organizations or services that provide abortion pills were often flagged, even if the organizations operate legally. Instead of linking, try spelling out the name of the site or account.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  639. &lt;/ul&gt;
  640. &lt;ul&gt;
  641. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;7&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;4&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Certain word combos are red flags.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Posts that included words like “mifepristone,” “abortion,” and “mail” together were frequently removed. You may still want to use them—they’re accurate and important—but know they make your post more likely to be flagged.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  642. &lt;/ul&gt;
  643. &lt;ul&gt;
  644. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;7&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;5&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Ads are even stricter.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Meta &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/drugs-pharmaceuticals&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;requires pharmaceutical advertisers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; to prove they’re licensed in the countries they target. If you boost posts, assume the more stringent &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;advertising standards&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; will be applied.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  645. &lt;/ul&gt;
  646. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Alternatives and Backups&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  647. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Big platforms give you reach, but they also set the rules—and those rules usually favor corporate interests over human rights. You don’t have to accept that as the only way forward:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  648. &lt;ul&gt;
  649. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;8&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;1&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Keep a backup.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Export your data regularly so you’re not left empty-handed if your account disappears overnight.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  650. &lt;/ul&gt;
  651. &lt;ul&gt;
  652. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;8&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;2&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Build your own space.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Hosting a website isn’t free, but it puts you in control.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  653. &lt;/ul&gt;
  654. &lt;ul&gt;
  655. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;8&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;3&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Explore other platforms.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Newsletters, Discord, and other community tools offer more control than Facebook or Instagram. Decentralized platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky aren’t perfect, but they show what’s possible when moderation isn’t dictated from the top down. (Learn more about the&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/06/whats-difference-between-mastodon-bluesky-and-threads&quot;&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;differences between Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; and how these kinds of platforms&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/11/fediverse-could-be-awesome-if-we-dont-screw-it&quot;&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;help us build a better internet&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;220}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  656. &lt;/ul&gt;
  657. &lt;ul&gt;
  658. &lt;li data-leveltext=&quot;&quot; data-font=&quot;Symbol&quot; data-listid=&quot;8&quot; data-list-defn-props=&quot;&amp;quot;hybridMultilevel&amp;quot;}&quot; data-aria-posinset=&quot;4&quot; data-aria-level=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Push for &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/07/legislative-path-interoperable-internet&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;interoperability&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; Imagine being able to take your audience with you when you leave a platform. That’s the future we should be fighting for. (For more on interoperability and Meta, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/interoperablefacebook&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;check out this video&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; where Cory Doctorow explains&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;what an interoperable Facebook would look like.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  659. &lt;/ul&gt;
  660. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Protect Your Privacy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  661. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;If you’re working in abortion access—whether as a provider, activist, or volunteer—your privacy and security matter. The same is true &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/security-and-privacy-tips-people-seeking-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;for patients&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;. Check out EFF’s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/playlist/reproductive-healthcare-service-provider-seeker-or-advocate&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Surveillance Self-Defense&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; for tailored guides. Look at resources from groups like &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://digitaldefensefund.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Digital Defense Fund&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; and learn how location tracking tools &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/12/location-tracking-tools-endanger-abortion-access-lawmakers-must-act-now&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;can endanger abortion access&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; If you run an organization, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;consider some of the ways you can minimize what information you collect about patients, clients, or customers, in our guide to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/online-privacy-nonprofits&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Online Privacy for Nonprofits.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  662. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Platforms like Meta insist they want to balance free expression and safety, but their blunt systems consistently end up reinforcing existing inequalities—silencing the very people who most need to be heard. Until they do better, it’s on us to protect ourselves, share our stories, and keep building the kind of internet that respects our rights.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  663. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This i&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;s the ninth po&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;st in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  664. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Affected by unjust censorship? Share your story using the hashtag &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mattermost.eff.org/eff/channels/repro-uncensored&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;#StopCensoringAbortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. Amplify censored posts and accounts, share screenshots of removals and platform messages—together, we can demonstrate how these policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  665. &lt;/div&gt;
  666. &lt;/div&gt;
  667. &lt;/div&gt;
  668.  
  669. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  670.     <pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:59:19 +0000</pubDate>
  671. <guid isPermaLink="false">111225 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  672. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  673. <dc:creator>Jason Kelley</dc:creator>
  674. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-08.png" alt="A hand holding a mifepristone pill, with access denied symbols in the background" type="image/png" length="465307" />
  675.  </item>
  676.  <item>
  677.    <title>Privacy Harm Is Harm</title>
  678.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/privacy-harm-harm</link>
  679.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every day, corporations track our movements through license plate scanners, building detailed profiles of where we go, when we go there, and who we visit. When they do this to us in violation of data privacy laws, we’ve suffered a real harm—period. We shouldn’t need to prove we’ve suffered additional damage, such as physical injury or monetary loss, to have our day in court.&lt;/p&gt;
  680. &lt;p&gt;That&#039;s why EFF is proud to join an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/2025-09-25-mata-v-dnr-amicus-br-aclu-eff-etc&quot;&gt;amicus brief&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.techspot.com/news/102042-texas-company-violated-privacy-millions-california-drivers-claims.html&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Mata v. Digital Recognition Network&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a lawsuit by drivers against a corporation that allegedly violated a California &lt;a href=&quot;https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&amp;amp;division=3.&amp;amp;title=1.81.23.&amp;amp;part=4.&amp;amp;chapter=&amp;amp;article=&quot;&gt;statute&lt;/a&gt; that regulates Automatic License Plate Readers (&lt;a href=&quot;https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs&quot;&gt;ALPRs&lt;/a&gt;). The state trial court erroneously dismissed the case, by misinterpreting this data privacy law to require proof of extra harm beyond privacy harm. The brief was written by the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.aclunc.org/home&quot;&gt;ACLU of Northern California&lt;/a&gt;, Stanford’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://law.stanford.edu/juelsgaard-intellectual-property-and-innovation-clinic/&quot;&gt;Juelsgaard Clinic&lt;/a&gt;, and UC Law SF’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.uclawsf.edu/center-for-constitutional-democracy/&quot;&gt;Center for Constitutional Democracy&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  681. &lt;p&gt;The amicus brief explains:&lt;/p&gt;
  682. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;This case implicates critical questions about whether a California privacy law, enacted to protect people from harmful surveillance, is not just words on paper, but can be an effective tool for people to protect their rights and safety.&lt;/p&gt;
  683. &lt;p&gt;California’s Constitution and laws empower people to challenge harmful surveillance at its inception without waiting for its repercussions to manifest through additional harms. A foundation for these protections is article I, section 1, which grants Californians an inalienable right to privacy.&lt;/p&gt;
  684. &lt;p&gt;People in the state have long used this constitutional right to challenge the privacy-invading collection of information by private and governmental parties, not only harms that are financial, mental, or physical. Indeed, widely understood notions of privacy harm, as well as references to harm in the California Code, also demonstrate that term’s expansive meaning.&lt;/p&gt;
  685. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  686. &lt;h4&gt;What’s At Stake&lt;/h4&gt;
  687. &lt;p&gt;The defendant, Digital Recognition Network, also known as &lt;a href=&quot;https://drndata.com/&quot;&gt;DRN Data&lt;/a&gt;, is a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions that provides access to a massive searchable database of ALPR data collected by private contractors. Its customers include law enforcement agencies and private companies, such as insurers, lenders, and repossession firms. DRN is the sister company to the infamous surveillance vendor &lt;a href=&quot;https://drndata.com/blog/vigilant-solutions-bolsters-commercial-lpr-database-agreement-plate-locate/&quot;&gt;Vigilant Solutions&lt;/a&gt; (now Motorola Solutions), and together they have &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/ICE-to-see-car-locations-through-Bay-Area-12529140.php&quot;&gt;provided data to ICE&lt;/a&gt; through a contract with &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.aclunc.org/docs/DOCS_031319.pdf&quot;&gt;Thomson Reuters&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  688. &lt;p&gt;The consequences of weak privacy protections are already playing out across the country. This year alone, authorities in multiple states have used license plate readers to hunt for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt;people seeking reproductive healthcare&lt;/a&gt;. Police officers have used these systems to &lt;a href=&quot;https://local12.com/news/nation-world/police-chief-gets-caught-using-license-plate-cameras-to-track-his-ex-girlfriend-228-times-arrests-charges-probation-flock-safety-follow-stalk-new-boyfriend-broke-up-out-of-town-misuse&quot;&gt;stalk romantic partners&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/california-cops-investigate-immigration-protest-with-ai-camera-system/&quot;&gt;monitor political activists&lt;/a&gt;. ICE has tapped into these networks to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/ice-taps-into-nationwide-ai-enabled-camera-network-data-shows/&quot;&gt;track down immigrants&lt;/a&gt; and their families for deportation.&lt;/p&gt;
  689. &lt;h4&gt;Strong Privacy Laws&lt;/h4&gt;
  690. &lt;p&gt;This case could determine whether privacy laws have real teeth or are just words on paper. If corporations can collect your personal information with impunity—knowing that unless you can prove bodily injury or economic loss, you can’t fight back—then privacy laws lose value.&lt;/p&gt;
  691. &lt;p&gt;We need &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/wp/privacy-first-better-way-address-online-harms&quot;&gt;strong data privacy laws&lt;/a&gt;. We need a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/you-should-have-right-sue-companies-violate-your-privacy&quot;&gt;private right of action&lt;/a&gt; so when a company violates our data privacy rights, we can sue them. We need a broad definition of “harm,” so we can sue over our lost privacy rights, without having to prove collateral injury. EFF wages this battle when &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/07/americans-deserve-more-current-american-data-privacy-protection-act&quot;&gt;writing privacy laws&lt;/a&gt;, when &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/victory-illinois-supreme-court-protects-biometric-privacy&quot;&gt;interpreting those laws&lt;/a&gt;, and when asserting “standing” in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/our-privacy-act-lawsuit-against-doge-and-opm-why-judge-let-it-move-forward&quot;&gt;federal&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/12/california-courts-must-protect-data-privacy&quot;&gt;state&lt;/a&gt; courts.&lt;/p&gt;
  692. &lt;p&gt;The fight for privacy isn’t just about legal technicalities. It’s about preserving your right to move through the world without being constantly tracked, catalogued, and profiled by corporations looking to profit from your personal information.&lt;/p&gt;
  693. &lt;p&gt;You can read the amicus brief &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/2025-09-25-mata-v-dnr-amicus-br-aclu-eff-etc&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  694.  
  695. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  696.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 22:51:02 +0000</pubDate>
  697. <guid isPermaLink="false">111272 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  698. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  699. <dc:creator>Adam Schwartz</dc:creator>
  700. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/sls-alpr-2023.png" alt="Automated License Plate Readers" type="image/png" length="12420" />
  701.  </item>
  702.  <item>
  703.    <title>The UK Is Still Trying to Backdoor Encryption for Apple Users</title>
  704.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/uk-still-trying-backdoor-encryption-apple-users</link>
  705.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ft.com/content/d101fd62-14f9-4f51-beff-ea41e8794265?accessToken=zwAGQBl4pP6YkdPRAf1iFPlPUdO-_-pB6HlCZQ.MEYCIQDqJlwcbpQ4rrKlgeSJtbcTgqpW4uTX3yGMCHf2gdS0fQIhAMtU15LHqeHwAXTZ3wWJLDzI72kjsauSKc8OEDpim1Gx&amp;amp;sharetype=gift&amp;amp;token=3767767d-fe68-4911-a97e-c067715e061e&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Financial Times reports that&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; the U.K. is once again demanding that Apple create a backdoor into its encrypted backup services. The only change &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/uks-demands-apple-break-encryption-emergency-us-all&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;since the last time&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; they demanded this is that the order is allegedly limited to only apply to British users. That doesn’t make it any better.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  706. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The demand uses a power called a “Technical Capability Notice” (TCN) in the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/investigatory-powers-bill-and-apple&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;At the time of its signing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; we noted this law would likely be used to demand Apple spy on its users. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  707. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;After the U.K. government first issued the TCN in January, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/cornered-uks-demand-encryption-backdoor-apple-turns-its-strongest-security-setting&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Apple was forced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to either create a backdoor or block its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-encrypt-your-iphone&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Advanced Data Protection&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; feature—which turns on end-to-end encryption for iCloud—for all U.K. users. The company decided to remove the feature in the U.K. instead of creating the backdoor.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  708. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The initial order from January targeted the data of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;all&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; Apple users. In August, the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-spy-chief-gabbard-says-uk-agreed-drop-backdoor-mandate-apple-2025-08-19/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;US claimed the U.K. withdrew the demand&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, but Apple did not re-enable Advanced Data Protection. The new order provides insight into why: the U.K. was just rewriting it to only apply to British users. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  709. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is still an unsettling overreach that makes U.K. users less safe and less free. As we’ve said&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/04/clipper-chips-birthday-looking-back-22-years-key-escrow-failures&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;time&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/11/why-adding-client-side-scanning-breaks-end-end-encryption&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;time again&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/salt-typhoon-hack-shows-theres-no-security-backdoor-thats-only-good-guys&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;any backdoor built for the government&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; puts everyone at greater risk of hacking, identity theft, and fraud. It sets a dangerous precedent to demand similar data from other companies, and provides a runway for other authoritarian governments to issue comparable orders. The news of continued server-side access to users&#039; data comes just days after the UK government announced an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/id-cards-uk-risks-sleeping-walking-into-pre-crime-state/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;intrusive mandatory digital ID scheme&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, framed as a measure against illegal migration.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  710. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;A tribunal hearing was initially set to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c740r0m4mzjo&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;take place in January 2026&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, though it’s currently unclear if that will proceed or if the new order changes the legal process. Apple must continue to refuse these types of backdoors. Breaking end-to-end encryption for one country breaks it for everyone. These repeated attempts to weaken encryption violates&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/european-court-human-rights-confirms-undermining-encryption-violates-fundamental&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;fundamental human rights&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and destroys our right to private spaces.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  711.  
  712. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  713.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:03:16 +0000</pubDate>
  714. <guid isPermaLink="false">111270 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  715. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/end-end-encryption">End-to-End Encryption</category>
  716. <dc:creator>Thorin Klosowski</dc:creator>
  717. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/OG-Encryption-DefendEncryption.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="35296" />
  718.  </item>
  719.  <item>
  720.    <title>❌ How Meta Is Censoring Abortion | EFFector 37.13</title>
  721.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/10/how-meta-censoring-abortion-effector-3713</link>
  722.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&#039;s spooky season—but while jump scares may get your heart racing, catching up on digital rights news shouldn&#039;t! Our &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/effector/37/13&quot;&gt;EFFector newsletter&lt;/a&gt; has got you covered with easy, bite-sized updates to keep you up-to-date.&lt;/p&gt;
  723. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In this issue, we spotlight new &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/drone-sky-could-be-tracking-your-car&quot;&gt;ALPR-enhanced police drones&lt;/a&gt; and how local communities can push back; unpack the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-statement-tiktok-ownership-deal&quot;&gt;ongoing TikTok “ban,”&lt;/a&gt; which we’ve consistently said violates the First Amendment; and celebrate a privacy win—&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/appeals-court-abandoned-phones-dont-equal-abandoned-privacy-rights&quot;&gt;abandoning a phone doesn&#039;t mean you&#039;ve also abandoned your privacy rights&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  724. &lt;p&gt;Prefer to listen in? Check out our audio companion, where we interview EFF Staff Attorney Lisa Femia who explains the findings from our investigation into &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;abortion censorship on social media&lt;/a&gt;. Catch the conversation on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJAiRr2pUk&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/37.13&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  725. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJAiRr2pUk&quot;&gt;LISTEN TO EFFECTOR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  726. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action take-explainer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFFECTOR 37.13 - ❌ HOW META IS CENSORING ABORTION&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  727. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Since 1990 EFF has &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff.org/effector&quot;&gt;published EFFector&lt;/a&gt; to help keep readers on the bleeding edge of their digital rights. We know that the intersection of technology, civil liberties, human rights, and the law can be complicated, so EFFector is a great way to stay on top of things. The newsletter is chock full of links to updates, announcements, blog posts, and other stories to help keep readers—and listeners—up to date on the movement to protect online privacy and free expression. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  728. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Thank you to the supporters around the world who make our work possible! If you&#039;re not a member yet, &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/effect&quot;&gt;join EFF today&lt;/a&gt; to help us fight for a brighter digital future.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  729.  
  730. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  731.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:14:41 +0000</pubDate>
  732. <guid isPermaLink="false">111267 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  733. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  734. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/effector_banner_5.jpeg" alt="" type="image/jpeg" length="130379" />
  735.  </item>
  736.  <item>
  737.    <title>EFF Is Standing Up for Federal Employees—Here’s How You Can Stand With Us</title>
  738.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-standing-federal-employees-heres-how-you-can-stand-us</link>
  739.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot;&gt;Federal employees play a key role in safeguarding the civil liberties of millions of Americans. Our rights to privacy and free expression can only survive when we stand together to push back against overreach and ensure that technology serves all people—not just the powerful.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  740. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot;&gt;That’s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot;&gt; why EFF jumped to action earlier this year, when the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot;&gt;U.S. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot;&gt;Office of Personnel Management (OPM) handed over sensitive employee data—Social Security numbers, benefits data, work histories, and more—to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This was a blatant violation of the Privacy Act of 1974, and it put federal workers directly at risk.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  741. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;We &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;didn’t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; let it stand. Alongside federal employee unions, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;Hyperlink SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-sues-opm-doge-and-musk-endangering-privacy-millions&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun Underlined SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-charstyle=&quot;Hyperlink&quot;&gt;EFF sued OPM and DOGE&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; in February. In June, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;Hyperlink SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/privacy-victory-judge-grants-preliminary-injunction-opmdoge-lawsuit&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun Underlined SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-charstyle=&quot;Hyperlink&quot;&gt;we secured a victory&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; when a judge &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;ruled&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; we were entitled to a preliminary &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;injunction and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; ordered OPM to provide &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;accounting of DOGE&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt; access to employee records. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;Your support m&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot;&gt;akes this possible.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  742. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW112784820 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW144141476 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW126785356 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;Now the fight continues—and your support matters more than ever. The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest CommentHighlightRest SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; mce-data-marked=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Office of Personnel Management&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun CommentHighlightPipeRest SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; is &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;Hyperlink SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; href=&quot;https://www.opm.gov/news/secrets-of-opm/what-you-should-know-about-the-combined-federal-campaign/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun Underlined SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-charstyle=&quot;Hyperlink&quot;&gt;planting the seeds&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; to undermine and potentially &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;Hyperlink SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; href=&quot;https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/action-by-nonprofits-saves-the-combined-federal-campaign/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun Underlined SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-charstyle=&quot;Hyperlink&quot;&gt;remove&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the main program federal employees and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;retirees&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; have long used to support charities—including EFF. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;For now, you can still &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;Hyperlink SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; href=&quot;https://givecfc.org/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun Underlined SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-charstyle=&quot;Hyperlink&quot;&gt;give to EFF through the CFC&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; this year&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; (&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;use our ID: &lt;strong&gt;10437&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;we’d&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt; appreciate your support&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot;&gt;! But with the program’s uncertain future, direct support is the best way to keep our work going strong for years to come.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;EOP SCXW119938030 BCX4&quot; data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  743. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35--CFC&quot;&gt;DONATE TODAY&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  744. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action take-explainer&quot;&gt;SUPPORT EFF&#039;S WORK DIRECTLY, BECOME A MEMBER!&lt;/p&gt;
  745. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35--CFC&quot;&gt;When you donate directly&lt;/a&gt;, you join a movement of lawyers, activists, and technologists who defend privacy, call out censorship, and push back against abuses of power—everywhere from the courts to Congress and to the streets. As a member, you’ll also receive insider updates, invitations to exclusive events, and receive conversation-starting EFF gear.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  746. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Plus, you can sustain our mission long-term with a &lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35RM--CFC&quot;&gt;monthly&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/EFF35A--CFC&quot;&gt;annual&lt;/a&gt; donation!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  747. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Stand with EFF. Protect privacy. Defend free expression. Support our work today.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  748.  
  749. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-field-related-cases field--type-node-reference field--label-above&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__label&quot;&gt;Related Cases:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/cases/american-federation-government-employees-v-us-office-personnel-management&quot;&gt;American Federation of Government Employees v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  750.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:31:25 +0000</pubDate>
  751. <guid isPermaLink="false">111256 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  752. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  753. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/cfc_eff_2020.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="11223" />
  754.  </item>
  755.  <item>
  756.    <title>Platforms Have Failed Us on Abortion Content. Here&#039;s How They Can Fix It.</title>
  757.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/our-call-platforms-do-better-moderating-abortion-related-speech</link>
  758.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the eighth installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  759. &lt;p&gt;In our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion series&lt;/a&gt;, we’ve documented the many ways that reproductive rights advocates have faced arbitrary censorship on Meta platforms. Since social media is the primary—and sometimes the only—way that providers, advocates, and communities can safely and effectively share timely and accurate information about abortion, it’s vitally important that platforms take steps to proactively protect this speech.&lt;/p&gt;
  760. &lt;p&gt;Yet, even though Meta says its moderation policies allow abortion-related speech, its enforcement of those policies tells a different story. Posts are being wrongfully flagged, accounts are disappearing without warning, and important information is being removed without clear justification.&lt;/p&gt;
  761. &lt;p&gt;So what explains the gap between Meta’s public commitments and its actions? And how can we push platforms to be better—to, dare we say, #StopCensoringAbortion?&lt;/p&gt;
  762. &lt;p&gt;After reviewing nearly one-hundred submissions and speaking with Meta to clarify their moderation practices, here’s what we’ve learned.&lt;/p&gt;
  763. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Platforms’ Editorial Freedom to Moderate User Content&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  764. &lt;p&gt;First, given the current landscape—with some states trying to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/texass-war-abortion-now-war-free-speech&quot;&gt;criminalize&lt;/a&gt; speech about abortion—you may be wondering how much leeway platforms like Facebook and Instagram have to choose their own content moderation policies. In other words, &lt;em&gt;can&lt;/em&gt; social media companies proactively commit to stop censoring abortion?&lt;/p&gt;
  765. &lt;p&gt;The answer is yes. Social media companies, including Meta, TikTok, and X, have the constitutionally protected First Amendment right to moderate user content however they see fit. They can take down posts, suspend accounts, or suppress content for virtually any reason.&lt;/p&gt;
  766. &lt;p&gt;The Supreme Court &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/07/effs-statement-netchoice-decisions&quot;&gt;explicitly affirmed&lt;/a&gt; this right in 2023 in &lt;em&gt;Moody v. Netchoice&lt;/em&gt;, holding that social media platforms, like newspapers, bookstores, and art galleries before them, have the First Amendment right to edit the user speech that they host and deliver to other users on their platforms. The Court also established that the government has a very limited role in dictating what social media platforms must (or must not) publish. This editorial discretion, whether granted to individuals, traditional press, or online platforms, is meant to protect these institutions from government interference and to safeguard the diversity of the public sphere—so that important conversations and movements like this one have the space to flourish.&lt;/p&gt;
  767. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meta’s Broken Promises&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  768. &lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, Meta is failing to meet even these basic standards. Again and again, its policies say one thing while its actual enforcement says another.&lt;/p&gt;
  769. &lt;p&gt;Meta has stated its intent to allow conversations about abortion to take place on its platforms. In fact, as we’ve written previously in this series, Meta has publicly insisted that posts with educational content about abortion access should &lt;em&gt;not &lt;/em&gt;be censored, even admitting in several public statements to moderation mistakes and over-enforcement. One spokesperson told the New York Times: “We want our platforms to be a place where people can access reliable information about health services, advertisers can promote health services and everyone can discuss and debate public policies in this space. . . . That’s why we allow posts and ads about, discussing and debating abortion.”&lt;/p&gt;
  770. &lt;p&gt;Meta’s &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail&quot;&gt;platform policies&lt;/a&gt; largely reflect this intent. But as our campaign reveals, Meta’s enforcement of those policies is wildly inconsistent. Time and again, users—including advocacy organizations, healthcare providers, and individuals sharing personal stories—have had their content taken down even though it &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta&quot;&gt;did not actually violate&lt;/a&gt; any of Meta’s stated guidelines. Worse, they are often left in the dark about what happened and how to fix it.&lt;/p&gt;
  771. &lt;p&gt;Arbitrary enforcement like this harms abortion activists and providers by cutting them off from their audiences, wasting the effort they spend creating resources and building community on these platforms, and silencing their vital reproductive rights advocacy. And it goes without saying that it hurts users, who need access to timely, accurate, and sometimes life-saving information. At a time when abortion rights are &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/algorithmic-suppression-abortion-content-creators#main-content&quot;&gt;under attack&lt;/a&gt;, platforms with enormous resources—like Meta—have no excuse for silencing this important speech.  &lt;/p&gt;
  772. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Our Call to Platforms&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  773. &lt;p&gt;Our case studies have highlighted that when users can’t rely on platforms to apply their own rules fairly, the result is a widespread chilling effect on online speech. That’s why we are calling on Meta to adopt the following urgent changes.&lt;/p&gt;
  774. &lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;1. Publish clear and understandable policies&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  775. &lt;p&gt;Too often, platforms’ &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/decoding-metas-advertising-policies-abortion-content#main-content&quot;&gt;vague rules&lt;/a&gt; force users to guess what content &lt;em&gt;might&lt;/em&gt; be flagged in order to avoid &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/algorithmic-suppression-abortion-content-creators#main-content&quot;&gt;shadowbanning&lt;/a&gt; or worse, leading to needless self-censorship. To prevent this chilling effect, platforms should strive to offer users the greatest possible transparency and clarity on their policies. The policies should be clear enough that users know exactly what is allowed and what isn’t so that, for example, no one is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;left wondering&lt;/a&gt; how exactly a clip of women sharing their abortion experiences could be mislabeled as violent extremism.&lt;/p&gt;
  776. &lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;2. Enforce rules consistently and fairly.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  777. &lt;p&gt;If content doesn’t violate a platform’s stated policies, it should not be removed. And, per Meta’s own policies, an account &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning#main-content&quot;&gt;should not be suspended&lt;/a&gt; for abortion-related content violations if it has not received any prior warnings or “strikes.” Yet as we’ve seen &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta&quot;&gt;throughout this campaign&lt;/a&gt;, abortion advocates repeatedly face takedowns or even account suspensions of posts that fall &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;entirely within&lt;/a&gt; Meta’s Community Standards. On such a massive scale, this selective enforcement erodes trust and chills entire communities from participating in critical conversations. &lt;/p&gt;
  778. &lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;3. Provide meaningful transparency in enforcement actions.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  779. &lt;p&gt;When content is removed, Meta tends to give &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta&quot;&gt;vague, boilerplate explanations&lt;/a&gt;—or &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning#main-content&quot;&gt;none at all&lt;/a&gt;. Instead, users facing takedowns or suspensions deserve detailed and accurate explanations that state the policy violated, reflect the reasoning behind the actual enforcement decision, and ways to appeal the decision. Clear explanations are key to preventing wrongful censorship and ensuring that platforms remain accountable to their commitments and to their users.&lt;/p&gt;
  780. &lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;4. Guarantee functional appeals.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  781. &lt;p&gt;Every user deserves a real chance to challenge improper enforcement decisions and have them reversed. But based on our survey responses, it seems Meta’s appeals process is broken. Many users reported that they &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail#main-content&quot;&gt;do not receive responses&lt;/a&gt; to appeals, even when the content &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta&quot;&gt;did not violate&lt;/a&gt; Meta’s policies, and thus have no meaningful way to challenge takedowns. Alarmingly, we found that a user’s best (and sometimes only) chance at success is to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail&quot;&gt;rely on a personal connection at Meta&lt;/a&gt; to right wrongs and restore content. This is unacceptable. Users should have a reliable and efficient appeal process that does not depend on insider access.   &lt;/p&gt;
  782. &lt;h4&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;5. Expand human review.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  783. &lt;p&gt;Finally, automated systems &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.newamerica.org/oti/reports/everything-moderation-analysis-how-internet-platforms-are-using-artificial-intelligence-moderate-user-generated-content/&quot;&gt;cannot&lt;/a&gt; always handle the nuance of sensitive issues like reproductive health and advocacy. They misinterpret words, miss important cultural or political context, and wrongly flag legitimate advocacy as “&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;dangerous&lt;/a&gt;.” Therefore, we call upon platforms to expand the role that human moderators play in reviewing auto-flagged content violations—especially when posts involve sensitive healthcare information or political expression.&lt;/p&gt;
  784. &lt;h3&gt;Users Deserve Better&lt;/h3&gt;
  785. &lt;p&gt;Meta has already made the choice to allow speech about abortion on its platforms, and it has not hesitated to highlight that commitment whenever it has faced scrutiny. Now it’s time for Meta to put its money where its mouth is.&lt;/p&gt;
  786. &lt;p&gt;Users deserve better than a system where rules are applied at random, appeals go nowhere, and vital reproductive health information is needlessly (or negligently) silenced. If Meta &lt;a href=&quot;https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/meta-more-speech-fewer-mistakes/&quot;&gt;truly values&lt;/a&gt; free speech, it must commit to moderating with fairness, transparency, and accountability.&lt;/p&gt;
  787. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This is the eighth post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;i&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  788. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Affected by unjust censorship? Share your story using the hashtag #StopCensoringAbortion. Amplify censored posts and accounts, share screenshots of removals and platform messages—together, we can demonstrate how these policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  789.  
  790. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  791.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:11:40 +0000</pubDate>
  792. <guid isPermaLink="false">111257 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  793. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  794. <dc:creator>Molly Buckley</dc:creator>
  795. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-07.png" alt="A hand holding a mifepristone pill, with access denied symbols in the background" type="image/png" length="485049" />
  796.  </item>
  797.  <item>
  798.    <title>Gate Crashing: An Interview Series</title>
  799.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/gate-crashing-interview-series</link>
  800.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;There is a lot of bad on the internet and it seems to only be getting worse. But one of the things the internet did well, and is worth preserving, is nontraditional paths for creativity, journalism, and criticism. As governments and major corporations throw up more barriers to expression&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW260985074 BCX0&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW260985074 BCX0&quot;&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;and more and more gatekeepers try to control the internet&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot; lang=&quot;EN-US&quot; class=&quot;TextRun SCXW260985074 BCX0&quot; xml:lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;NormalTextRun SCXW260985074 BCX0&quot;&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;it’s important to learn how to crash through those gates.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  801. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In EFF&#039;s interview series,&lt;em&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;eff.org/gatecrashing&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;Gate Crashing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, we talk to people who have used the internet to take nontraditional paths to the very traditional worlds of journalism, creativity, and criticism. We hope it&#039;s both inspiring to see these people and enlightening for anyone trying to find voices they like online. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  802. &lt;p&gt;Our mini-series will be dropping an episode each month closing out 2025 in style.&lt;/p&gt;
  803. &lt;ul&gt;
  804. &lt;li&gt;Episode 1: Fanfiction Becomes Mainstream – Launching October 1*&lt;/li&gt;
  805. &lt;li&gt;Episode 2: From DIY to Publishing – Launching November 1&lt;/li&gt;
  806. &lt;li&gt;Episode 3: A New Path for Journalism – Launching December 1&lt;/li&gt;
  807. &lt;/ul&gt;
  808. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;Be sure to mark your calendar or &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/social&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;check our socials&lt;/a&gt; on drop dates. If you have a friend or colleague that might be interested in watching our series, please forward this link: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eff.org/gatecrashing&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;eff.org/gatecrashing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  809. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/gate-crashing-episode-1#main-content&quot;&gt;Check Out Episode 1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  810. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;For over 35 years, EFF members have empowered attorneys, activists, and technologists to defend civil liberties and human rights online for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;
  811. &lt;p&gt;Tech should be a tool for the people, and we need you in this fight.&lt;/p&gt;
  812. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://supporters.eff.org/donate/join-4--GC&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;Donate Today&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  813. &lt;div class=&quot;onecol column content-wrapper&quot;&gt;
  814. &lt;div class=&quot;column main-content&quot;&gt;
  815. &lt;div class=&quot;panel-pane pane-node-content&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  816. &lt;div class=&quot;node__content&quot;&gt;
  817. &lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;
  818. &lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;
  819. &lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;
  820. &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  821. &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;* This interview was originally published in December 2024. No changes have been made&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  822. &lt;/div&gt;
  823. &lt;/div&gt;
  824. &lt;/div&gt;
  825. &lt;/div&gt;
  826. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  827. &lt;/div&gt;
  828. &lt;/div&gt;
  829.  
  830. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  831.     <pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:19:40 +0000</pubDate>
  832. <guid isPermaLink="false">111265 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  833. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/innovation">Creativity &amp; Innovation</category>
  834. <dc:creator>Katharine Trendacosta</dc:creator>
  835. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/gatecrashing_left_0.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="511934" />
  836.  </item>
  837.  <item>
  838.    <title>Wave of Phony News Quotes Affects Everyone—Including EFF</title>
  839.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/wave-phony-news-quotes-affects-everyone-including-eff</link>
  840.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Whether due to generative AI hallucinations or human sloppiness, the internet is increasingly rife with bogus news content—and you can count EFF among the victims.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  841. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;WinBuzzer published a story June 26 with the headline, “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://winbuzzer.com/2025/06/26/microsoft-is-getting-sued-over-using-nearly-200000-pirated-books-for-ai-training-xcxwbn/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Microsoft Is Getting Sued over Using Nearly 200,000 Pirated Books for AI Training&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;,” containing this passage:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58190&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  842.  
  843.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/winbuzzerjune26png?language=ja&quot;&gt;winbuzzer_june_26.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  844.    
  845.  
  846.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  847.    &lt;img alt=&quot;June 26 WinBuzzer clipping with fake quote from EFF&amp;#039;s Corynne McSherry&quot; title=&quot;June 26 WinBuzzer clipping with fake quote from EFF&amp;#039;s Corynne McSherry&quot; height=&quot;252&quot; width=&quot;975&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;1&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/winbuzzer_june_26.png&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  848.  
  849.  
  850. &lt;/div&gt;
  851. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  852. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;That quotation from EFF’s Corynne McSherry was cited again in two subsequent, related stories by the same journalist—one published &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://winbuzzer.com/2025/07/27/johns-hopkins-press-to-license-books-for-ai-training-sparking-author-backlash-and-industry-debate-xcxwbn/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;July 27&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, the other &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://winbuzzer.com/2025/08/27/anthropic-settles-death-knell-ai-copyright-lawsuit-after-facing-billions-in-damages-xcxwbn/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;August 27&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  853. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;But &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/fair-use-wins-piracy-loses-unpacking-anthropic-decision&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;the link in that original June 26 post&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; was fake. Corynne McSherry never wrote such an article, and the quote was bogus.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  854. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Interestingly, we noted a similar issue with a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://winbuzzer.com/2025/06/13/is-your-workplace-software-a-spy-tool-ransomware-gangs-say-yes-xcxwbn/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;June 13 post&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; by the same journalist, in which he cited work by EFF Director of Cybersecurity Eva Galperin; this quote included the phrase “get-out-of-jail-free card” too.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  855. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58191&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  856.  
  857.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/winbuzzerjune13png?language=ja&quot;&gt;winbuzzer_june_13.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  858.    
  859.  
  860.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  861.    &lt;img alt=&quot;June 13 WinBuzzer clipping with fake quote from Eva Galperin&quot; title=&quot;June 13 WinBuzzer clipping with fake quote from Eva Galperin&quot; height=&quot;159&quot; width=&quot;976&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;2&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/winbuzzer_june_13.png&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  862.  
  863.  
  864. &lt;/div&gt;
  865. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  866. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Again, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/wp/2025/06/10/hidden-costs-of-tattletales&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;the link he inserted&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; leads nowhere because Eva Galperin never wrote such a blog or white paper. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  867. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;When EFF reached out, the journalist—WinBuzzer founder and editor-in-chief Markus Kasanmascheff—acknowledged via email that the quotes were bogus.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  868. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;“This indeed must be a case of AI slop. We are using AI tools for research/source analysis/citations. I sincerely apologize for that and this is not the content quality we are aiming for,” he wrote. “I myself have noticed that in the particular case of the EFF for whatever reason non-existing quotes are manufactured. This usually does not happen and I have taken the necessary measures to avoid this in the future. Every single citation and source mention must always be double checked. I have been doing this already but obviously not to the required level.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  869. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;“I am actually manually editing each article and using AI for some helping tasks. I must have relied too much on it,” he added.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  870. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;AI slop abounds&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  871. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;It’s not an isolated incident. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_journalism&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Media companies large and small&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; are using AI to generate news content because it’s cheaper than paying for journalists’ salaries, but that savings can come at the cost of the outlets’ reputations. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  872. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The U.K.’s Press Gazette &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/digital-journalism/wired-and-business-insider-remove-ai-written-freelance-articles/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;reported last month&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; that Wired and Business Insider had to remove news features written by one freelance journalist after concerns the articles are likely AI-generated works of fiction: “Most of the published stories contained case studies of named people whose details Press Gazette was unable to verify online, casting doubt on whether any of the quotes or facts contained in the articles are real.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  873. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;And back in May, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/2025/05/29/lessons-apology-from-sun-times-ceo-ai-generated-book-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;the Chicago Sun-Times had to apologize&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; after publishing an AI-generated list of books that would make good summer reads—with 10 of the 15 recommended book descriptions and titles found to be “false, or invented out of whole cloth.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  874. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;As journalist Peter Sterne &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/12/ai-enters-the-newsroom/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;wrote for Nieman Lab&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; in 2022:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  875. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Another potential risk of relying on large language models to write news articles is the potential for the AI to insert fake quotes. Since the AI is not bound by the same ethical standards as a human journalist, it may include quotes from sources that do not actually exist, or even attribute fake quotes to real people. This could lead to false or misleading reporting, which could damage the credibility of the news organization. It will be important for journalists and newsrooms to carefully fact check any articles written with the help of AI, to ensure the accuracy and integrity of their reporting.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;720}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  876. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  877. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;(Or &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;did&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; he write that? Sterne disclosed in that article that he used OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3 to generate that paragraph, ironically enough.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  878. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Radio Television Digital News Association &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.rtdna.org/use-of-ai-in-journalism&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;issued guidelines&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; a few years ago for the use of AI in journalism, and the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ap.org/the-definitive-source/behind-the-news/standards-around-generative-ai/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Associated Press&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; is among many outlets that have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://journalistsresource.org/home/generative-ai-policies-newsrooms/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;developed guidelines of their own&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;. The Poynter Institute &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2024/how-to-create-newsroom-artificial-intelligence-ethics-policy/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;offers a template&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; for developing such policies. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  879. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Nonetheless, some journalists or media outlets have been caught using AI to generate stories including fake quotes; for example, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-reporter-resigns-journalism-ed076e2f276d9811f3b9ba051a03b7ae&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;the Associated Press reported last year&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; that a Wyoming newspaper reporter had filed at least seven stories that included AI-generated quotations from six people. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  880. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;WinBuzzer wasn’t the only outlet to falsely quote EFF this year. An April 19 article in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://vocal.media/wander/microsoft-s-ai-secretly-copies-your-whats-app-signal-messages-gg3t30w7q&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Wander&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; contained another bogus quotation from Eva Galperin:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  881. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58192&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  882.  
  883.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/04-19-2025wanderquotepng?language=ja&quot;&gt;April 19 Wander clipping with fake quote from Eva Galperin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  884.    
  885.  
  886.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  887.    &lt;img alt=&quot;April 19 Wander clipping with fake quote from Eva Galperin&quot; title=&quot;April 19 Wander clipping with fake quote from Eva Galperin&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;3&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/04-19-2025_wander_quote.png&quot; width=&quot;680&quot; height=&quot;211&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  888.  
  889.  
  890. &lt;/div&gt;
  891. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  892. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;An email to the outlet demanding the article’s retraction went unanswered.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  893. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In another case, WebProNews published a July 24 article quoting Eva Galperin under the headline “Risika Data Breach Exposes 100M Swedish Records to Fraud Risks,” but Eva confirmed she’d never spoken with them or given that quotation to anyone. The article no longer seems to exist on the outlet’s own website, but it &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://web.archive.org/web/20250726002334/https://www.webpronews.com/risika-data-breach-exposes-100m-swedish-records-to-fraud-risks/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;was captured by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  894. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58193&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  895.  
  896.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/07-24-2025webpronewsscreenshotpng?language=ja&quot;&gt;07-24-2025_webpronews_screenshot.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  897.    
  898.  
  899.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  900.    &lt;img alt=&quot;July 24 WebProNews clipping with fake Eva Galperin quote&quot; title=&quot;July 24 WebProNews clipping with fake Eva Galperin quote&quot; height=&quot;729&quot; width=&quot;1114&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;4&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/07-24-2025_webpronews_screenshot.png&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  901.  
  902.  
  903. &lt;/div&gt;
  904. &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  905. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;A request for comment made through &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.webpronews.com/contact/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;WebProNews’ “Contact Us” page&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; went unanswered, and then they &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.webpronews.com/googles-search-monopoly-verdict-the-battle-over-breaking-up-big-tech-begin/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;did it again on September 2&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, this time misattributing a statement to Corynne McSherry:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;0}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  906. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;0}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58194&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  907.  
  908.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/09-02-2025webpronewscorynnemcsherrypng?language=ja&quot;&gt;09-02-2025_webpronews_corynne_mcsherry.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  909.    
  910.  
  911.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  912.    &lt;img alt=&quot;September 2 WebProNews clipping with fake Corynne McSherry quote&quot; title=&quot;September 2 WebProNews clipping with fake Corynne McSherry quote&quot; height=&quot;298&quot; width=&quot;1180&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;5&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/09-02-2025_webpronews_corynne_mcsherry.png&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  913.  
  914.  
  915. &lt;/div&gt;
  916. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;No such article in The Verge seems to exist, and the statement is not at all in line with EFF’s stance.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;0}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  917. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Our most egregious example&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  918. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The top prize for audacious falsity goes to a June 18 article in the Arabian Post, since removed from the site after we flagged it to an editor. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Arabian Post is part of the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.hyphendigital.net/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Hyphen Digital Network&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, which describes itself as “at the forefront of AI innovation” and offering “software solutions that streamline workflows to focus on what matters most: insightful storytelling.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; The article in question included this passage:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  919. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Privacy advocate Linh Nguyen from the Electronic Frontier Foundation remarked that community monitoring tools are playing a civic role, though she warned of the potential for misinformation. “Crowdsourced neighbourhood policing walks a thin line—useful in forcing transparency, but also vulnerable to misidentification and fear-mongering,” she noted in a discussion on digital civil rights.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  920. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  921. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58195&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  922.  
  923.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/muckrackjune19-arabianpostpng?language=ja&quot;&gt;muck_rack_june_19_-_arabian_post.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  924.    
  925.  
  926.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  927.    &lt;img alt=&quot;June 19 Arabian Post bogus EFF quote&quot; title=&quot;June 19 Arabian Post bogus EFF quote&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;6&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/muck_rack_june_19_-_arabian_post.png&quot; width=&quot;646&quot; height=&quot;232&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  928.  
  929.  
  930. &lt;/div&gt;
  931. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  932. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Nobody at EFF recalls anyone named Linh Nguyen ever having worked here, nor have we been able to find anyone by that name who works in the digital privacy sector. So not only was the quotation fake, but apparently the purported source was, too. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  933. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Now, EFF is all about having our words spread far and wide. Per &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/copyright&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;our copyright policy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, a&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;ny and all original material on the EFF website may be freely distributed at will under the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, unless otherwise noted.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  934. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;But we don&#039;t want AI and/or disreputable media outlets making up words for us. False quotations that misstate our positions damage the trust that the public and more reputable media outlets have in us.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  935. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If you&#039;re worried about this (and rightfully so), the best thing a news consumer can do is invest a little time and energy to learn how to discern the real from the fake. It’s unfortunate that it&#039;s the public’s burden to put in this much effort, but while we&#039;re adjusting to new tools and a new normal, a little effort now can go a long way. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  936. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;A&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;s we’ve noted before &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/protect-yourself-election-misinformation&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;in the context of election misinformation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, the n&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;onprofit journalism organization ProPublica has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.propublica.org/article/misinformvation-vs-disinformation-midterm-election-guide&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;published a handy guide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; about how to tell if what you’re reading is accurate or “fake news.” And the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions infographic on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://repository.ifla.org/bitstream/123456789/167/2/how_to_spot_fake_news.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;How to Spot Fake News&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; is a quick and easy-to-read reference you can share with friends:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  937. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-56434&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot;&gt;
  938.  
  939.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/howtospotfakenewsjpg?language=ja&quot;&gt;how_to_spot_fake_news.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  940.    
  941.  
  942.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  943.    &lt;img alt=&quot;How to Spot Fake News - IFLA&quot; title=&quot;How to Spot Fake News - IFLA&quot; height=&quot;1312&quot; width=&quot;984&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;7&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/how_to_spot_fake_news.jpg&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  944.  
  945.  
  946. &lt;/div&gt;
  947. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  948.  
  949.  
  950. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  951.     <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 22:36:04 +0000</pubDate>
  952. <guid isPermaLink="false">111211 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  953. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/ai">Artificial Intelligence &amp; Machine Learning</category>
  954. <dc:creator>Josh Richman</dc:creator>
  955. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/ai_news.jpg" alt="Robot hand reaching toward a typewriter" type="image/jpeg" length="209889" />
  956.  </item>
  957.  <item>
  958.    <title>Decoding Meta&#039;s Advertising Policies for Abortion Content </title>
  959.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/decoding-metas-advertising-policies-abortion-content</link>
  960.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the seventh installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  961. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;For users hoping to promote or boost an abortion-related post on Meta platforms, the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Community Standards&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; are just step one. While the Community Standards apply to all posts, paid posts and advertisements must also comply with Meta&#039;s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Advertising Standards&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. It’s easy to understand why Meta places extra requirements on paid content. In fact, their “advertising policy principles” outline several important and laudable goals, including promoting transparency and protecting users from scams, fraud, and unsafe and discriminatory practices.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  962. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;But additional standards bring additional content moderation, and with that comes increased potential for user confusion and moderation errors. Meta’s ad policies, like its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;enforcement policies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, are vague on a number of important questions. Because of this, it’s no surprise that Meta&#039;s ad policies repeatedly came up as we reviewed our Stop Censoring Abortion submissions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  963. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;There are two important things to understand about these ad policies. First, the ad policies do indeed impose stricter rules on content about abortion—and specifically medication abortion—than Meta’s Community Standards do. To help users better understand what is and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;isn’t allowed, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;we took a closer look at the policies and what Meta has said about them.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  964. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Second, despite these requirements, the ad policies do&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; not &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;categorically block abortion-related posts from being promoted as ads. In other words, while Meta’s ad policies introduce extra hurdles, they should not, in theory, be a complete barrier to promoting abortion-related posts as boosted content. Still, our analysis revealed that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta is falling short in several areas.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  965. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;What’s Allowed Under the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Policy?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  966. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;When EFF asked Meta about potential ad policy violations, the company first pointed to its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/drugs-pharmaceuticals&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Drugs and Pharmaceuticals&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; policy. In the abortion care context, this policy applies to paid content specifically about medication abortion and use of abortion pills. Ads promoting these and other prescription drugs are permitted, but there are additional requirements: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  967. &lt;ul&gt;
  968. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;To reduce risks to consumers, Meta requires advertisers to prove they’re appropriately licensed and get &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/263390265553560?id=434838534925385&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;prior authorization from Meta&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  969. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Authorization is limited to online pharmacies, telehealth providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  970. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The ads also must only target people 18 and older, and only in the countries in which the user is licensed. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  971. &lt;/ul&gt;
  972. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Understanding what counts as “promoting prescription drugs” is where things get murky. Crucially, the written policy states that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;advertisers &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;do &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;not&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;need authorization&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; to run ads&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;“educate, advocate or give public service announcements related to prescription drugs” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;or that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;“promote telehealth services generally.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This should, in theory, leave a critical opening for abortion advocates focused on education and advocacy rather than direct prescription drug sales.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  973. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;But Meta told EFF that advertisers “must obtain authorization to post ads discussing medical efficacy, legality, accessibility, affordability, and scientific merits and restrict these ads to adults aged 18 or older.” Yet many of these topics—medical efficacy, legality, accessibility—are precisely what educational content and advocacy often address. Where’s the line? This vagueness makes it difficult for abortion pill advocates to understand what’s actually permitted.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  974. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;What’s Allowed Under the Social Issues Policy? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  975. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta also told EFF that its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/SIEP-advertising/SIEP&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Ads about Social Issues, Elections or Politics&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; policy may apply to a range of abortion-related content. Under this policy, advertisers within certain countries—including the U.S.—must meet several requirements before running ads about certain “social issues.” Requirements include:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  976. &lt;ul&gt;
  977. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Completing Meta’s social issues &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/208949576550051?id=288762101909005&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;authorization process&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  978. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Including a verified &quot;Paid for by&quot; disclaimer on the ad; and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  979. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Complying with all applicable laws and regulations.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  980. &lt;/ul&gt;
  981. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;While certain news publishers are exempt from the policy, it otherwise applies to a wide range of accounts, including activists, brands, non-profit groups and political organizations.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  982. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/214754279118974?id=288762101909005&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;defines “social issues”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; as “sensitive topics that are heavily debated, may influence the outcome of an election or result in/relate to existing or proposed legislation.” What falls under this definition differs by country, and Meta provides country-specific topics lists and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/313752069181919?id=288762101909005&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;examples&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In the U.S. and several other countries, ads that include &lt;strong&gt;“discussion, debate, or advocacy for or against...abortion services and pro-choice/pro-life advocacy”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/313752069181919?id=288762101909005&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;qualify&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; as social issues ads&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; under the “Civil and Social Rights” category. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  983. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Confusingly, Meta differentiates this from ads that primarily &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/287622936276216&quot;&gt;sell a product or promote a service&lt;/a&gt;, w&lt;/span&gt;hich do &lt;em&gt;not &lt;/em&gt;require authorization or disclaimers, &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;even if the ad secondarily includes advocacy for an issue. For instance, according to Meta&#039;s examples, an ad that says, &lt;i&gt;“How can we address systemic racism?”&lt;/i&gt; counts as a social issues ad and requires authorization and disclaimers. On the other hand, an ad that says, &lt;i&gt;“We have over 100 newly-published books about systemic racism and Black History now on sale” &lt;/i&gt; primarily promotes a product, and would not require authorization and disclaimers. But even with Meta&#039;s examples, the line is still blurry. This vagueness invites confusion and content moderation errors.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  984. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;What About the Health and Wellness Policy?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  985. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Oddly, Meta never specifically identified its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/health-wellness&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Health and Wellness&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; ad policy to EFF, though the policy is directly relevant to abortion-related paid content. This policy addresses ads about reproductive health and family planning services, and requires ads regarding “abortion medical consultation and related services” to be targeted at users 18 and older. It also expressly states that for paid content involving “[r]eproductive health and wellness drugs or treatments that require prescription,” accounts must comply with both this policy and the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  986. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This means abortion advocates must navigate the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy, the Social Issues policy, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;the&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Health and Wellness policy—each with its own requirements and authorization processes.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;That Meta didn’t mention this highly relevant policy when asked about abortion advertising underscores how confusingly dispersed these rules are.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  987. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Like the Drugs policy, the Health and Wellness policy contains an important education exception for abortion advocates: The age-targeting requirements &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;do not apply &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;to “[e]ducational material or information about family planning services without any direct promotion or facilitation of the services.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  988. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;When Content Moderation Makes Mistakes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  989. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta&#039;s complex policies create fertile ground for automated moderation errors. Our Stop Censoring Abortion survey submissions revealed that Meta&#039;s systems repeatedly &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;misidentified&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; educational abortion content as Community Standards violations. The same over-moderation problems are also a risk in the advertising context. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  990. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;On top of that, content moderation errors even on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;unpaid &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;posts can trigger advertising restrictions and penalties. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta&#039;s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/975570072950669?id=434838534925385&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;advertising restrictions policy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; states that Community Standards violations can result in restricted advertising features or complete advertising bans. This creates a compounding problem when educational content about abortion is &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;wrongly flagged&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. Abortion advocates could face a double penalty: first their content is removed, then their ability to advertise is restricted.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  991. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This may be, in part, what happened to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/silencing-abortion-providers-meta&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Red River Women&#039;s Clinic&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, a Minnesota abortion clinic we &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;wrote about earlier&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; in this series. When its account was incorrectly suspended for violating the “Community Standards on drugs,” the clinic appealed and eventually reached out to a contact at Meta. When Meta finally removed the incorrect flag and restored the account, Red River received a message informing them they were no longer out of compliance with the advertising restrictions policy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  992. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/30/red_river_clinic_screenshot.jpg&quot; width=&quot;383&quot; height=&quot;293&quot; alt=&quot;Screenshot of message Meta sent Red River Women&#039;s Clinic &quot; title=&quot;Screenshot of message Meta sent Red River Women&#039;s Clinic &quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by Red River Women&#039;s Clinic to EFF&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  993. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;How Meta Can Improve&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;279}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  994. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Our review of the ad policies and survey submissions showed that there is room for improvement in how Meta handles abortion-related advertising.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  995. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;First, &lt;strong&gt;Meta should clarify what is permitted without prior authorization under the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;As noted above, t&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;he policies say advertisers do not need authorization to “educate, advocate or give public service announcements,” but Meta told EFF authorization is needed to promote posts discussing “medical efficacy, legality, accessibility, affordability, and scientific merits.” Users should be able to more easily determine what content falls on each side of that line. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  996. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Second, &lt;strong&gt;Meta should clarify when its Social Issues policy applies&lt;/strong&gt;. Does discussing abortion at all trigger its application? Meta says the policy excludes posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/287622936276216&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;primarily advertising a service&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, yet this is not what survey respondent Lynsey Bourke experienced. She runs the Instagram account &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.instagram.com/rougedoulas/?hl=en&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Rouge Doulas&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, a global abortion support collective and doula training school. Rouge Doulas had a paid post removed under this very policy for advertising something that is clearly a service: its doula training program called “Rouge Abortion Doula School.” The policy’s current ambiguity makes it difficult for advocates to create compliant content with confidence.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  997. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Third, and as EFF has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;previously argued&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Meta should ensure its automated system is not over-moderating&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;strong&gt;Meta must also provide a meaningful appeals process for when errors inevitably occur.&lt;/strong&gt; Automated systems are blunt tools and are bound to make mistakes on complex topics like abortion. But simply using an image of a pill on an educational post shouldn’t automatically trigger takedowns. Improving automated moderation will help correct the cascading effect of incorrect Community Standards flags triggering advertising restrictions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  998. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;With clearer policies, better moderation, and a commitment to transparency, Meta can make it easier for accounts to share and boost vital reproductive health information.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  999. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This is the seventh post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;i&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1000. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Affected by unjust censorship? Share your story using the hashtag #StopCensoringAbortion. Amplify censored posts and accounts, share screenshots of removals and platform messages—together, we can demonstrate how these policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1001.  
  1002. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1003.     <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:22:51 +0000</pubDate>
  1004. <guid isPermaLink="false">111260 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1005. <dc:creator>Lisa Femia</dc:creator>
  1006. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-09.png" alt="A hand holding a mifepristone pill, with access denied symbols in the background" type="image/png" length="485799" />
  1007.  </item>
  1008.  <item>
  1009.    <title>Protecting Access to the Law—and Beneficial Uses of AI</title>
  1010.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/protecting-access-law-and-beneficial-uses-ai</link>
  1011.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;As the first copyright cases concerning AI reach appeals courts, EFF wants to protect important, beneficial uses of this technology—including AI for legal research. That’s why we &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/amicus-brief-eff-et-al-thomson-reuters-v-ross-intelligence&quot; title=&quot;EFF Amicus Brief&quot;&gt;weighed in&lt;/a&gt; on the long-running case of Thomson Reuters v. ROSS Intelligence. This case raises at least two important issues: the use of (possibly) copyrighted material to train a machine learning AI system&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; and public access to legal texts. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1012. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;ROSS Intelligence was a legal research startup that built an AI-based tool for locating judges’ written opinions based on natural language queries—a competitor to ubiquitous legal research platforms like Lexis and Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw. To build its tool, ROSS hired another firm to read through thousands of the “West headnotes” that Thomson Reuters adds to the legal decisions it publishes, paraphrasing the individual legal conclusions (what lawyers call “holdings”) that the headnotes identif&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ied&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. ROSS used those paraphrases to train its tool. Importantly, the ROSS tool didn’t output any West headnotes, or even the paraphrases of those headnotes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;it simply directed the user to the original judges’ decisions. Still, Thomson sued ROSS for copyright infringement, arguing that using the headnotes without permission was illegal. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1013. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Early decisions in the suit were encouraging. EFF &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/westlaw-must-face-antitrust-claims-case-could-boost-competitive-compatibility&quot;&gt;wrote&lt;/a&gt; about how the court allowed ROSS to bring an antitrust counterclaim against Thomson Reuters, letting them try to prove that Thomson was abusing monopoly power. And the trial judge initially ruled that ROSS’s use of the West headnotes was fair use under copyright law.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1014. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The case then took turns for the worse. ROSS was unable to prove its antitrust claim. The trial judge &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/copyright-and-ai-cases-and-consequences&quot;&gt;issued a new opinion&lt;/a&gt; reversing his earlier decision and finding that ROSS’s use was not fair but rather infringed Thomson’s copyrights. And in the meantime, ROSS had gone out of business (though it continues to defend itself in court). &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1015. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The court’s new decision on copyright was particularly worrisome. It ruled that West headnotes—a few lines of text copying or summarizing a single legal conclusion from a judge’s written opinion—could be copyrighted, and that using them to train the ROSS tool was not fair use, in part because ROSS was a competitor to Thomson Reuters. And the court rejected ROSS’s attempt to avoid any illegal copying by using a “clean room” procedure often used in software development. The decision also threatens to limit the public’s access to legal texts.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1016. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;EFF weighed in with an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/amicus-brief-eff-et-al-thomson-reuters-v-ross-intelligence&quot; title=&quot;EFF Amicus Brief&quot;&gt;amicus brief&lt;/a&gt; joined by the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, the Internet Archive, Public Knowledge, and Public.Resource.Org. We argued that West headnotes are not copyrightable in the first place, since they simply restate individual points from judges’ opinions with no meaningful creative contributions. And even if copyright does attach to the headnotes, we argued, the source material is entirely factual statements about what the law is, and West’s contribution was minimal, so fair use should have tipped in ROSS’s favor. The trial judge had found that the factual nature of the headnotes favored ROSS, but dismissed this factor as unimportant, effectively writing it out of the law.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1017. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This case is one of the first to touch on copyright and AI, and is likely to influence many of the other cases that are already pending (with more being filed all the time). That’s why we’re trying to help the appeals court get this one right. The law should encourage the creation of AI tools to digest and identify facts for use by researchers, including facts about the law.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1018.  
  1019. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1020.     <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:26:49 +0000</pubDate>
  1021. <guid isPermaLink="false">111259 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1022. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/intellectual-property">Fair Use</category>
  1023. <dc:creator>Mitch Stoltz</dc:creator>
  1024. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/copyright-orange_0.png" alt="Copyright Symbol" type="image/png" length="31474" />
  1025.  </item>
  1026.  <item>
  1027.    <title>Towards the 10th Summit of the Americas: Concerns and Recommendations from Civil Society</title>
  1028.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/towards-10th-summit-americas-concerns-and-recommendations-civil-society</link>
  1029.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This post is an adapted version of the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lasillavacia.com/red-de-expertos/red-de-democracia-y-tecnologia/tecnologia-y-derechos-humanos-en-la-x-cumbre-de-las-americas/&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;article&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; originally published at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.lasillavacia.com/red-de-expertos/red-de-democracia-y-tecnologia/&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Silla Vacía&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1030. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; Heads of state and governments of the Americas will gather this December at the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.summit-americas.org/sas/defaults.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Tenth Summit of the Americas&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; in the Dominican Republic to discuss challenges and opportunities facing the region’s nations. As part of the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbre_de_las_Am%C3%A9ricas&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Summit of the Americas’ Process&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, which had its first meeting in 1994, the theme of this year’s summit is &quot;Building a Secure and Sustainable Hemisphere with Shared Prosperity.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1031. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;More than twenty civil society organizations, including EFF, released a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/aportacion-conjunta-de-organizaciones-de-la-sociedad-civil-y-academia-sobre-la-x&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;joint contribution&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; ahead of the summit addressing the intersection between technology and human rights. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Although the meeting&#039;s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.summit-americas.org/sas/documents/GRIC2025/IGRIC2025/Documento_Conceptual_Tema_X_Cumbre_ENG.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;concept paper&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; is silent about the role of digital technologies in the scope of this year&#039;s summit, the joint contribution stresses that the development and use of technologies is a cross-cutting issue and will likely be integrated into policies and actions agreed upon at the meeting. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Human Security, Its Core Dimensions, and Digital Technologies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.summit-americas.org/sas/documents/GRIC2025/IGRIC2025/Documento_Conceptual_Tema_X_Cumbre_ENG.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;concept paper&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; indicates that people in the Americas, like the rest of the world, are living in times of uncertainty and geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges that require urgent actions to ensure human security in multiple dimensions. It identifies four key areas: citizen security, food security, energy security, and water security.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The potential of digital technologies cuts across these areas of concern and will very likely be considered in the measures, plans, and policies that states take up in the context of the summit, both at the national level and through regional cooperation. Yet, when harnessing the potential of emerging technologies, their challenges also surface. For example, AI algorithms &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382672949_AI-based_peak_power_demand_forecasting_model_focusing_on_economic_and_climate_features&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;can help predict&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; demand peaks and manage energy flows in real time on power grids, but the infrastructure required for the growing and massive operation of AI systems itself &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-2024/executive-summary&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;poses&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://mit-genai.pubpub.org/pub/8ulgrckc/release/2&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;challenges&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; to energy security.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In Latin America, the imperative of safeguarding rights in the face of already documented risks and harmful impacts stands out particularly in citizen security. The abuse of surveillance powers, enhanced by digital technologies, is a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/12/recent-surveillance-revelations-enduring-latin-american-issues-2023-year-review&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;recurring&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/12/hacking-governments-and-government-hacking-latin-america-2022-year-review&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;widespread&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/battle-communications-privacy-latin-america-2021-review&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;problem&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.alsur.lat/en/report/surveillance-trends-and-practices-latin-america-case-studies-brazil-chile-colombia-el&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;the region&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1032. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It is intertwined with deep historical roots of a culture of secrecy and permissiveness that obstructs implementing robust privacy safeguards, effective independent oversight, and adequate remedies for violations. The proposal in the concept paper for creating a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Hemispheric Platform of Action for Citizen and Community Security&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; cannot ignore—and above all, must not reinforce—these problems.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It is crucial that the notion of security embedded in the Tenth Summit&#039;s focus on human security be based on human development, the protection of rights, and the promotion of social well-being, especially for historically discriminated against groups. It is also essential that it moves away from &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?pid=S0798-11712009000200005&amp;amp;script=sci_abstract&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;securitization&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; and militarization, which have been used for social control, silencing dissent, harassing human rights defenders and community leaders, and restricting the rights and guarantees of migrants and people in situations of mobility.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Toward Regional Commitments Anchored in Human Rights&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In light of these concerns, the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/aportacion-conjunta-de-organizaciones-de-la-sociedad-civil-y-academia-sobre-la-x&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;joint contribution&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; sign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;ed by EFF, Derechos Digitales, Wikimedia Foundation, CELE, ARTICLE 19 – Office for Mexico and Central America, among other civil society organizations, addresses the following:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;276}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1033. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;-- The importance of strengthening the digital civic space, which requires robust digital infrastructure and policies for connectivity and digital inclusion, as well as civic participation and transparency in the formulation of public policies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;276}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1034. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;-- Challenges posed by the growing surveillance capabilities of states in the region through the increasing adoption of ever more intrusive technologies and practices without necessary safeguards. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;276}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1035. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;-- State obligations established under the Inter-American Human Rights System and key standards affirmed by the Inter-American Court in the case of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/04/historic-victory-human-rights-colombia-inter-american-court-finds-state-agencies?language=en&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;i&gt;Members of the Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyers Collective (CAJAR) v. Colombia&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;276}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1036. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;-- A perspective on state digitalization and innovation centered on human rights, based on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ia.derechosdigitales.org/en/publicaciones/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;thorough&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://biblio.karisma.org.co/book/121&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;analysis&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; of current problems and gaps and their detrimental impacts on people. The insufficiency or absence of meaningful mechanisms for public participation, transparency, and evaluation are striking features of various experiences across countries in the Americas. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1037. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Finally, the contribution makes recommendations for regional cooperation, promoting shared solutions and joint efforts at the regional level anchored in human rights, justice, and inclusion.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1038. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;We hope the joint contribution reinforces a human rights-based perspective across the debates and agreements at the summit. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-statement-ice-use-paragon-solutions-malware&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;When&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-aclu-sfpd-stop-illegally-sharing-data-ice-and-anti-abortion-states&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;security-related&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/mexican-allies-raise-alarms-about-new-mass-surveillance-laws-call-international&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;abuses&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://hiperderecho.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Vigilados-en-secreto-transparencia-y-seguridad-nacional.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;abound&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; facilitated by digital technologies, regional cooperation towards shared prosperity must take into account these risks and put justice and people&#039;s well-being at the center of any unfolding initiatives.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;276}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1039.  
  1040. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1041.     <pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 19:43:03 +0000</pubDate>
  1042. <guid isPermaLink="false">111255 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1043. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/international">International</category>
  1044. <dc:creator>Veridiana Alimonti</dc:creator>
  1045.  </item>
  1046.  <item>
  1047.    <title>EFF Urges Virginia Court of Appeals to Require Search Warrants to Access ALPR Databases</title>
  1048.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-urges-virgina-court-appeals-require-search-warrants-access-alpr-databases</link>
  1049.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This post was co-authored by EFF legal intern Olivia Miller.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1050. &lt;p&gt;For most Americans—driving is a part of everyday life. Practically speaking, many of us drive to work, school, play, and anywhere in between. Not only do we visit places that give insights into our personal lives, but we sometimes use vehicles as a mode of displaying information about our political beliefs, socioeconomic status, and other intimate details.&lt;/p&gt;
  1051. &lt;p&gt;All of this personal activity can be tracked and identified through Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) data—a popular surveillance tool used by law enforcement agencies across the country. That’s why, in an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/commonwealth-v-church-amicus-brief&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;amicus brief&lt;/a&gt; filed with the Virginia Court of Appeals, EFF, the ACLU of Virginia, and NACDL urged the court to require police to seek a warrant before searching ALPR data.&lt;/p&gt;
  1052. &lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/commonwealth-v-church-trial-court-order-granting-motion-suppress&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;Commonwealth v. Church&lt;/a&gt;, a police officer in Norfolk, Virginia searched license plate data without a warrant—not to prove that defendant Ronnie Church was at the scene of the crime, but merely to try to show he had a “guilty mind.” The lower court, in a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/commonwealth-v-church-trial-court-order-granting-motion-suppress&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;one-page ruling&lt;/a&gt; relying on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/commonwealth-v-bell-trial-court-order-granting-motion-suppress&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Commonwealth v. Bell&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, held this warrantless search violated the Fourth Amendment and suppressed the ALPR evidence. We argued the appellate court should uphold this decision.&lt;/p&gt;
  1053. &lt;p&gt;Like the cellphone location data the Supreme Court protected in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/06/victory-supreme-court-says-fourth-amendment-applies-cell-phone-tracking&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Carpenter v. United States&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;/a&gt; ALPR data threatens peoples’ privacy because it is collected indiscriminately over time and can provide police with a detailed picture of a person’s movements. ALPR data includes photos of license plates, vehicle make and model, any distinctive features of the vehicle, and precise time and location information. Once an ALPR logs a car’s data, the information is uploaded to the cloud and made accessible to law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal level—creating a near real-time tracking tool that can follow individuals across vast distances.&lt;/p&gt;
  1054. &lt;p&gt;Think police only use ALPRs to track suspected criminals? Think again. ALPRs are ubiquitous; every car traveling into the camera’s view generates a detailed dataset, regardless of any suspected criminal activity. In fact, a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/11/eff-and-muckrock-release-records-and-data-200-law-enforcement-agencies-automated&quot;&gt;survey&lt;/a&gt; of 173 law enforcement agencies employing ALPRs nationwide revealed that 99.5% of scans belonged to people who had no association to crime.&lt;/p&gt;
  1055. &lt;p&gt;Norfolk County, Virginia, is home to over 170 ALPR cameras operated by &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/anti-surveillance-mapmaker-refuses-flock-safetys-cease-and-desist-demand&quot;&gt;Flock&lt;/a&gt;, a surveillance company that maintains over 83,000 ALPRs nationwide. The resulting surveillance network is so large that Norfolk county’s police chief suggested “it would be difficult to drive any distance and not be recorded by one.”&lt;/p&gt;
  1056. &lt;p&gt;Recent and near-horizon advancements in Flock’s products will continue to threaten our privacy and further the surveillance state. For example, Flock’s ALPR data has been used for &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/ice-taps-into-nationwide-ai-enabled-camera-network-data-shows/&quot;&gt;immigration raids&lt;/a&gt;, to track individuals seeking &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt;abortion-related care&lt;/a&gt;, to conduct &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.techdirt.com/2019/06/11/obtained-records-show-ice-is-using-alpr-databases-to-reconstruct-targets-lives/&quot;&gt;fishing expeditions&lt;/a&gt;, and to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.govtech.com/biz/flock-safety-gives-users-expanded-vehicle-location-abilities&quot;&gt;identify relationships&lt;/a&gt; between people who may be traveling together but in different cars. With the help of artificial intelligence, ALPR databases could be aggregated with other information from data breaches and data brokers, to create “&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/license-plate-reader-company-flock-is-building-a-massive-people-lookup-tool-leak-shows/&quot;&gt;people lookup tools&lt;/a&gt;.” &lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Even public safety advocates and law enforcement, like the International Association of Chiefs of Police, have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/all/k-m/LPR_Privacy_Impact_Assessment.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;warned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; that ALPR tech creates a risk “that individuals will become more cautious in their exercise of their protected rights of expression, protest, association, political participation because they consider themselves under constant surveillance.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1057. &lt;p&gt;This is why a warrant requirement for ALPR data is so important. As the Virginia trial court previously found in &lt;em&gt;Bell&lt;/em&gt;, prolonged tracking of public movements with surveillance invades peoples’ reasonable expectation of privacy in the entirety of their movements. Recent Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, including &lt;em&gt;Carpenter&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/07/victory-fourth-circuit-rules-baltimores-warrantless-aerial-surveillance-program&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; from the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals favors a warrant requirement as well. Like the technologies at issue in those cases, ALPRs give police the ability to chronicle movements in a “detailed, encyclopedic” record, akin to “attaching an ankle monitor to every person in the city.”  &lt;/p&gt;
  1058. &lt;p&gt;The Virginia Court of Appeals has a chance to draw a clear line on warrantless ALPR surveillance, and to tell Norfolk PD what the Fourth Amendment already says: come back with a warrant.&lt;/p&gt;
  1059.  
  1060. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1061.     <pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:51:21 +0000</pubDate>
  1062. <guid isPermaLink="false">111241 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1063. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/mass-surveillance-technologies">Surveillance Technologies</category>
  1064. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  1065. <dc:creator>Jennifer Lynch</dc:creator>
  1066. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/sls-alpr-2023.png" alt="Automated License Plate Readers" type="image/png" length="12420" />
  1067.  </item>
  1068.  <item>
  1069.    <title>Chat Control Is Back on the Menu in the EU. It Still Must Be Stopped</title>
  1070.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/chat-control-back-menu-eu-it-still-must-be-stopped-0</link>
  1071.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The European Union Council is &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/06/eu-council-presidents-last-ditch-effort-mass-scanning-must-be-rejected&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;once again debating&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; its controversial message scanning proposal, aka “Chat Control,” that would lead to the scanning of private conversations of billions of people. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1072. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Chat Control, which EFF &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.globalencryption.org/2024/05/joint-statement-on-the-dangers-of-the-may-2024-council-of-the-eu-compromise-proposal-on-eu-csam/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;has strongly opposed&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; since it was &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/05/eu-commissions-new-proposal-would-undermine-encryption-and-scan-our-messages&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;first introduced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in 2022, keeps being mildly tweaked and pushed by one Council presidency after another.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1073. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Chat Control is a dangerous legislative proposal that would make it mandatory for service providers, including end-to-end encrypted communication and storage services, to scan all communications and files to detect “abusive material.” This would happen through a method called client-side scanning, which scans for specific content on a device before it’s sent. In practice, Chat Control is chat surveillance and functions by having access to everything on a device with indiscriminate monitoring of everything. In a memo, the Danish Presidency &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/WK-9150-2025-INIT/en/pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;claimed this does not break end-to-end encryption&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1074. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is absurd. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1075. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We have written extensively &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/11/why-adding-client-side-scanning-breaks-end-end-encryption&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;that client-side scanning fundamentally undermines end-to-end encryption&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and obliterates our right to private spaces. If the government has access to one of the “ends” of an end-to-end encrypted communication, that communication is no longer safe and secure. Pursuing this approach is dangerous for everyone, but is especially perilous for journalists, whistleblowers, activists, lawyers, and human rights workers. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1076. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;If passed, Chat Control would undermine the privacy promises of end-to-end encrypted communication tools, like Signal and WhatsApp. The proposal is so dangerous that Signal has stated it &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mastodon.world/@Mer__edith/112535616774247450&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;would pull its app out of the EU&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; if Chat Control is passed. Proponents even seem to realize how dangerous this is, because state communications &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/former-mep-patrick-breyer-danish-minister-uses-blatant-lie-to-blackmail-eu-into-chat-control-mass-surveillance-deal/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;are exempt from this scanning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in the latest compromise proposal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1077. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;This doesn’t just affect people in the EU, it affects everyone around the world, including in the United States. If platforms decide to stay in the EU, they would be forced to scan the conversation of everyone in the EU. If you’re not in the EU, but you chat with someone who is, then your privacy is compromised too. Passing this proposal would pave the way for authoritarian and tyrannical governments around the world to follow suit with their own demands for access to encrypted communication apps.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1078. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Even if you take it in good faith that the government would never do anything wrong with this power, events like &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/salt-typhoon-hack-shows-theres-no-security-backdoor-thats-only-good-guys&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Salt Typhoon show&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; there’s no such thing as a system that’s only for the “good guys.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1079. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Despite strong opposition, Denmark is pushing forward and taking its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://netzpolitik.org/wp-upload/2025/07/2025-07-01_Council_Presidency_LEWP_CSA-R_Compromise-texts_10131.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;current proposal&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on October 14th. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1080. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We urge the Danish Presidency to drop its push for scanning our private communication and consider fundamental rights concerns. Any draft that compromises end-to-end encryption and permits scanning of our private communication should be blocked or voted down.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1081. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Phones and laptops must work for the users who own them, not act as “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://academic.oup.com/cybersecurity/article/10/1/tyad020/7590463&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;bugs in our pockets&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;” in the service of governments, foreign or domestic. The mass scanning of everything on our devices is invasive, untenable, and must be rejected.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1082. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Further reading:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1083. &lt;ul&gt;
  1084. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://stopscanningme.eu/en/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EDRi’s Stop Scanning Me&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1085. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://fightchatcontrol.eu/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Fight Chat Control&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1086. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://edri.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Statement_-The-future-of-the-CSA-Regulation.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF and EDRi Coalition Statement on the Future of the CSA Regulation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1087. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1088.  
  1089. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1090.     <pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:42:04 +0000</pubDate>
  1091. <guid isPermaLink="false">111253 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1092. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/end-end-encryption">End-to-End Encryption</category>
  1093. <dc:creator>Thorin Klosowski</dc:creator>
  1094. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/encryption-poc-chelsea-saunders.png" alt="People communicating on devices with encryption, art by Chelsea Saunders" type="image/png" length="194039" />
  1095.  </item>
  1096.  <item>
  1097.    <title>After Years Behind Bars, Alaa Is Free at Last</title>
  1098.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/after-years-behind-bars-alaa-free-last</link>
  1099.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alaa Abd El Fattah is finally free and at home with his family. On September 22, it was announced that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8e3kqkyq2o&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;issued a pardon&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for Alaa’s release after six years in prison. One day later, the BBC &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9772q3e1o&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;shared video&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; of Alaa dancing with his family in their Cairo home and hugging his mother Laila and sister Sanaa, as well as other visitors. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1100. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alaa&#039;s sister, Mona Seif,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://x.com/Monasosh/status/1970268365764624540&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;posted on X&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: &quot;An exceptionally kind day. Alaa is free.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1101. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alaa has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/offline/alaa-abd-el-fattah#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;spent most of the last decade behind bars&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, punished for little more than his words. In June 2014, Egypt accused him of violating its protest law and attacking a police officer. He was convicted in absentia and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/06/13/get-the-facts-the-case-of-jailed-egyptian-activist-alaa-abd-el-fattah/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;sentenced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to fifteen years in prison, after being prohibited from entering the courthouse. Following an appeal, Alaa was granted a retrial, and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2015/02/23/egyptian-blogger-alaa-abd-el-fattah-sentenced-to-five-years-in-jail/&quot;&gt; &lt;span&gt;sentenced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in February 2015 to five years in prison. In 2019, he was finally released, first into police custody then to his family. As part of his parole, he was told he would have to spend every night of the next five years at a police station, but six months later—on September 29, 2019—Alaa was re-arrested in a massive sweep of activists and charged with spreading false news and belonging to a terrorist organisation after sharing a Facebook post about torture in Egypt.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1102. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Despite that sentence effectively ending on September 29, 2024, one year ago today, Egyptian authorities continued his detention, stating that he would be released in January 2027—violating both international legal norms and Egypt’s own domestic law. As Amnesty International &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/09/egypt-prisoner-of-conscience-alaa-abdel-fattah-granted-presidential-pardon-after-six-years-of-unjust-imprisonment/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;reported&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, Alaa faced inhumane conditions during his imprisonment, “including denial of access to lawyers, consular visits, fresh air, and sunlight,” and his family repeatedly spoke of concerns about his health, particularly during periods in which he engaged in hunger strike.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1103. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When Egyptian authorities &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/25-days-after-alaa-abd-el-fattah-should-have-been-freed-campaign-continues&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;failed to release Alaa&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; last year, his mother, Laila Soueif, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c39l9ljmypro&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;launched a hunger strike&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Her action stretched to an astonishing 287 days, during which she was hospitalized twice in London and nearly lost her life. She continued until July of this year, when she finally ended the strike following direct commitments from UK officials that Alaa would be freed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1104. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Throughout this time, a broad coalition, including EFF, rallied around Alaa: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/eff-uk-pm-starmer-call-sisi-free-alaa-and-save-laila&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;international human rights organizations&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, senior UK parliamentarians, former British Ambassador John Casson, and fellow former political prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe all lent their voices. Celebrities joined the call, while the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/egypt-experts-urge-release-alaa-abd-el-fattah-and-others-silenced-under&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; declared his imprisonment unlawful and demanded his release. This groundswell of solidarity was decisive in securing his release.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1105. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Alaa’s release is an extraordinary relief for his family and all who have campaigned on his behalf. EFF wholeheartedly celebrates Alaa’s freedom and reunification with his family.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1106. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But we must remain vigilant. Alaa must be allowed to travel to the UK to be reunited with his son Khaled, who currently lives with his mother and attends school there. Furthermore, we continue to press for the release of those who remain imprisoned for nothing more than exercising their right to speak.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1107.  
  1108. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1109.     <pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:19:18 +0000</pubDate>
  1110. <guid isPermaLink="false">111251 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1111. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/international">International</category>
  1112. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/free-speech">Free Speech</category>
  1113. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/offline">Offline: Imprisoned Bloggers and Technologists</category>
  1114. <dc:creator>Electronic  Frontier Foundation</dc:creator>
  1115. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/offline-alaa.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="27291" />
  1116.  </item>
  1117.  <item>
  1118.    <title>Fair Use Protects Everyone—Even the Disney Corporation</title>
  1119.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/fair-use-protects-everyone-even-disney-corporation</link>
  1120.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Jimmy Kimmel has been in the news a lot recently, which means the ongoing lawsuit against him by perennial late-night punching bag/convicted fraudster/former congressman George Santos flew under the radar. But what happened in that case is an essential illustration of the limits of both copyright law and the “fine print” terms of service on websites and apps.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1121. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;What happened was this: Kimmel and his staff saw that Santos was on Cameo, which allows people to purchase short videos from various public figures with requested language. Usually it’s something like “happy birthday” or “happy retirement.” In the case of Kimmel and his writers, they set out to see if there was anything they couldn’t get Santos to say on Cameo. For this to work, they obviously didn’t disclose that it was Jimmy Kimmel Live! asking for the videos. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1122. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Santos did not like the segment, which aired clips of these videos, called “Will Santos Say It?”.  He sued Kimmel, ABC, and ABC’s parent company, Disney. He alleged both copyright infringement and breach of contract—the contract in this case being Cameo’s terms of service. He lost on all counts, twice: his case was dismissed at the district court level, and then that dismissal was upheld by an appeals court.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1123. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;On the copyright claim, Kimmel and Disney argued and won on the grounds of fair use. The court cited precedent that fair use excuses what might be strictly seen as infringement if such a finding would “stifle the very creativity” that copyright is meant to promote. In this case, the use of the videos was part of the ongoing commentary by Jimmy Kimmel Live! around whether there was anything Santos wouldn’t say for money. Santos tried to argue that since this was their purpose from the outset, the use wasn’t transformative. Which... isn’t how it works. Santos’ purpose was, presumably, to fulfill a request sent through the app. The show’s purpose was to collect enough examples of a behavior to show a pattern and comment on it. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1124. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Santos tried to say that their not disclosing what the reason was invalidated the fair use argument because it was “deceptive.” But the court found that the record didn’t show that the deception was designed to replace the market for Santos’s Cameos. It bears repeating: commenting on the quality of a product or the person making it is not legally actionable interference with a business. If someone tells you that a movie, book, or, yes, Cameo isn’t worth anything because of its ubiquity or quality and shows you examples, that’s not a deceptive business practice. In fact, undercover quality checks and reviews are fairly standard practices! Is this a funnier and more entertaining example than a restaurant review? Yes. That doesn’t make it unprotected by fair use. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1125. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It’s nice to have this case as a reminder that, despite everything, the major studios often argue, fair use protects everyone, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;including them&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. Don’t hold your breath on them remembering this the next time someone tries to make a YouTube review of a Hollywood movie using clips. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1126. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Another claim from this case that is less obvious but just as important involves the Cameo terms of service. We often see contracts being used to restrict people’s fair use rights. Cameo offers different kinds of videos for purchase. The most well-known comes with a personal use license, the “happy birthdays,” and so on. They also offer a “commercial” use license, presumably if you want to use the videos to generate revenue, like you do with an ad or paid endorsement. However, in this case, the court found that the terms of service are a contract between a customer and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Cameo,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; not between the customer and the video maker. Cameo’s terms of service explicitly lay out when their terms apply to the person selling a video, and they don’t create a situation where Santos can use those terms to sue Jimmy Kimmel Live! According to the court, the terms don’t even imply a shared understanding and contract between the two parties. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1127. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It&#039;s so rare to find a situation where the wall of text that most terms of service consist of actually helps protect free expression; it’s a pleasant surprise to see it here. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1128. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In general, we at EFF hate it when these kinds of contracts—you know the ones, where you hit accept after scrolling for ages just so you can use the app—are used to constrain users’ rights. Fair use is supposed to protect us all from overly strict interpretations of copyright law, but abusive terms of service can erode those rights. We’ll keep fighting for those rights and the people who use them, even if the one exercising fair use is Disney. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1129.  
  1130. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1131.     <pubDate>Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:16:32 +0000</pubDate>
  1132. <guid isPermaLink="false">111237 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1133. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/innovation">Creativity &amp; Innovation</category>
  1134. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/intellectual-property">Fair Use</category>
  1135. <dc:creator>Katharine Trendacosta</dc:creator>
  1136. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/fixcopyright-graphic-banner.jpg" alt="EFF Presents &amp;quot;Fix Copyright&amp;quot;, a design featuring a cartoon mouse hacking his tractor." type="image/jpeg" length="359162" />
  1137.  </item>
  1138.  <item>
  1139.    <title>The Abortion Hotline Meta Wants to Go Dark</title>
  1140.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/silencing-abortion-providers-meta</link>
  1141.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the sixth installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1142. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When we started our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion campaign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, we heard from activists, advocacy organizations, researchers, and even healthcare providers who had all experienced having abortion-related content removed or suppressed on social media. One of the submissions we received was from an organization called the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1143. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mahotline.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; (M+A Hotline) formed in 2019, is staffed by a team of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mahotline.org/whoweare&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;healthcare providers who wanted to provide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; free and confidential “expert advice on various aspects of miscarriage and abortion, ensuring individuals receive accurate information and compassionate support throughout their journey.” By 2022, the hotline was receiving between&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.everydayhealth.com/sexual-health/people-flocking-to-hotline-with-miscarriage-and-abortion-questions/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; 25 to 45 calls and texts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; a day. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1144. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Like many reproductive health, rights, and justice groups, the M+A Hotline is active on social media, sharing posts that affirm the voices and experiences of abortion seekers, assert the safety of medication abortion, and spread the word about the expert support that the hotline offers. However, in late March of this year, the M+A Hotline’s Instagram suddenly had numerous posts taken down and was hit with restrictions that prevented the account from starting or joining livestreams or creating ads until June 25, 2025.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1145. &lt;p class=&quot;center-image&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/16/ma_hotline_1.png&quot; width=&quot;620&quot; height=&quot;620&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshots provided to EFF from M+A Hotline&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1146. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The reason behind the restrictions and takedowns, according to Meta, was that the M+A Hotline’s Instagram account failed to follow Meta’s guidelines on the sale of illegal or regulated goods. The “guidelines” refer to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta’s Community Standards&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; which dictate the types of content that are allowed on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;But according to Meta&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, it is not against these Community Standards to provide guidance on how to legally access pharmaceutical drugs, and this is treated differently than an offer to buy, sell, or trade pharmaceuticals (though there are additional compliance requirements for paid ads). &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1147. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Under these rules, the M+A Hotline’s content &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;should &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;have been fine: The Hotline does not sell medication abortion and simply educates on the efficacy and safety of medication abortion while providing guidance on how abortion seekers could legally access the pills. Despite this, around 10 posts from the account were removed by Instagram, none of which were ads.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1148. &lt;p class=&quot;pull-quote&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;For how little the topic is mentioned in these Standards, content about abortion seems to face extremely high scrutiny from Meta.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1149. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Obstacles-to-Autonomy-Post-Roe-Removal-of-Abortion-Information-Online.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;letter to Amnesty International&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in February 2024, Meta publicly clarified that organic content on its platforms that educates users about medication abortion is not in violation of the Community Standards. The company claims that the policies are “based on feedback from people and the advice of experts in fields like technology, public safety and human rights.” The Community Standards are thorough and there are sections covering everything from bullying and harassment to account integrity to restricted goods and services. Notably, within the several webpages that make up the Community Standards, there are very few mentions of the words “abortion” and “reproductive health.” For how little the topic is mentioned in these Standards, content about abortion seems to face extremely high scrutiny from Meta.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1150. &lt;p class=&quot;center-image&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/16/ma_hotline_2.png&quot; width=&quot;620&quot; height=&quot;438&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshots provided to EFF from M+A Hotline&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1151. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Not only were posts removed, but even after further review, many were not restored. The M+A Hotline was once again told that their content violates the Community Standards on drugs. While it’s understandable that moderation systems may make mistakes, it’s unacceptable for those mistakes to be repeated consistently with little transparency or direct communication with the users whose speech is being restricted and erased. This problem is only made worse &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail&quot;&gt;by lack of helpful recourse&lt;/a&gt;. As seen here, even when users request review and identify these moderation errors, Meta may still refuse to restore posts that are permitted under the Community Standards.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1152. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The removal of the M+A Hotline’s educational content demonstrates that Meta must be more accurate, consistent, and transparent in the enforcement of their Community Standards, especially in regard to reproductive health information. Informing users that medical professionals are available to support those navigating a miscarriage or abortion is plainly not an attempt to buy or sell pharmaceutical drugs. Meta must clearly defineand then fairly enforce–what is and isn’t permitted under its Standards. This includes ensuring there is a meaningful way to quickly rectify any moderation errors through the review process. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1153. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;At a time when attacks on online access to information—and particularly abortion information—are intensifying, Meta must not exacerbate the problem by silencing healthcare providers and suppressing vital health information. We must all continue to fight back against online censorship.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1154. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the sixth post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1155.  
  1156. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1157.     <pubDate>Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:47:02 +0000</pubDate>
  1158. <guid isPermaLink="false">111200 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1159. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1160. <dc:creator>Kenyatta Thomas</dc:creator>
  1161. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-banner-f.png" alt="Banner with a yellow background that reads &amp;quot;stop censoring abortion&amp;quot; but the Os are replaced with mifepristone tablet graphics." type="image/png" length="239502" />
  1162.  </item>
  1163.  <item>
  1164.    <title>California: Tweet at Governor Newsom to Get A.B. 566 Signed Into Law</title>
  1165.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/california-tweet-governor-newsom-get-ab-566-signed-law</link>
  1166.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We need your help to make &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/tell-governor-newsom-make-it-easier-use-your-privacy-rights&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;a common-sense bill&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; into California law. Despite the fact that California has one of the nation’s most comprehensive data privacy laws, it’s not always easy for people to exercise those privacy rights. A.B. 566 intends to make it easy by directing browsers to give all their users the option to tell companies they don’t want personal information that’s collected about them on the internet to be sold or shared. Now, we just need Governor Gavin Newsom to sign it into law by October 13, 2025, and this toolkit will help us put on the pressure. Tweet at Gov. Gavin Newsom and help us get A.B. 566 signed into law!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1167. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;First, pick your platform of choice. Reach &lt;/span&gt;Gov. Newsom at any of his social media handles:&lt;/p&gt;
  1168. &lt;ul&gt;
  1169. &lt;li&gt;X: &lt;a href=&quot;https://x.com/CAgovernor&quot;&gt;@CAgovernor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1170. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Bluesky: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://bsky.app/profile/governor.ca.gov&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;@governor.ca.gov&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1171. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;TikTok: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.tiktok.com/@cagovernor?lang=en&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;@cagovernor&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1172. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Facebook: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/CAgovernor&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;@CAgovernor&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1173. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1174. &lt;p&gt;Then, pick a message that resonates with you. Or, feel free to remix!&lt;/p&gt;
  1175. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sample Posts&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1176. &lt;ul&gt;
  1177. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;It should be easy for Californians to exercise our rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, but major internet browser companies are making it difficult for us to do that. @CAgovernor, sign AB 566 and give power to the consumers to protect their privacy!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1178. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;We are living in a time of mass surveillance and tracking. Californian consumers should be able to easily control their privacy and AB 566 would make that possible. @CAgovernor, sign AB 566 and ensure that millions of Californians can opt out of the sale and sharing of their private information!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1179. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;People seeking abortion care, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people are at risk of bad actors using their online activity against them. @CAgovernor could sign AB 566 and protect the privacy of vulnerable communities and all Californians.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1180. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;AB 566 gives Californians a practical way to use their right to opt-out of websites selling or sharing their private info. @CAgovernor can sign it and give consumers power over their privacy choices under the California Consumer Privacy Act.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1181. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Hey @CAgovernor! AB 566 makes it easy for Californians to tell companies what they want to happen with their own private information. Sign it and make the California Consumer Privacy Act more user-friendly!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1182. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Companies haven’t made it easy for Californians to tell companies not to sell or share their personal information. We need AB 566 so that browsers MUST give users the option to easily opt out of this data sharing. @CAgovernor, sign AB 566!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1183. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Major browsers have made it hard for Californians to opt out of the share and sale of their private info. Right now, consumers must individually opt out at every website they visit. AB 566 can change that by requiring browsers to create one single opt-out preference, but @CAgovernor MUST sign it!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1184. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;It should be easy for Californians to opt out of the share and sale of their private info, such as health info, immigration status, and political affiliation, but browsers have made it difficult. @CAgovernor can sign AB 566 and give power to consumers to more easily opt out of this data sharing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1185. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Right now, if a Californian wants to tell companies not to sell or share their info, they must go through the processes set up by each company, ONE BY ONE, to opt out of data sharing. AB 566 can remove that burden. @CAgovernor, sign AB 566 to empower consumers!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1186. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Industry groups who want to keep the scales tipped in favor of corporations who want to profit off the sale of our private info have lobbied heavily against AB 566, a bill that will make it easy for Californians to tell companies what they want to happen with their own info. @CAgovernor—sign it!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1187. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1188.  
  1189. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1190.     <pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:42:02 +0000</pubDate>
  1191. <guid isPermaLink="false">111231 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1192. <dc:creator>Kenyatta Thomas</dc:creator>
  1193. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/california-state.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="21279" />
  1194.  </item>
  1195.  <item>
  1196.    <title>Meta is Removing Abortion Advocates&#039; Accounts Without Warning  </title>
  1197.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/meta-removing-abortion-advocates-accounts-without-warning</link>
  1198.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the fifth installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1199. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;When the team at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://womenhelp.org/en/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Women Help Women&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; signed into Instagram last winter, they were met with a distressing surprise: without warning, Meta had disabled their account. The abortion advocacy &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;non-profit &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;organization found itself suddenly cut off from its tens of thousands of followers and with limited recourse. Meta claimed Women Help Women had violated its Community Standards on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;“guns, drugs, and other restricted goods,”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; but the organization told EFF it uses Instagram only to communicate about safe abortion practices, including sharing educational content and messages aimed at reducing stigma. Eventually, Women Help Women was able to restore its account—but only after &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://womenhelp.org/en/page/1591/meta-took-down-our-instagram-account.-thanks-to-you-we-got-it-back&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;launching a public campaign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; and receiving &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/technology/instagram-facebook-abortion-pill-providers.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;national news coverage&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1200. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Unfortunately, Women Help Women’s experience is not unique. Around a quarter of our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign submissions reported that their entire account or page had been disabled or taken down after sharing abortion information—primarily on Meta platforms. This troubling pattern indicates that the censorship crisis goes beyond content removal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; Accounts providing crucial reproductive health information are disappearing, often without warning, cutting users off from their communities and followers entirely.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1201. &lt;p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58395&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot;&gt;
  1202.  
  1203.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/whwscreenshotjpeg?language=el&quot;&gt;whw_screenshot.jpeg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1204.    
  1205.  
  1206.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  1207.    &lt;img alt=&quot;Screenshot of notification Women Help Women received from Meta when their account was disabled&quot; height=&quot;398&quot; width=&quot;196&quot; style=&quot;display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;1&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/whw_screenshot.jpeg&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  1208.  
  1209.  
  1210. &lt;/div&gt;
  1211. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1212. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;What&#039;s worse, Meta appears to be imposing these negative account actions without clearly adhering to its own enforcement policies. Meta’s own &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Transparency Center&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; stipulates that an account should receive multiple Community Standards violations or warnings before it is restricted or disabled. Yet many affected users told EFF they experienced negative account actions without any warning at all, or after only one alleged violation (many of which were incorrectly flagged, as we’ve explained &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;elsewhere in this series&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1213. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;While Meta clearly has the right to remove accounts from its platforms, disabling or banning an account is an extreme measure. It completely silences a user, cutting off communication with their followers and preventing them from sharing &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;any&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; information, let alone abortion information. Because of this severity, Meta should be extremely careful to ensure fairness and accuracy when disabling or removing accounts. Rules governing account removal should be transparent and easy to understand, and Meta must enforce these policies consistently across different users and categories of content. But as our Stop Censoring Abortion results demonstrate, this isn&#039;t happening for many accounts sharing abortion information. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1214. &lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta&#039;s Maze of Enforcement Policies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;
  1215. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If you navigate to Meta’s Transparency Center, you’ll find a page titled “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;How Meta enforces its policies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;.” This page contains a web of intersecting policies on when Meta will &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/restricting-accounts/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;restrict accounts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/disabling-accounts/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;disable accounts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/removing-pages-groups/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;remove pages and groups&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. These policies overlap but don’t directly refer to each other, making it trickier for users to piece together how enforcement happens.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1216. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;At the heart of Meta&#039;s enforcement process is a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/counting-strikes/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;strike system&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. Users receive strikes for posting content that violates Meta’s Community Standards. But not all Community Standards violations result in strikes, and whether Meta applies one depends on the “severity of the content” and the “context in which it was shared.” Meta provides little additional guidance on what violations are severe enough to amount to a strike or how context affects this assessment. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1217. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;According to Meta&#039;s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/restricting-accounts/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Restricting Accounts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; policy, for most violations, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;1 strike should only result in a warning—not any action against the account. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;How additional strikes affect an account differs between Facebook and Instagram (but Meta provides no specific guidance for Threads). Facebook relies on a progressive system, where additional strikes lead to increasing restrictions. Enforcement on Instagram is more opaque and leaves more to Meta’s discretion. Meta still counts strikes on Instagram, but it does not follow the same escalating structure of restrictions as it does on Facebook.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1218. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Despite some vagueness in these policies, Meta is quite clear about one thing: On both Facebook and Instagram, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;an account should only be disabled or removed after “repeated” violations, warnings, or strikes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;. Meta states this multiple times throughout its enforcement policies. Its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/disabling-accounts/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Disabling Accounts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; policy suggests that generally, an account needs to receive at least &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;5 strikes &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;for Meta to disable or remove it from the platform. The only caveat is for severe violations, such as posting &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/child-sexual-exploitation-abuse-nudity/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;child sexual exploitation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; content or violating the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/dangerous-individuals-organizations/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;dangerous individuals and organizations&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; policy. In those extreme cases, Meta may disable an account after just one violation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1219. &lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta’s Practices Don’t Match Its Policies&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;
  1220. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Our survey results detailed a different reality. Many survey respondents told EFF that Meta disabled or removed their account without warning and without indication that they had received repeated strikes. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; It’s important to note that Meta does &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;not&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; have a unique enforcement process for prescription drug or abortion-related content. When EFF asked Meta about this issue, Meta confirmed that &quot;enforcement actions on prescription drugs are subject to Meta&#039;s standard enforcement policies.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1221. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;So here are a couple &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;other &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;possible explanations for this disconnect—each of them troubling in their own way:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1222. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta is Ignoring Its Own Strike System&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1223. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If Meta is taking down accounts without warning or after only one alleged Community Standards violation, the company is failing to follow its own strike system. This makes enforcement arbitrary and denies users the opportunity for correction that Meta&#039;s system supposedly provides. It’s also especially problematic for abortion advocates, given that Meta has been incorrectly flagging educational abortion content as violating its Community Standards. This means that a single content moderation error could result not only in the post coming down, but the entire account too. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1224. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This may be what happened to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rise.emory.edu/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Emory University’s RISE Center for Reproductive Health Research&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; (a story we &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;described&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; in more detail earlier in this series). After sharing an educational post about mifepristone, RISE’s Instagram account was suddenly disabled. RISE received no earlier warnings from Meta before its account went dark. When RISE was finally able to get back into its account, it discovered only that this single post had been flagged. Again, according to Meta&#039;s own policies, one strike should only result in a warning. But this isn’t what happened here. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1225. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Similarly, the Tamtang Foundation, an abortion advocacy organization based in Thailand, had its Facebook account suddenly disabled earlier this year. Tamtang told EFF it had received a warning on only one flagged post that it had posted &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;10 months &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;prior to its account being taken down. It received none of the other progressive strike restrictions Meta claims to apply Facebook accounts.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1226. &lt;p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58396&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-jpeg&quot;&gt;
  1227.  
  1228.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/tamtangscreenshotjpg?language=el&quot;&gt;tamtang_screenshot.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1229.    
  1230.  
  1231.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  1232.    &lt;img alt=&quot;Screenshot of notification Tamtang Foundation received from Meta when their account was disabled&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; width=&quot;180&quot; style=&quot;display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;2&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/tamtang_screenshot.jpg&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235. &lt;/div&gt;
  1236. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1237. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Meta is Misclassifying Educational Content as &quot;Extreme Violations&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1238. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If Meta is accurately following its strike policy but still disabling accounts after only one violation, this points to an even more concerning possibility. Meta’s content moderation system may be categorizing educational abortion information as severe enough to warrant immediate disabling, treating university research posts and clinic educational materials as equivalent to child exploitation or terrorist content. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1239. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This would be a fundamental and dangerous mischaracterization of legitimate medical information, and it is, we hope, unlikely. But it’s unfortunately not outside the realm of possibility. We already &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are-removed#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;wrote about&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; a similar disturbing mischaracterization earlier in this series.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1240. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Users Are Unknowingly Receiving Multiple Strikes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1241. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Finally, Meta may be giving users multiple strikes without notifying them. This raises several serious concerns.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1242. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;First is the lack of transparency. Meta explicitly states in its &quot;Restricting Accounts&quot; policy that it will notify users when it “remove[s] your content or add[s] restrictions to your account, Page or group.” This policy is failing if users are not receiving these notifications and are not made aware there’s an issue with their account.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1243. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It may also mean that Meta’s policies themselves are too vague to provide meaningful guidance to users. This lack of clarity is harmful. If users don’t know what&#039;s happening to their accounts, they can’t appeal Meta’s content moderation decisions, adjust their content, or understand Meta&#039;s enforcement boundaries moving forward.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1244. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Finally—and most troubling—if Meta is indeed disabling accounts that share abortion information for receiving multiple violations, this points to an even broader censorship crisis. Users may not be aware just how many informational abortion-related posts are being incorrectly flagged and counted as strikes. This is especially concerning given that Meta places a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/enforcement/taking-action/counting-strikes/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;one-year time limit&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; on strikes, meaning the multiple alleged violations could not have accumulated over multiple years. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;322}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1245. &lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The Broader Censorship Crisis&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;
  1246. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;These account suspensions represent just one facet of Meta&#039;s censorship of reproductive health information documented by our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. When combined with post removals, shadowbanning, and content restrictions, the message is clear: Meta platforms are increasingly unfriendly environments for abortion advocacy and education.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1247. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If Meta wants to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;practice what it preaches&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, then it must reform its enforcement policies to provide clear, transparent guidelines on when and how strikes apply, and then consistently and accurately apply those policies. Accounts should not be taken down for only one alleged violation when the policies state otherwise. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1248. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The stakes couldn&#039;t be higher. In a post-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Roe&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; landscape where access to accurate reproductive health information is more crucial than ever, Meta&#039;s enforcement system is silencing the very voices communities need most.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1249. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;This is the fifth post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;300}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1250. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Affected by unjust censorship? Share your story using the hashtag #StopCensoringAbortion. Amplify censored posts and accounts, share screenshots of removals and platform messages—together, we can demonstrate how these policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;300}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1251.  
  1252. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1253.     <pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 23:05:17 +0000</pubDate>
  1254. <guid isPermaLink="false">111222 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1255. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/big-tech">Big Tech</category>
  1256. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1257. <dc:creator>Lisa Femia</dc:creator>
  1258. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-banner-e.png" alt="Banner with a pink background that reads &amp;quot;stop censoring abortion&amp;quot; but the Os are replaced with mifepristone tablet graphics." type="image/png" length="263375" />
  1259.  </item>
  1260.  <item>
  1261.    <title>Governor Newsom Should Make it Easier to Exercise Our Privacy Rights</title>
  1262.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/tell-governor-newsom-make-it-easier-use-your-privacy-rights</link>
  1263.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;California has one of the nation’s most comprehensive consumer data privacy laws. But it’s not always easy for people to exercise those privacy rights. That’s why we supported Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal’s A.B. 566 throughout the legislative session and are now asking California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign it into law. &lt;/p&gt;
  1264. &lt;p class=&quot;pull-quote&quot;&gt;The easier it is to exercise your rights, the more power you have.  &lt;/p&gt;
  1265. &lt;p&gt;A.B. 566 does a very simple thing. It directs browsers—such as Google’s Chrome, Apple’s Safari, Microsoft’s Edge or Mozilla’s Firefox—to give all their users the option to tell companies they don&#039;t want companies to  to sell or share personal information  that’s collected about them on the internet. In other words: it makes it easy for Californians to tell companies what they want to happen with their own information.&lt;/p&gt;
  1266. &lt;p&gt;By making it easy to use tools that allow you to send these sorts of signals to companies’ websites, A.B. 566 makes the California Consumer Privacy Act more user-friendly. And the easier it is to exercise your rights, the more power you have.  &lt;/p&gt;
  1267. &lt;p&gt;This is a necessary step, because even though the CCPA gives all people in California the right to tell companies not to sell or share their personal information, companies have not made it easy to exercise this right. Right now, someone who wants to make these requests has to go through the processes set up by each company that may collect their information individually. Companies have also often made it pretty hard to make, or even find out how to make, these requests. Giving people the option for an easier way to communicate how they want companies to treat their personal information helps rebalance the often-lopsided relationship between the two.&lt;/p&gt;
  1268. &lt;p&gt;Industry groups who want to keep the scales tipped firmly in the favor of corporations have &lt;a href=&quot;https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/google-lobbying/&quot;&gt;lobbied heavily&lt;/a&gt; against A.B. 566. But we urge Gov. Newsom not to listen to those who want to it to remain difficult for people to exercise their CCPA rights. EFF’s technologists, lawyers, and advocates think A.B. 566 empowers consumers without imposing regulations that would limit innovation. We think Californians should have easy tools to tell companies how to deal with their information, and urge Gov. Newsom to sign this bill. &lt;/p&gt;
  1269.  
  1270. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1271.     <pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:26:57 +0000</pubDate>
  1272. <guid isPermaLink="false">111221 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1273. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  1274. <dc:creator>Hayley Tsukayama</dc:creator>
  1275. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/privacy-test-image.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="16605" />
  1276.  </item>
  1277.  <item>
  1278.    <title>Safeguarding Human Rights Must Be Integral to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor’s Approach to Tech-Enabled Crimes</title>
  1279.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/safeguarding-human-rights-must-be-integral-icc-office-prosecutors-approach-tech</link>
  1280.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This is Part I of a two-part series on EFF’s comments to the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) about its draft policy on cyber-enabled crimes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;As human rights atrocities around the world unfold in the digital age, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity are as heinous and wrongful as they were before the advent of AI and social media.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But criminal methods and evidence increasingly involve technology. Think mass digital surveillance of an ethnic or religious community used to persecute them as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians, or cyberattacks that disable hospitals or other essential services, causing injury or death.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.icc-cpi.int&quot;&gt;International Criminal Court&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; (ICC) &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.icc-cpi.int/about/otp&quot;&gt;Office of the Prosecutor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; (OTP) intends to use its mandate and powers to investigate and prosecute cyber-enabled crimes within the court&#039;s jurisdiction—those covered under the 1989 Rome Statute treaty. The office released for &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-office-prosecutor-launches-public-consultation-policy-cyber-enabled-crimes-under-rome&quot;&gt;public comment in March 2025&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; a draft of its &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2025-03/250306-OTP-Policy-on-Cyber-Enabled-Crimes-for-public-consultation.pdf&quot;&gt;proposed policy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; for how it plans to go about it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We welcome the OTP draft and urge the OTP to ensure its approach is consistent with internationally recognized human rights, including the rights to free expression, to privacy (with encryption as a vital safeguard), and to fair trial and due process.&lt;/p&gt;
  1281. &lt;p&gt;We believe those who use digital tools to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes should face justice. At the same time, EFF, along with our partner Derechos Digitales, emphasized in comments submitted to the OTP that safeguarding human rights must be integral to its investigations of cyber-enabled crimes.&lt;/p&gt;
  1282. &lt;p&gt;That’s how we protect survivors, prevent overreach, gather evidence that can withstand judicial scrutiny, and hold perpetrators to account. In a similar context, we’ve &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/08/jordans-king-should-reject-countrys-draft-cybercrime-law&quot;&gt;opposed&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/09/growing-threat-cybercrime-law-abuse-lgbtq-rights-mena-and-un-cybercrime-draft&quot;&gt;abusive&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/09/uns-cybercrime-convention-draft-slippery-slope-lgbtq-and-gender-rights&quot;&gt;domestic&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/protect-good-faith-security-research-globally-proposed-un-cybercrime-treaty&quot;&gt;cybercrime&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; laws and policing powers that invite censorship, arbitrary surveillance, and other human rights abuses&lt;/p&gt;
  1283. &lt;p&gt;In this two-part series, we’ll provide background on the ICC and OTP’s draft policy, including what we like about the policy and areas that raise questions.&lt;/p&gt;
  1284. &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;OTP Defines Cyber-Enabled Crimes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1285. &lt;p&gt;The ICC, established by the &lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2024-05/Rome-Statute-eng.pdf&quot;&gt;Rome Statute&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, is the permanent international criminal court with jurisdiction over individuals for four core crimes—genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It also exercises jurisdiction over offences against the administration of justice at the court itself. Within the court, the OTP is an independe&lt;span&gt;nt organization &lt;/span&gt;responsible for investigating these crimes and prosecuting them.&lt;/p&gt;
  1286. &lt;p&gt;The OTP’s draft policy explains how it will apply the statute when crimes are committed or facilitated by digital means, while emphasizing that ordinary cybercrimes (e.g., hacking, fraud, data theft) are outside ICC jurisdiction and remain the responsibility of national courts to address.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The OTP defines “cyber-enabled crime” as crimes within the court’s jurisdiction that are committed or facilitated by technology. “Committed by” covers cases where the online act is the harmful act (or an essential digital contribution), for example, malware is used to disable a hospital and people are injured or die, so the cyber operation can be the attack itself.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A crime is “facilitated by” technology, according to the OTP draft, when digital activity helps someone commit a crime under modes of liability other than direct commission (e.g., ordering, inducing, aiding or abetting), and it doesn’t matter if the main crime was itself committed online. For example, authorities use mass digital surveillance to locate members of a protected group, enabling arrests and abuses as part of a widespread or systematic attack (i.e., persecution).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It further makes clear that the OTP will use its full investigative powers under the Rome Statute—relying on national authorities acting under domestic law and, where possible, on voluntary cooperation from private entities—to secure digital evidence across borders.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Such investigations can be highly intrusive and risk sweeping up data about people beyond the target. Yet many states’ current investigative practices fall short of international human rights standards. The draft should therefore make clear that cooperating states must meet those standards, including by assessing whether they can conduct surveillance in a manner consistent with the rule of law and the right to privacy.&lt;/p&gt;
  1287. &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Digital Conduct as Evidence of Rome Statute Crimes&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1288. &lt;p&gt;Even when no ICC crime happens entirely online, the OTP says online activity can still be relevant evidence. Digital conduct can help show intent, context, or policies behind abuses (for example, to prove a persecution campaign), and it can also reveal efforts to hide or exploit crimes (like propaganda). In simple terms, online activity can corroborate patterns, link incidents, and support inferences about motive, policy, and scale relevant to these crimes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The prosecution of such crimes or the use of related evidence must be consistent with internationally recognized human rights standards, including privacy and freedom of expression, the very freedoms that allow human rights defenders, journalists, and ordinary users to document and share evidence of abuses.&lt;/p&gt;
  1289. &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;In Part II we’ll take a closer look at the substance of our comments about the policy’s strengths and our recommendations for improvements and more clarity.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1290.  
  1291.  
  1292.  
  1293.  
  1294. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1295.     <pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:59:40 +0000</pubDate>
  1296. <guid isPermaLink="false">111220 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1297. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/international">International</category>
  1298. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  1299. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/surveillance-human-rights">Surveillance and Human Rights</category>
  1300. <dc:creator>Karen Gullo</dc:creator>
  1301.  </item>
  1302.  <item>
  1303.    <title>EFF Statement on TikTok Ownership Deal</title>
  1304.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-statement-tiktok-ownership-deal</link>
  1305.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;One of the reasons we opposed the TikTok &quot;ban&quot; is that the First Amendment is supposed to protect us from government using its power to manipulate speech. But as predicted, the TikTok &quot;ban&quot; has only resulted in turning over the platform to the allies of a president who seems to have no respect for the First Amendment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1306. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;TikTok was never proven to be a current national security problem, so it&#039;s hard to say the sale will alleviate those unproven concerns. And it remains to be seen if the deal places any limits on the new ownership sharing user data with foreign governments or anyone else&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;the security concern that purportedly justified the forced sale. As for the algorithm, if the concern had been that TikTok could be a conduit for Chinese government propaganda—a concern the Supreme Court declined to even consider—people can now be concerned that TikTok could be a conduit for U.S. government propaganda. An administration official &lt;a href=&quot;https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-d5d8a1d56b5185778536874d7fc1ee62&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;reportedly has said&lt;/a&gt; the new TikTok algorithm will be &quot;retrained&quot; with U.S. data to make sure the system is &quot;behaving properly.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1307.  
  1308.  
  1309. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1310.     <pubDate>Mon, 22 Sep 2025 23:04:58 +0000</pubDate>
  1311. <guid isPermaLink="false">111219 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1312. <dc:creator>David Greene</dc:creator>
  1313. <dc:creator>Eva Galperin</dc:creator>
  1314. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/tik-tok-ban-1.png" alt="Tik Tok phone icon turned into circe-slash icon" type="image/png" length="327480" />
  1315.  </item>
  1316.  <item>
  1317.    <title>Going Viral vs. Going Dark: Why Extremism Trends and Abortion Content Gets Censored</title>
  1318.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/algorithmic-suppression-abortion-content-creators</link>
  1319.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the fourth installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1320. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;One of the goals of our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion campaign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; was to put names, stories, and numbers to the experiences we’d been hearing about: people and organizations having their abortion-related content – or entire accounts – removed or suppressed on social media. In reviewing survey submissions, we found that multiple users reported experiencing &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;shadowbanning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Shadowbanning (or “deranking”) is widely experienced and reported by content creators across various social media platforms, and it’s a phenomenon that those who create content about abortion and sexual and reproductive health know all too well.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1321. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Shadowbanning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; is the often silent suppression of certain types of content or creators in your social media feeds. It’s not something that a U.S-based creator is notified about, but rather something they simply find out when their posts stop getting the same level of engagement that they’re used to, or when people are unable to easily find their account using the platform’s search function. Essentially, it is when a platform or its algorithm decides that other users should see less of a creator or specific topic. Many platforms deny that shadowbanning exists; they will often blame &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/19/meta-instagram-palestine-israel-shadowban-censorship-moderation-bias/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;reduced reach of posts on ‘bugs’&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in the algorithm. At the same time, companies like Meta &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;admitted that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/help/1257205004624246&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;content is ranked&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, but much about how this ranking system works remains unknown.  Meta says that there are five content categories that while allowed on its platforms, “may not be eligible for recommendation.” Content discussing abortion pills &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;may&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; fall under the umbrella of “Content that promotes the use of certain regulated products,” but posts that simply affirm abortion as a valid reproductive decision or are of storytellers sharing their experiences don’t match any of the criteria that would make it unable to be recommended by Meta.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1322. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Whether a creator relies on a platform for income or uses it to educate the public, shadowbanning can be devastating for the growth of an account. And this practice often seems to disproportionately affect people who are talking about ‘taboo’ topics like sex, abortion, and LGBTQ+ identities, such as Kim Adamski, a sexual health educator who shared her story with our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; project. As you can see in the images below, Kim’s Instagram account does not show up as a suggestion when being searched, and can only be found after typing in the full username.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1323. &lt;p class=&quot;center-image&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/16/screenshot_2025-09-16_at_9.28.41_am.png&quot; width=&quot;1009&quot; height=&quot;302&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1324. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Earlier this year, the Center for Intimacy Justice shared their report, &quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://docsend.com/view/emzyirq6hfatmx2a&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Digital Gag: Suppression of Sexual and Reproductive Health on Meta, TikTok, Amazon, and Google&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, which found that of the 159 nonprofits, content creators, sex educators, and businesses surveyed, 63% had content removed on Meta platforms and 55% had content removed on TikTok. This suppression is happening at the same time as platforms continue to allow and elevate &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/instagram-error-turned-reels-into-neverending-scroll-of-murder-gore-and-violence/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;videos of violence and gore&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Banned-But-Not-Gone_Andrew-Tate-YouTube_Final.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;extremist hateful content&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/obstacles-to-autonomy-post-roe-removal-of-abortion-information-online/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;This pattern&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; is troubling and is only becoming more prevalent as people turn to social media to find the information they need to make decisions about their health.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1325. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Reproductive rights and sex education have been under attack across the U.S. for decades. Since the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Dobbs v. Jackson &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;decision in 2022, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.cnn.com/us/abortion-access-restrictions-bans-us-dg&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;20 states have banned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; or limited access to abortion. Meanwhile, 16 states &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://siecus.org/siecus-state-profiles/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;don’t require sex education&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in public schools to be medically accurate, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://siecus.org/siecus-state-profiles/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;19 states have laws that stigmatize LGBTQ+ identities&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in their sex education curricula, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://siecus.org/siecus-state-profiles/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;17 states specifically stigmatize abortion in their sex education curricula.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1326. &lt;p class=&quot;pull-quote&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;In a world that is constantly finding ways to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/texass-war-abortion-now-war-free-speech&quot;&gt;legislate away bodily autonomy&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/impact-age-verification-measures-goes-beyond-porn-sites&quot;&gt;hide queer identities&lt;/a&gt;, social media platforms have an opportunity to stand as safe havens for access to community and knowledge. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1327. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Online platforms are critical lifelines for people seeking possibly life-saving information about their sexual and reproductive health. We know that when people are unable to find or access the information they need within their communities, they will turn to the internet and social media. This is especially important for abortion-seekers and trans youth living in states where healthcare is being criminalized.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1328. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;In a world that is constantly finding ways to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/texass-war-abortion-now-war-free-speech&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;legislate away bodily autonomy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/impact-age-verification-measures-goes-beyond-porn-sites&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;hide queer identities&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, social media platforms have an opportunity to stand as safe havens for access to community and knowledge. Limiting access to this information by suppressing the people and organizations who are providing it is an attack on free expression and a profound threat to freedom of information—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://santaclaraprinciples.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;principles that these platforms claim to uphold&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Now more than ever, we must continue to push back against censorship of sexual and reproductive health information so that the internet can still be a place where all voices are heard and where all can learn.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1329. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the fourth post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1330.  
  1331. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1332.     <pubDate>Mon, 22 Sep 2025 20:43:02 +0000</pubDate>
  1333. <guid isPermaLink="false">111202 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1334. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1335. <dc:creator>Kenyatta Thomas</dc:creator>
  1336. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-banner-d.png" alt="Banner reads &amp;quot;stop censoring abortion&amp;quot; but every O is a graphic of a mifepristone tablet. " type="image/png" length="295712" />
  1337.  </item>
  1338.  <item>
  1339.    <title>That Drone in the Sky Could Be Tracking Your Car</title>
  1340.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/drone-sky-could-be-tracking-your-car</link>
  1341.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Police are using their drones as flying automated &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;license plate readers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; (ALPRs), airborne police cameras that make it easier than ever for law enforcement to follow you. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1342.  
  1343. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&quot;The Flock Safety drone, specifically, are flying LPR cameras as well,” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulsidhu?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Rahul Sidhu&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, Vice President of Aviation at Flock Safety, recently told a group of potential law enforcement customers interested in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/06/drone-first-responder-programs-are-latest-aerial-police-surveillance-push&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;drone-as-first-responder (DFR) programs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1344.  
  1345. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The integration of Flock Safety’s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-safety-expands-into-drones-for-law-enforcement-with-acquisition-of-aerodome&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;flagship ALPR technology with its Aerodome drone equipment&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; is a police surveillance combo poised to elevate the privacy threats to civilians caused by both of these invasive technologies as drone adoption expands. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1346. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;media media-element-container media-default&quot;&gt;&lt;div id=&quot;file-58380&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot; class=&quot;file file-image file-image-png&quot;&gt;
  1347.  
  1348.        &lt;h2 class=&quot;element-invisible&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/file/flockflyingpolicepng&quot;&gt;flock_drone_flying_police_platform.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1349.    
  1350.  
  1351.  &lt;div class=&quot;content&quot;&gt;
  1352.    &lt;img alt=&quot;A slide from a Flock Safety presentation on its police platform, including its Aerodome drone&quot; title=&quot;A slide from a Flock Safety presentation on its police platform, including its Aerodome drone&quot; height=&quot;481&quot; width=&quot;970&quot; class=&quot;media-element file-default&quot; data-delta=&quot;1&quot; src=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/flock_flying_police.png&quot; /&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;
  1353.  
  1354.  
  1355. &lt;/div&gt;
  1356. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;A slide from a Flock Safety presentation to Rutherford County Sheriff&#039;s Office in North Carolina, obtained via public records, featuring Flock Safety products, including the Aerodome drone and the Wing product, which helps convert surveillance cameras into ALPR systems&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1357. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The use of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/06/drone-first-responder-programs-are-latest-aerial-police-surveillance-push&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;DFR programs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; has grown exponentially. The biggest police technology companies, like Axon, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://dronelife.com/2025/01/24/dronelife-exclusive-interview-flock-safetys-vision-for-high-tech-crimefighting-with-dfr/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Flock Safety&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, and Motorola Solutions, are broadening their drone offerings, anticipating that drones could become an important piece of their revenue stream. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1358.  
  1359. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Communities must demand restrictions on how local police use drones &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; ALPRs, let alone a dangerous hybrid of the two. Otherwise, we can soon expect that a drone will fly to any call for service and capture sensitive location information about every car in its flight path, capturing more ALPR data to add to the already too large databases of our movements. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1360.  
  1361. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;ALPR systems typically rely on cameras that have been fixed along roadways or attached to police vehicles. These cameras capture the image of a vehicle, then use artificial intelligence technology to log the license plate, make, model, color, and other unique identifying information, like dents and bumper stickers. This information is usually stored on the manufacturer’s servers and often made available on nationwide sharing networks to police departments from other states and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ALPRs are already&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48160&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; used by most of the largest police departments&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;in the country, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Flock Safety also &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.flocksafety.com/faq&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;now offers the ability&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; for an agency to turn almost any internet-enabled cameras into an ALPR camera. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1362.  
  1363. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;ALPRs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; present a host of problems. ALPR systems vacuum up data—like the make, model, color, and location of vehicles—on people who will never be involved in a crime, used in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://azmirror.com/2019/07/08/arizona-police-agencies-gather-share-license-plate-data-but-few-ensure-rules-are-being-followed/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;gridding&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; areas to systematically make a record of when and where vehicles have been. ALPRs routinely make mistakes, causing police to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/human-toll-alpr-errors&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;stop the wrong car&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; and terrorize the driver. Officers have abused law enforcement databases in &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://apnews.com/general-news-699236946e3140659fff8a2362e16f43&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;hundreds of cases&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Police have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;used them to track across state lines&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; people seeking legal health procedures. Even when &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/dozens-rogue-california-police-agencies-still-sharing-driver-locations-anti-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;there are laws against sharing data&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; from these tools with other departments, some policing agencies still do.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1364.  
  1365. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Drones, meanwhile, give police a view of roofs, backyards, and other fenced areas where cops can’t casually patrol, and their adoption is becoming more common. Companies that sell drones have been helping law enforcement agencies to get certifications from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;recently-implemented changes to the restrictions on flying drones beyond the visual line of sight will make it &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.police1.com/drones/dot-announces-new-proposal-aimed-at-boosting-u-s-drone-development&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;even easier for police&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; to add this equipment. According to the FAA, since a new DFR waiver process was implemented in May 2025, the FAA has granted more than 410 such waivers, already accounting for almost a third of the approximately 1,400 DFR waivers that have been granted since such programs began in 2018.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1366.  
  1367. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Local officials should, of course, be informed that the drones they’re buying are equipped to do such granular surveillance from the sky, but it is not clear that this is happening. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;While the ALPR feature is available as part of Flock drone acquisitions, some government customers may not realize that to approve a drone from Flock Safety may also mean approving a flying ALPR. And though not every Flock safety drone is currently running the ALPR feature, some departments, like Redondo Beach Police Department, have plans to activate it in the near future. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1368.  
  1369. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;ALPRs aren’t the only so-called payloads that can be added to a drone. In addition to the high resolution and thermal cameras with which drones can already be equipped, drone manufacturers and police departments have discussed adding cell-site simulators, weapons, microphones, and other equipment. Communities must mobilize now to keep this runaway surveillance technology under tight control.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1370.  
  1371. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When EFF posed questions to Flock Safety about the integration of ALPR and its drones, the company declined to comment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1372.  
  1373. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Mapping, storing, and tracking as much personal information as possible&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;all without warrants&lt;span&gt;—&lt;/span&gt;is where automated police surveillance is heading right now. Flock has previously &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.404media.co/license-plate-reader-company-flock-is-building-a-massive-people-lookup-tool-leak-shows/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;described its desire to connect&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ALPR scans to additional information on the person who owns the car, meaning that we don’t live far from a time when police may see your vehicle drive by and quickly learn that it’s your car and a host of other details about you. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1374.  
  1375. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF has compiled a list of known drone-using police departments. Find out about your town’s surveillance tools at the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.atlasofsurveillance.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Atlas of Surveillance&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Know something we don&#039;t? Reach out at aos@eff.org.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1376.  
  1377. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1378.     <pubDate>Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1379. <guid isPermaLink="false">111213 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1380. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  1381. <dc:creator>Beryl Lipton</dc:creator>
  1382. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/drone-spy-3.jpg" alt="Several spying drones with eyeballs" type="image/jpeg" length="380006" />
  1383.  </item>
  1384.  <item>
  1385.    <title>Companies Must Provide Accurate and Transparent Information to Users When Posts are Removed</title>
  1386.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/companies-must-provide-accurate-and-transparent-information-users-when-posts-are</link>
  1387.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the third installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; title=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot; data-outlook-id=&quot;2e10f1ae-5e98-48ff-ae7e-4f7f3a98c465&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; title=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot; data-outlook-id=&quot;993fc9b0-0b7d-40c1-bca2-78c0f8fd8e52&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;eop&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1388. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Imagine sharing information about reproductive health care on social media and receiving a message that your content has been removed for violati&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ng a policy intended to curb online extremism. That’s exactly what happened to one person using Instagram who shared her story with our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; project.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1389. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta’s rules for “Dangero&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;us Organizations and Individuals” (DOI) were supposed to be narrow: a way to prevent the platform from being used by terrorist groups, organized crime, and those engaged in violent or criminal activity. But over the years, we’ve seen these rules applied in far broader—and more troubling—ways, with little transparency and signific&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ant impact on marginalized voices. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1390. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFF has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/facebooks-secret-dangerous-organizations-and-individuals-list-creates-problems&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;long warned&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that the DOI policy is opaque, inconsistently enforced, and prone to overreach. The policy has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://theintercept.com/2021/10/12/facebook-secret-blacklist-dangerous/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;been critiqued&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; by others for its o&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;pacity and propensity to disproportionately censor marginalized groups.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1391.  
  1392. &lt;p class=&quot;center-image&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/16/img_2528.jpeg_img_2528.jpeg&quot; width=&quot;341&quot; height=&quot;521&quot; alt=&quot;a screenshot showing the user&#039;s post being flagged under Meta&#039;s DOI policy&quot; title=&quot;a screenshot showing the user&#039;s post being flagged under Meta&#039;s DOI policy&quot; /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;normaltextrun&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Samantha Shoemaker&#039;s post about Plan C was flagged under Meta&#039;s policy on dangerous organizations and individuals&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1393. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta has since added examples and clarifications in its Transparency Center to this and other policies, but their implementation still leaves users in the dark about what’s allowed and what isn’t.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1394. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The case we received illustrates just how harmful this lack of clarity can be. Samantha Shoemaker, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;an individual sharing information about abortion care,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; shared straightforward, facts about accessing abortion pills. Her posts included:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1395. &lt;ul&gt;
  1396. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;A video linking to Plan C’s website, which lists organizations that provide abortion pills in different states.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1397. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;A reshared image from Plan C’s own Instagram account encouraging people to learn about advance provision of abortion pills.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1398. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;A short clip of women talking about their experiences taking abortion pills.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1399. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1400. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;Information Provided to Users Must Be Accurate&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1401. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Instead of allowing her to facilitate informed discussion, Instagram flagged some of her posts under its &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/content-specific-restrictions/prescription-drugs&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;“Prescription Drugs” policy&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, while others were removed under the DOI policy—the same set of rules meant to stop violent extremism from being shared.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1402. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We recognize that moderation systems—both human and automated—will make mistakes. But when Meta equates medically accurate, harm-reducing information about abortion with “dangerous organizations,” it underscores a deeper problem: the blunt tools of content moderation disproportionately silence speech that is lawful, important, and often life-saving.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1403. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;At a time when access to abortion information is already under political attack in the United States and around the world, platforms must be especially careful not to compound the harm. This incident shows how overly broad rules and opaque enforcement can erase valuable speech and disempower users who most need access to knowledge.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1404. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;And when content does violate the rules, it’s important that users are provided with accurate information as to why. An individual sharing information about health care will undoubtedly be confused or upset by being told that they have violated a policy meant to curb violent extremism. Moderating content responsibly means offering the greatest transparency and clarity to users as possible. As outlined in the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://santaclaraprinciples.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Santa Clara Principles on Transparency and Accountability in Content Moderation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, users should be able to readily understand:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1405. &lt;ul&gt;
  1406. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;What types of content are prohibited by the company and will be removed, with detailed guidance and examples of permissible and impermissible content;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1407. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;What types of content the company will take action against other than removal, such as algorithmic downranking, with detailed guidance and examples on each type of content and action; and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1408. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The circumstances under which the company will suspend a user’s account, whether permanently or temporarily.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1409. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1410. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;b&gt;What You Can Do if Your Content is Removed&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1411. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;If you find your content removed under Meta’s policies, you &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;do&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; have options:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1412. &lt;ul&gt;
  1413. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Appeal the decision:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; Every takedown notice should give you the option to appeal within the app. Appeals are sometimes reviewed by a human moderator rather than an automated system.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1414. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Request Oversight Board review:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; In certain cases, you can escalate to Meta’s independent &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.oversightboard.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Oversight Board&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, which has the power to overturn takedowns and set policy precedents.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1415. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Document your case:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; Save screenshots of takedown notices, appeals, and your original post. This documentation is essential if you want to report the issue to advocacy groups or in future proceedings.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1416. &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Share your story:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; Projects like Stop Censoring Abortion collect cases of unjust takedowns to build pressure for change. Speaking out, whether to EFF and other advocacy groups or to the media, helps illustrate how policies harm real people.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1417. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1418. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Abortion is health care. Sharing information about it is not dangerous—it’s necessary. Meta should allow users to share vital information about reproductive care. The company must also ensure that users are provided with clear information about how their policies are being applied and how to appeal seemingly wrongful decisions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1419. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the third post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series: &lt;u&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot; title=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot; data-outlook-id=&quot;43d35d90-dce8-4a7c-88a8-a62a58bf5e97&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;u&gt; &lt;/u&gt;  &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1420.  
  1421. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1422.     <pubDate>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:48:47 +0000</pubDate>
  1423. <guid isPermaLink="false">111201 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1424. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1425. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/corporate-speech-controls">Corporate Speech Controls</category>
  1426. <dc:creator>Jillian C. York</dc:creator>
  1427. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/stopcensoringabortion-banner-5.png" alt="two hands holding a box of mifepristone tablets, with a sheet reading &amp;quot;access denied&amp;quot; pulled out" type="image/png" length="379486" />
  1428.  </item>
  1429.  <item>
  1430.    <title>Shining a Spotlight on Digital Rights Heroes: EFF Awards 2025</title>
  1431.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/shining-spotlight-digital-rights-heroes-eff-awards-2025</link>
  1432.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;It&#039;s been a year full of challenges, but also important victories for digital freedoms. From EFF’s new lawsuit against &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/cases/american-federation-government-employees-v-us-office-personnel-management&quot;&gt;OPM and DOGE&lt;/a&gt;, to launching &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/meet-rayhunter-new-open-source-tool-eff-detect-cellular-spying?language=en&quot;&gt;Rayhunter&lt;/a&gt; (our new tool to detect cellular spying), to exposing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis#main-content&quot;&gt;censorship of abortion-related&lt;/a&gt; content on social media, we’ve been busy! But we’re not the only ones leading the charge.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;On September 10 in San Francisco, we presented the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/event/eff-awards-2025&quot;&gt;annual EFF Awards&lt;/a&gt; to three courageous honorees who are pushing back against unlawful surveillance, championing data privacy, and advancing civil liberties online. This year’s awards went to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-just-futures-law&quot;&gt;Just Futures Law&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-erie-meyer&quot;&gt;Erie Meyer&lt;/a&gt;, and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-software-freedom-law-center-india&quot;&gt;Software Freedom Law Center, India&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;If you missed the celebration in person, you can still watch it live! The full event is posted on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/live/uOYqIT35ks0?si=JSKgca9GeSoMrGLT&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/eff-awards-2025&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/a&gt;, and a &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/2025-eff-awards-transcript&quot;&gt;transcript&lt;/a&gt; of the live captions is also available. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/live/uOYqIT35ks0?si=JSKgca9GeSoMrGLT&quot;&gt;WATCH NOW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;take-action take-explainer&quot;&gt;SEE THE EFF AWARDS CEREMONY ON YOUTUBE&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt;Looking Back, Looking Ahead&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;EFF &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/cindy-cohn&quot;&gt;Executive Director Cindy Cohn&lt;/a&gt; opened the evening by reflecting on our victories this past year and reiterated how vital EFF’s mission to protect privacy and free speech is today. She also announced her &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/executive-director-cindy-cohn-will-step-down-after-25-years-eff&quot;&gt;upcoming departure&lt;/a&gt; as Executive Director after a decade in the role (and over 25 years of involvement with EFF!). No need to be too sentimental—Cindy isn’t going far. As we like to say: you can check out at any time, but you never really leave the fight.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Cindy then welcomed one of EFF’s founders, &lt;a href=&quot;http://kaporcenter.org/&quot;&gt;Mitch Kapor&lt;/a&gt;, who joked that he had been “brought out of cold storage” for the occasion. Mitch recalled EFF’s early days, when no one knew exactly how constitutional rights would interact with emerging technologies—but everyone understood the stakes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; “We understood that the matter of digital rights were very important,”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; he reflected. And history has proven them right.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;Honoring Defenders of Digital Freedom&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;The first award of the night, the EFF Award for Defending Digital Freedoms, went to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-software-freedom-law-center-india&quot;&gt;Software Freedom Law Center, India&lt;/a&gt; (SFLC.IN). Presenting the award, EFF &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/david-greene&quot;&gt;Civil Liberties Director David Greene&lt;/a&gt; emphasized the importance of international partners like SFLC.IN, whose local perspectives enrich and strengthen EFF’s own work.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;SFLC.IN is at the forefront of digital rights in India—challenging internet shutdowns, tracking violations of free expression with their Free Speech Tracker, and training lawyers across the country. Accepting the award, SFLC.IN &lt;a href=&quot;https://sflc.in/know-our-team/#founder&quot;&gt;founder Mishi Choudhary&lt;/a&gt; reminded us: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;“These freedoms are not abstract. They are fought for every day by people, by organizations, and by movements.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot; style=&quot;width: 1200px;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/18/img_3831.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;1200&quot; height=&quot;600&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;SFLC.IN founder Mishi Choudhary accepts the EFF Award for Defending Digital Freedoms&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Next, EFF &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/f-mario-trujillo&quot;&gt;Staff Attorney Mario Trujillo&lt;/a&gt; introduced the winner of the EFF Award for Protecting Americans’ Data, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-erie-meyer&quot;&gt;Erie Meyer&lt;/a&gt;. Erie has served as CTO of the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and was a founding member of the U.S. Digital Service. Today, she &lt;a href=&quot;https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287.18.0_1.pdf&quot;&gt;continues to fight&lt;/a&gt; for better &lt;a href=&quot;https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.111.9.pdf&quot;&gt;government technology&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Testimony-of-Erie-Meyer-2.pdf&quot;&gt;safeguards&lt;/a&gt; for sensitive data.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;In her remarks, Erie underscored the urgency of protecting personal data at scale: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;“We need to protect people’s data the same way we protect this country from national security risks. What’s happening right now is like all the data breaches in history rolled into one. ‘Trust me, bro’ is not a way to handle 550 million Americans’ data.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot; style=&quot;width: 1200px;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/18/img_3860.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;1200&quot; height=&quot;600&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Erie Meyer accepts the EFF Award for Protecting Americans’ Data&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;Finally, EFF &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/about/staff/jennifer-lynch&quot;&gt;General Counsel Jennifer Lynch&lt;/a&gt; introduced the EFF Award for Leading Immigration and Surveillance Litigation, presented to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/eff-awards-spotlight-just-futures-law&quot;&gt;Just Futures Law&lt;/a&gt;. Co-founder and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.justfutureslaw.org/team&quot;&gt;Executive Director Paromita Shah&lt;/a&gt; accepted on behalf of the organization, which works to challenge the ways surveillance disproportionately harms people of color in the U.S.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;“For years, corporations and law enforcement—including ICE—have been testing the legal limits of their tools on communities of color,”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; Paromita said in her speech. Just Futures Law has fought back, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.justfutureslaw.org/legal-filings/dhsaifoia&quot;&gt;suing the Department of Homeland Security&lt;/a&gt; to reveal its use of AI, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.justfutureslaw.org/legal-filings/clearview&quot;&gt;defending activists&lt;/a&gt; against surveillance technologies like Clearview AI.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot; style=&quot;width: 1200px;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/18/img_3928.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;1200&quot; height=&quot;590&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Just Futures Law Executive Director Paromita Shah accepted the EFF Award for Leading Immigration and Surveillance Litigation&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;Carrying the Work Forward&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;We’re honored to shine a spotlight on these award winners, who are doing truly fearless and essential work to protect online privacy and free expression. Their courage reminds us that the fight for civil liberties will be won when we work together—across borders, communities, and movements.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;eff.org/celebrate&quot;&gt;Join the fight and donate today&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img style=&quot;border-width: 50px; float: left; padding: 25px;&quot; src=&quot;/files/2025/09/18/circle_staff.png&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A heartfelt thank you to all of the EFF members worldwide who make this work possible. Public support is what allows us to push for a better internet. If you’d like to join the fight, &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/celebrate&quot;&gt;consider becoming an EFF member&lt;/a&gt;—you’ll receive special gear as our thanks, and you’ll help power&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; the digital freedom movement.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;And finally, special thanks to the sponsor of this year’s EFF Awards: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.electriccapital.com/&quot;&gt;Electric Capital&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h4&gt; &lt;/h4&gt;&lt;h4&gt; &lt;/h4&gt;&lt;h4&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;Catch Up From the Event&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt;Reminder that if you missed the event, you can watch the live recording on our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/live/uOYqIT35ks0?si=JSKgca9GeSoMrGLT&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/eff-awards-2025&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/a&gt;. Plus, a special thank you to our photographers, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.schoenfeldt.com/index.html&quot;&gt;Alex Schoenfeldt&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.carolinakroon.com/&quot;&gt;Carolina Kroon&lt;/a&gt;. You can see some of our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/node/111215&quot;&gt;favorite group photos&lt;/a&gt; that were taken during the event, and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/node/111218&quot;&gt;photos of the awardees&lt;/a&gt; with their trophies. &lt;/p&gt;
  1433.  
  1434. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1435.     <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:10:49 +0000</pubDate>
  1436. <guid isPermaLink="false">111216 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1437. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  1438. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/img_9822.jpg" alt="EFF staff and awardees at the 2025 EFF Awards ceremony" type="image/jpeg" length="256972" />
  1439.  </item>
  1440.  <item>
  1441.    <title>EFF, ACLU to SFPD: Stop Illegally Sharing Data With ICE and Anti-Abortion States</title>
  1442.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-aclu-sfpd-stop-illegally-sharing-data-ice-and-anti-abortion-states</link>
  1443.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The San Francisco Police Department is the latest California law enforcement agency to get caught sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with out-of-state and federal agencies. EFF and the ACLU of Northern California are calling them out for this direct violation of California law, which has put every driver in the city at risk and is especially dangerous for immigrants, abortion seekers, and other targets of the federal government.&lt;/p&gt;
  1444. &lt;p&gt;This week, we sent the San Francisco Police Department a demand letter and request for records under the city’s Sunshine Ordinance following the &lt;a href=&quot;https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/08/sfpd-flock-alpr-ice-data-sharing/&quot;&gt;SF Standard’s recent report&lt;/a&gt; that SFPD provided non-California agencies direct access to the city’s ALPR database. Reporters uncovered that at least 19 searches run by these agencies were marked as related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”). The city’s ALPR database was also searched by law enforcement agencies from Georgia and Texas, both states with severe restrictions on reproductive healthcare.&lt;/p&gt;
  1445. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/automated-license-plate-readers-alpr&quot;&gt;ALPRs&lt;/a&gt; are cameras that capture the movements of vehicles and upload the location of the vehicles to a searchable, shareable database. It is a mass surveillance technology that collects data indiscriminately on every vehicle on the road. As of September 2025, SFPD operates &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26102733-devices-coronado-ca-pd-admin-flock-safety/#document/p43/a2671668&quot;&gt;415 ALPR cameras&lt;/a&gt; purchased from the company Flock Safety.&lt;/p&gt;
  1446. &lt;p&gt;Since 2016, sharing ALPR data with out-of-state or federal agencies—for &lt;em&gt;any&lt;/em&gt; reason—violates California law (&lt;a href=&quot;https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&amp;amp;division=3.&amp;amp;title=1.81.23.&amp;amp;part=4.&amp;amp;chapter=&amp;amp;article&quot;&gt;SB 34&lt;/a&gt;). If this data is shared for the purpose of assisting with immigration enforcement, agencies violate an additional California law (&lt;a href=&quot;https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB54&quot;&gt;SB 54&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;
  1447. &lt;p&gt;In total, the SF Standard found that SFPD had allowed out-of-state cops to run 1.6 million searches of their data. “This sharing violated state law, as well as exposed sensitive driver location information to misuse by the federal government and by states that lack California’s robust privacy protections,” the letter explained.&lt;/p&gt;
  1448. &lt;p&gt;EFF and ACLU are urging SFPD to launch a thorough audit of its ALPR database, institute new protocols for compliance, and assess penalties and sanctions for any employee found to be sharing ALPR information out of state.&lt;/p&gt;
  1449. &lt;p&gt;“Your office reportedly claims that agencies outside of California are no longer able to access the SFPD ALPR database,” the letter says. “However, your office has not explained how outside agencies obtained access in the first place or how you plan to prevent future violations of SB 34 and 54.”&lt;/p&gt;
  1450. &lt;p&gt;As we’ve demonstrated &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/civil-liberties-groups-demand-california-police-stop-sharing-drivers-location-data&quot;&gt;over&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/dozens-rogue-california-police-agencies-still-sharing-driver-locations-anti-abortion&quot;&gt;over&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/cases/lagleva-v-marin&quot;&gt;again&lt;/a&gt;, many California agencies continue to ignore these laws, exposing sensitive location information to misuse and putting entire communities at risk. As federal agencies continue to carry out violent ICE raids, and many states enforce harsh, draconian restrictions on abortion, ALPR technology is already being used to target and surveil &lt;a href=&quot;https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2025/06/california-police-sharing-license-plate-reader-data/&quot;&gt;immigrants&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/she-got-abortion-so-texas-cop-used-83000-cameras-track-her-down&quot;&gt;abortion seekers&lt;/a&gt;. California agencies, including SFPD, have an obligation to protect the rights of Californians, even when those rights are not recognized by other states or the federal government.&lt;/p&gt;
  1451. &lt;p&gt;See the full letter here: &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/files/2025/09/17/aclu_and_eff_letter_to_sfpd_9.16.2025-1.pdf&quot;&gt;https://www.eff.org/files/2025/09/17/aclu_and_eff_letter_to_sfpd_9.16.2025-1.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1452.  
  1453. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1454.     <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 19:44:15 +0000</pubDate>
  1455. <guid isPermaLink="false">111214 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1456. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  1457. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/mass-surveillance-technologies">Surveillance Technologies</category>
  1458. <dc:creator>Jennifer Pinsof</dc:creator>
  1459. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/sls-alpr-2023.png" alt="Automated License Plate Readers" type="image/png" length="12420" />
  1460.  </item>
  1461.  <item>
  1462.    <title>Appeals Court: Abandoned Phones Don’t Equal Abandoned Privacy Rights  </title>
  1463.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/appeals-court-abandoned-phones-dont-equal-abandoned-privacy-rights</link>
  1464.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;This posted was drafted by EFF legal intern Alexandra Halbeck&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1465. &lt;p&gt;The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which covers California and most of the Western U.S., just delivered good news for digital privacy: abandoning a phone doesn’t abandon your Fourth Amendment rights in the phone’s contents. In &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/united-states-v-hunt-9th-circuit-opinion&quot;&gt;United States v. Hunt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, the court made clear that no longer having control of a device is not the same thing as surrendering the privacy of the information it contains. As a result, courts must separately analyze whether someone intended to abandon a physical phone &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; whether they intended to abandon the data stored within it. Given how much personal information our phones contain, it will be unlikely for courts to find that someone truly intended to give up their privacy rights in that data.&lt;/p&gt;
  1466. &lt;p&gt;This approach mirrors what EFF urged in the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/amicus-brief-us-v-hunt&quot;&gt;amicus&lt;/a&gt; brief we filed in &lt;em&gt;Hunt&lt;/em&gt;, joined by the ACLU, ACLU of Oregon, EPIC, and NACDL. We argued that a person may be separated from—or even discard—a device, yet still retain a robust privacy interest in the information it holds. Treating phones like wallets or backpacks ignores the reality of technology. Smartphones are comprehensive archives of our lives, containing years of messages, photos, location history, health data, browsing habits, and countless other intimate details. As the Supreme Court recognized in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/cases/supreme-court-cases-cell-phone-searches&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Riley v. California&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt;, &lt;/em&gt;our phones hold “the privacies of life,” and accessing those digital contents generally requires a warrant. This is an issue EFF has worked on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/eff-supreme-court-losing-your-phone-shouldnt-mean-you-lose-your-fourth-amendment&quot;&gt;across the country&lt;/a&gt;, and it is gratifying to see such an unambiguous ruling from an influential appellate court.&lt;/p&gt;
  1467. &lt;p&gt;The facts of &lt;em&gt;Hunt&lt;/em&gt; underscore why the court’s distinction between a device and its contents matters. In 2017, Dontae Hunt was shot multiple times and dropped an iPhone while fleeing for medical help. Police collected the phone from the crime scene and kept it as evidence. Nearly three years later—during an unrelated drug investigation—federal agents obtained a warrant and searched the phone’s contents. Hunt challenged both the warrantless seizure and the later search, arguing he never intended to abandon either the device or its data.&lt;/p&gt;
  1468. &lt;p&gt;The court rejected the government’s sweeping abandonment theory and drew a crucial line for the digital age: even if police have legal possession of hardware, they do not have green light to rummage through its contents. The panel emphasized that courts must treat the device and the data as separate questions under a Fourth Amendment analysis.&lt;/p&gt;
  1469. &lt;p&gt;In this specific case, because the government ultimately obtained a warrant before searching the device, that aspect of the case survived constitutional scrutiny—but crucially, only on that basis. The court also found that police acted reasonably in initially seizing the phone during the shooting investigation and keeping it as unclaimed property until a warrant could be obtained to search it.&lt;/p&gt;
  1470. &lt;p&gt;Under &lt;em&gt;Hunt,&lt;/em&gt; if officers find a phone that’s been misplaced, dropped during an emergency, or otherwise separated from its owner, they cannot leap from custody of the glass-and-metal shell to unfettered access to the comprehensive digital record inside. This decision ensures that constitutional protections don’t evaporate just because someone abandons their device, and that warrants still matter in the digital age. Our constitutional rights should follow our digital lives—no matter where our devices may end up.&lt;/p&gt;
  1471.  
  1472. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1473.     <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 17:46:09 +0000</pubDate>
  1474. <guid isPermaLink="false">111210 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1475. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  1476. <dc:creator>Andrew Crocker</dc:creator>
  1477. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/mobile-privacy.png" alt="" type="image/png" length="23559" />
  1478.  </item>
  1479.  <item>
  1480.    <title>ICE 🤝 Cyber Mercenaries | EFFector 37.12</title>
  1481.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/ice-cyber-mercenaries-effector-3712</link>
  1482.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&#039;s easy to keep up with the fight for digital privacy and free expression. Our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/effector/37/12&quot;&gt;EFFector newsletter&lt;/a&gt; delivers bite-sized updates, stories, and actions you can take to stay informed and help out.&lt;/p&gt;
  1483. &lt;p&gt;In this latest issue, we show how libraries and schools can &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/libraries-schools-why-organizations-should-install-privacy-badger&quot;&gt;safeguard their computers&lt;/a&gt; with Privacy Badger; highlight the dangers of unaccountable corporations and billionaires &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/san-francisco-gets-invasive-billionaire-bought-surveillance-hq&quot;&gt;buying surveillance tech for police&lt;/a&gt;; &lt;span&gt;and share news that EFF’s Executive Director, Cindy Cohn, will be &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/press/releases/executive-director-cindy-cohn-will-step-down-after-25-years-eff&quot;&gt;stepping down in mid-2026&lt;/a&gt; after more than two decades of leadership.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1484. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFFector isn’t just for reading—you can listen, too! In our audio companion, EFF Senior Staff Technologist Cooper Quintin explains why ICE’s contract with Paragon Solutions is so dangerous. Catch the conversation on &lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/auEIohzk6YQ&quot;&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; or the &lt;a href=&quot;https://archive.org/details/37.12_202509&quot;&gt;Internet Archive&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1485. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://youtu.be/auEIohzk6YQ&quot;&gt;LISTEN TO EFFECTOR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1486. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action take-explainer&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;EFFECTOR 37.12 - ICE 🤝 Cyber Mercenaries&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1487. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Since 1990 EFF has &lt;a href=&quot;eff.org/effector&quot;&gt;published EFFector&lt;/a&gt; to help keep readers on the bleeding edge of their digital rights. We know that the intersection of technology, civil liberties, human rights, and the law can be complicated, so EFFector is a great way to stay on top of things. The newsletter is chock full of links to updates, announcements, blog posts, and other stories to help keep readers—and listeners—up to date on the movement to protect online privacy and free expression. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1488. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Thank you to the supporters around the world who make our work possible! If you&#039;re not a member yet, &lt;a href=&quot;https://eff.org/effect&quot;&gt;join EFF today&lt;/a&gt; to help us fight for a brighter digital future.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1489.  
  1490. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1491.     <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 17:19:04 +0000</pubDate>
  1492. <guid isPermaLink="false">111208 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1493. <dc:creator>Christian Romero</dc:creator>
  1494. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/effector_banner_5.jpeg" alt="" type="image/jpeg" length="130379" />
  1495.  </item>
  1496.  <item>
  1497.    <title>When Knowing Someone at Meta Is the Only Way to Break Out of “Content Jail”</title>
  1498.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/when-knowing-someone-meta-only-way-break-out-content-jail</link>
  1499.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the second instalment in a ten-part blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1500. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;During our &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; campaign, we set out to collect and spotlight the growing number of stories from people and organizations that have had abortion-related content removed, suppressed, or flagged by dominant social media platforms. Our survey submissions have revealed some alarming trends, including: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;if you don’t have a personal or second-degree connection at Meta, your chances of restoring your content or account are likely to drop significantly. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1501. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Through the survey, we heard from activists, clinics, and researchers whose accounts were suspended or permanently removed for allegedly violating Meta’s &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;policies on promoting or selling “restricted goods,”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; even when their posts were purely educational or informational. What the submissions also showed is a pattern of overenforcement, lack of transparency, and arbitrary moderation decisions that have specifically affected reproductive health and reproductive justice advocates. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1502. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;When accounts are taken down, appeals can take days, weeks, or even months (if they&#039;re even resolved at all, or if users are even given the option to appeal). For organizations and providers, this means losing access to vital communication tools and being cut off from the communities they serve. This is highly damaging since so much of that interaction happens on Meta’s platforms. Yet we saw a disturbing pattern emerge in our survey: on several occasions, accounts are swiftly restored once someone with a connection to Meta intervenes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1503. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;The&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;Case Studies: An Abortion Clinic&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1504. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.redriverwomensclinic.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Red River Women&#039;s Clinic&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; is an abortion clinic in Moorhead, MN. It was originally located in Fargo, North Dakota, and for many years was the only abortion clinic in North Dakota. In early January, the clinic’s director heard from a patient that she thought they only offered procedural/surgical abortions and not medication abortion. To clarify for other patients, they posted on the clinic’s page that they offered both procedural and medication abortions—attaching an image of a box of mifepristone. When they tried to boost the post, the ad was flagged and their account was suspended.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1505. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;They appealed the decision and initially got the ad approved, yet the page was suspended again shortly after. But this time, multiple appeals and direct emails went unanswered, until they reached out to a digital rights organization that&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; was able to connect with staff at Meta that stepped in. Only then was their page restored, with Meta noting that their post did not violate the policies but warning that future violations could lead to permanent removal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1506. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;While this may have been a glitch in Meta’s systems or a misapplication of policy, the suspension of the clinic’s Facebook account was detrimental for them. “We were unable to update our followers about dates/times we were closed, we were unable to share important information and news about abortion that would have kept our followers up to date, there was a legislative session happening and we were unable to share events and timely asks for reaching out to legislators about issues,” shared Tammi Kromenaker, Director of Red River Women&#039;s Clinic. The clinic was also prevented from starting an Instagram page due to the suspension. “Facebook has a certain audience and Instagram has another audience,” said Kromenaker, “we are trying to cater to all of our supporters so the loss of FB and the inability to access and start an Instagram account were really troubling to us.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1507. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Case Studies: RISE at Emory University&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1508. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://rise.emory.edu/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;RISE, a reproductive health research center at Emory University&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, launched an Instagram account to share community-centered research and combat misinformation related to reproductive health. In January of this year, they posted educational content about mifepristone on their instagram. “Let&#039;s talk about Mifepristone + its uses + the importance of access”, read the post. Two months later, their account was suddenly suspended, flagging the account under its policy against selling illegal drugs. Their appeal was denied, which led to the account being permanently deleted. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1509. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/12/screenshot_2025-09-12_at_12.26.09_pm.png&quot; width=&quot;1272&quot; height=&quot;820&quot; alt=&quot;A screenshot of an instagram post from @emory.rise that reads &amp;quot;let&#039;s talk about mifepristone&amp;quot; in bold black font &amp;quot;+ its uses + the importance of access&amp;quot; in blue&quot; title=&quot;A screenshot of an instagram post from @emory.rise that reads &amp;quot;let&#039;s talk about mifepristone&amp;quot; in bold black font &amp;quot;+ its uses + the importance of access&amp;quot; in blue&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by RISE to EFF&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1510. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;“As a team, this was a hit to our morale” shared Sara Redd, Director of Research Translation at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;RISE&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;. “We pour countless hours of person-power, creativity, and passion into creating the content we have on our page, and having it vanish virtually overnight took a toll on our team.” For many organizational users like RISE, their social media accounts are a repository for resources and metrics that may not be stored elsewhere. “We spent a significant amount of already-constrained team capacity attempting to recover all of the content we’d created for Instagram that was potentially going to be permanently lost. [...] We also spent a significant amount of time and energy trying to understand what options we might have available from Meta to appeal our case and/or recover our account; their support options are not easily accessible, and the time it took to navigate this issue distracted from our existing work.”  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1511. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta restored the account only after RISE was able to connect with someone there. Once RISE logged back in, they confirmed that the flagged post was the one about mifepristone. The post never sold or directed people where to buy pills, it simply provided accurate information about the use and efficacy of the drug. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1512. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;This Shouldn’t Be How Content Moderation Works&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1513. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta spokespersons have admitted to instances of “overenforcement” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/24/24350967/metas-instagram-facebook-abortion-access-information-blocking-banning&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;in various&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2025/01/27/abortion-pill-information-censored-online-1&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;press statements&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, noting that content is sometimes incorrectly removed or blurred even when it doesn’t actually violate policy. Meta has insisted to the public that they care about free speech, as a spokesperson mentioned &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/11/business/abortion-groups-tech-platforms.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;to The New York Times&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: “We want our platforms to be a place where people can access reliable information about health services, advertisers can promote health services and everyone can discuss and debate public policies in this space [...] That’s why we allow posts and ads about, discussing and debating abortion.” In fact, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.facebook.com/business/help/263390265553560?id=434838534925385&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;their platform policies directly mention this&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1514. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Note that advertisers don’t need authorization to run ads that only:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1515. &lt;ul&gt;
  1516. &lt;li&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Educate, advocate or give public service announcements related to prescription drugs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1517. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1518. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  1519. &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Additionally&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1520. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Note: Debating or advocating for the legality or discussing scientific or medical merits of prescription drugs is allowed. This includes news and public service announcements. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1521. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  1522. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Meta also has policies specific to “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/health-wellness&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Health and Wellness,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;” where they state: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1523. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;When targeting people 18 years or older, advertisers can run ads that:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1524. &lt;ul&gt;
  1525. &lt;li&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Promote sexual and reproductive health and wellness products or services, as long as the focus is on health and the medical efficacy of the product or the service and not on the sexual pleasure or enhancement. And these ads must target people 18 years or older. This includes ads for: [...]&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1526. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Family planning methods, such as:&lt;/span&gt;
  1527. &lt;ul&gt;
  1528. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Family planning clinics&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1529. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or any other artificial insemination procedures&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1530. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;Fertility awareness&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1531. &lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abortion medical consultation and related services&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1532. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1533. &lt;/li&gt;
  1534. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1535. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
  1536. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But these public commitments don’t always match users’ experiences. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1537. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Take the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/technology/instagram-facebook-abortion-pill-providers.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;widely&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://jessica.substack.com/p/instagram-is-censoring-abortion-pill&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;covered&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; case of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://aidaccess.org/en/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Aid Access&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, a group that provides medication abortion by mail. This year, several of their Instagram posts were blurred and removed on Instagram, including one with tips for feeling safe and supported at home after taking abortion medication. But only after multiple national media outlets contacted Meta for comment on the story were the posts and account restored.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1538. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;So the question becomes: If Meta admits its enforcement isn’t perfect, why does it still take knowing someone, or having the media involved, to get a fair review? When companies like Meta claim to uphold &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/meta-more-speech-fewer-mistakes/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;commitments to free speech&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, those commitments &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/metas-new-content-policy-will-harm-vulnerable-users-if-it-really-valued-free&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;should materialize&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; in clear policies that are enforced equally, not only when it is escalated through leveraging relationships with Meta personnel.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1539. &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;“Facebook Jail” Reform&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1540. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;There is no question that the enforcement of these content moderation policies on Meta platforms and the length of time people are spending in “content jail” or “Facebook/Instagram jail” has created a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/chilling-effect-overview&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;chilling effect&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1541. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;“I think that I am more cautious and aware that the 6.1K followers we have built up over time could be taken away at any time based on the whims of Meta,” Tammi from Red River Women’s Clinic told us. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1542. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;RISE sees it in a slightly different light, sharing that “[w]hile this experience has not affected our fundamental values and commitment to sharing our work and rigorous science, it has highlighted for us that no information posted on a third-party platform is entirely one’s own, and thus can be dismantled at any moment.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1543. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;At the end of the day, clinics are left afraid to post basic information, patients are left confused or misinformed, and researchers lose access to their audiences. But unless your issue catches the attention of a journalist or you know someone at Meta, you might never regain access to your account.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1544. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;These case studies highlight the urgent need for transparent, equitable, and timely enforcement that is not dependent on insider connections, as well as accountability from platforms that claim to support open dialogue and free speech. Meta’s admitted overenforcement should, at minimum, be coupled with efficient and well-staffed review processes and policies that are transparent and easily understandable. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1545. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;It’s time for Meta and other social media platforms to implement the reforms they claim to support, and for them to prove that protecting access to vital health information doesn’t hinge on who you know.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1546. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;This is the second post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1547.  
  1548. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1549.     <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:50:32 +0000</pubDate>
  1550. <guid isPermaLink="false">111194 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1551. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1552. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/free-speech">Free Speech</category>
  1553. <dc:creator>Rindala Alajaji</dc:creator>
  1554. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/stopcensoringabortion-banner-2.png" alt="two hands holding a box of mifepristone tablets, with a sheet reading &amp;quot;access denied&amp;quot; pulled out" type="image/png" length="348746" />
  1555.  </item>
  1556.  <item>
  1557.    <title>Mexican Allies Raise Alarms About New Mass Surveillance Laws, Call for International Support</title>
  1558.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/mexican-allies-raise-alarms-about-new-mass-surveillance-laws-call-international</link>
  1559.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Mexican government passed a package of outrageously &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.courthousenews.com/mexico-approves-security-reforms-allowing-military-to-collect-personal-data/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;privacy-invasive&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://r3d.mx/2025/08/06/el-gobierno-mexicano-refuerza-sus-capacidades-de-vigilancia-con-el-nuevo-paquete-de-leyes/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;laws&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; in July that gives both civil and military law enforcement forces access to troves of personal data and forces every individual to turn over biometric information regardless of any suspicion of crime.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1560. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The laws create a new interconnected intelligence system dubbed the Central Intelligence Platform, under which intelligence and security agencies &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://mexicobusiness.news/cybersecurity/news/mexicos-new-intelligence-law-sparks-privacy-debate&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;at all levels of government&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;—federal, state and municipal—have the power to access, from any entity public or private, personal information for “intelligence purposes,” including license plate numbers, biometric information, telephone details that allow the identification of individuals, financial, banking, and health records, public and private property records, tax data, and more.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1561. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;You read that right. Banks’ customer information databases? Straight into the platform. Hospital patient records? Same thing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1562. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The laws were ostensively passed in the name of gathering intelligence to fight high-impact crime. Civil society &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://articulo19.org/organizaciones-rechazamos-el-paquete-legislativo-que-avanza-para-legalizar-la-vigilancia-por-parte-del-estado/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;organizations&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, including our partners &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://articulo19.org/ley-de-la-guardia-nacional-legaliza-la-vigilancia-sin-controles-por-parte-del-ejercito/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;RD3 and Article 19 Mexico&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, have raised alarms about the bills—as R3D put it, these new laws establish an uncontrolled system of surveillance and social control that goes against privacy and free expression rights and the presumption of innocence. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1563. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/r3d-concept-note-mexican-laws&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;concept note&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; made public recently, RD3 breaks down exactly how bad the bills are. The General Population Act forces every person in Mexico to enroll in a mandatory biometric ID system with fingerprints and a photo. Under the law, public and private entities are required to ask for the ID for any transaction or access to services, such as banking, healthcare, education, and access to social programs. All data generated through the ID mandate will feed into a new Unique Identity Platform under the Disappeared Persons Act. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1564. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The use of biometric IDs creates a system for tracking activities of the population—also accessible through the Central Intelligence Platform. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1565. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Telecommunications Act requires telecom companies to create a registry that connects people’s phone numbers with their biometric ID held by the government and cut services off to customers who won’t go along with the practice. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1566. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;It gets worse.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1567. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;The Intelligence Act explicitly guarantees the armed forces, through the National Guard, legal access to the Central Intelligence Platform, which enables real-time consultation of interconnected databases across sectors. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1568. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Companies, both domestic and international, must either interconnect their databases or hand over information on request. Mexican authorities can share that information even with foreign governments. It also exempts judicial authorization requirements for certain types of surveillance and classifies the entire system as confidential, with criminal penalties for disclosure. All of this is allowed without any suspicion of a crime or prior judicial approval. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1569. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We urge everyone to pay close attention to and support efforts to hold the Mexican government accountable for this egregious surveillance system. RD3 &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://r3d.mx/2025/09/02/r3d-presenta-demandas-de-amparo-contra-el-paquete-legislativo-que-amplia-las-facultades-de-vigilancia/&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;challenged the laws&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; in court and international support is critical to raise awareness and push back.  As R3D put it, &quot;collaboration is vital for the defense of human rights,&quot; especially in the face of uncontrolled powers set by disproportionate laws. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1570. &lt;p data-ccp-border-bottom=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-bottom=&quot;0px&quot; data-ccp-border-between=&quot;0px none #000000&quot; data-ccp-padding-between=&quot;0px&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We couldn’t agree more and stand with our Mexican allies.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;278}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1571.  
  1572. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1573.     <pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:02:45 +0000</pubDate>
  1574. <guid isPermaLink="false">111199 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1575. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/international">International</category>
  1576. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/surveillance-human-rights">Surveillance and Human Rights</category>
  1577. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy">Privacy</category>
  1578. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/necessary-and-proportionate">Necessary and Proportionate</category>
  1579. <dc:creator>Karen Gullo</dc:creator>
  1580. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/np-logo-banner.png" alt="Necessary &amp;amp; Proportionate logo" type="image/png" length="18895" />
  1581.  </item>
  1582.  <item>
  1583.    <title>California, Tell Governor Newsom: Regulate AI Police Reports and Sign S.B. 524 </title>
  1584.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/california-tell-governor-newsom-regulate-ai-police-reports-and-sign-sb-524</link>
  1585.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The California legislature has passed a necessary piece of legislation, S.B. 524, which starts to regulate police reports written by generative AI. Now, it’s up to us to make sure Governor Newsom will sign the bill. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1586. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;We must make our voices heard. These technologies &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/effs-guide-getting-records-about-axons-ai-generated-police-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;obscure certain records and drafts from public disclosure&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. Vendors have&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://finance.yahoo.com/news/axon-enterprise-inc-axon-rise-161418536.html&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt; invested heavily &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;on their ability to sell police genAI. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1587. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://act.eff.org/action/tell-governor-newsom-rein-in-ai-police-reports-and-sign-s-b-524&quot;&gt;TAKE ACTION&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1588. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;AI-generated police reports are spreading rapidly. The most popular product on the market is Axon’s Draft One, which is already one of the country’s biggest purveyors of police tech, including body-worn cameras. By &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/beware-bundle-companies-are-banking-becoming-your-police-departments-favorite&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;bundling their products together&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, Axon has capitalized on its customer base to spread their untransparent and potentially harmful genAI product. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1589. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Many things can go wrong when genAI is used to write narrative police reports. First, because the product relies on body-worn camera audio, there’s a big chance of the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/05/what-can-go-wrong-when-police-use-ai-write-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;AI draft missing context like sarcasm, culturally-specific or contextual vocabulary use and slang, languages other than English&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. While police are expected to edit the AI’s version of events to make up for these flaws, many officers will defer to the AI. Police are also supposed to make an independent decision before arresting a person who was identified by face recognition–and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882683463/the-computer-got-it-wrong-how-facial-recognition-led-to-a-false-arrest-in-michig&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;police mess that up all the time&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. The prosecutor of King County, Washington, has &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/prosecutors-washington-state-warn-police-dont-use-gen-ai-write-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;forbidden local officers from using Draft One&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; out of fear that it is unreliable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Then, of course, there’s the matter of dishonesty. Many public defenders and criminal justice practitioners have voiced concerns about what this technology would do to cross examination. If caught with a different story on the stand than the one in their police report, an officer can easily say, “the AI wrote that and I didn’t edit well enough.” The genAI creates a layer of plausible deniability. Carelessness is a very different offense than lying on the stand. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1590. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;To make matters worse, an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/axons-draft-one-designed-defy-transparency&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;investigation by EFF found that Axon’s Draft One product defies transparency by design.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; The technology is deliberately built to obscure what portion of a finished report was written by AI and which portions were written by an officer–making it difficult to determine if an officer is lying about which portions of a report were written by AI. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1591. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;But now, California has an important chance to join with other states like &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/utah-bill-aims-make-officers-disclose-ai-written-police-reports&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Utah&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt; that are passing laws to reign in these technologies, and what minimum safeguards and transparency must go along with using them. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1592. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;S.B. 524 does several important things: It mandates that police reports written by AI include disclaimers on every page or within the body of the text that make it clear that this report was written in part or in total by a computer. It also says that any reports written by AI must retain their first draft. That way, it should be easier for defense attorneys, judges, police supervisors, or any other auditing entity to see which portions of the final report were written by AI and which parts were written by the officer. Further, the bill requires officers to sign and verify that they read the report and its facts are correct. And it bans AI vendors from selling or sharing the information a police agency provided to the AI.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1593. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;These common-sense, first-step reforms are important: watchdogs are struggling to figure out where and how AI is being used in a police context. In fact, Axon’s Draft One, would be out of compliance with this bill, which would require them to redesign their tool to make it more transparent—a small win for communities everywhere. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1594. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;So now we’re asking you: help us make a difference. Use EFF’s Action Center to tell Governor Newsom to sign S.B. 524 into law! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1595. &lt;p class=&quot;take-action&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://act.eff.org/action/tell-governor-newsom-rein-in-ai-police-reports-and-sign-s-b-524&quot;&gt;TAKE ACTION&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1596.  
  1597. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1598.     <pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:30:26 +0000</pubDate>
  1599. <guid isPermaLink="false">111203 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1600. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/street-level-surveillance">Street-Level Surveillance</category>
  1601. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/ai">Artificial Intelligence &amp; Machine Learning</category>
  1602. <dc:creator>Matthew Guariglia</dc:creator>
  1603. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/robot-robot-3.png" alt="a robot writing a police report" type="image/png" length="42337" />
  1604.  </item>
  1605.  <item>
  1606.    <title>Our Stop Censoring Abortion Campaign Uncovers a Social Media Censorship Crisis </title>
  1607.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/our-stop-censoring-abortion-campaign-uncovers-social-media-censorship-crisis</link>
  1608.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the first installment in a blog series documenting EFF&#039;s findings from the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/stop-censoring-abortion-fight-reproductive-rights-digital-age&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Stop Censoring Abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; campaign. You can read additional posts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1609. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We’ve been hearing that social media platforms are censoring abortion-related content, even when no law requires them to do so. Now, we’ve got the receipts.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1610. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;For months, EFF has been investigating stories from users whose abortion-related content has been taken down or otherwise suppressed by major social media platforms. In collaboration with our allies—including &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.plancpills.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Plan C&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.womenonweb.org/en/home-en/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Women on Web&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://reproaction.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Reproaction&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://womenfirstdigital.org/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Women First Digital&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;—we launched the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;#StopCensoringAbortion campaign&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; to collect and amplify these stories. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1611. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Submissions came from a variety of users, including personal accounts, influencers, healthcare clinics, research organizations, and advocacy groups from across the country and abroad—a spectrum that underscores the wide reach of this censorship. Since the start of the year, we’ve seen nearly 100 examples of abortion-related content taken down by social media platforms.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1612. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We analyzed these takedowns, deletions, and bans, comparing the content to what platform policies allow—particularly those of Meta—and found that &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;almost none of the submissions we received violated any of the platforms’ stated policies. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Most of the censored posts simply provided factual, educational information. This Threads post is a perfect example:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1613. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/11/screenshot_2025-09-11_at_2.59.39_pm.png&quot; width=&quot;430&quot; height=&quot;370&quot; alt=&quot;Screenshot of removed post submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&quot; title=&quot;Screenshot of removed post submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1614. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In this post, health policy strategist Lauren Kahre discussed abortion pills’ availability via mail. She provided factual information about two FDA approved medications (mifepristone and misoprostol), including facts like shelf life and how to store pills safely. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1615. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Lauren’s post doesn’t violate any of Meta’s policies and shouldn’t have been removed. But don’t just take our word for it: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Meta has publicly insisted that posts like these should &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;not&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; be censored.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; In a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Obstacles-to-Autonomy-Post-Roe-Removal-of-Abortion-Information-Online.pdf&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;February 2024 letter to Amnesty International&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;, Meta Human Rights Policy Director Miranda Sissons wrote: “Organic content (i.e., non paid content) educating users about medication abortion is allowed and does not violate our Community Standards. Additionally, providing guidance on legal access to pharmaceuticals is allowed.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1616. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Still, shortly after Lauren shared this post, Meta took it down. Perhaps even more perplexing was their explanation for doing so. According to Meta, the post was removed because “&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;[they] don’t allow people to buy, sell, or exchange drugs that require a prescription from a doctor or a pharmacist.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1617. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption caption-center&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-width-container&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;caption-inner&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;/files/2025/09/11/screenshot_2025-09-11_at_2.41.18_pm.png&quot; width=&quot;243&quot; height=&quot;394&quot; alt=&quot;Screenshot of takedown notice submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&quot; title=&quot;Screenshot of takedown notice submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&quot; /&gt;&lt;p class=&quot;caption-text&quot;&gt;Screenshot submitted by Lauren Kahre to EFF&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1618. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In the submissions we received, this was the most common reason Meta gave for removing abortion-related content. The company frequently claimed that posts violated&lt;/span&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/restricted-goods-services/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;policies on Restricted Goods and Services&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;which prohibit any “attempts to buy, sell, trade, donate, gift or ask for pharmaceutical drugs.” &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1619. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Yet in Lauren’s case and others, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;the posts very clearly did no such thing. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;And as &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/obstacles-to-autonomy-post-roe-removal-of-abortion-information-online/&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Meta itself has explained&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;: “Providing guidance on how to legally access pharmaceuticals is permitted as it is &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;not&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; considered an offer to buy, sell or trade these drugs.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1620. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In fact, Meta’s policies on Restricted Goods &amp;amp; Services further state: “We allow discussions about the sale of these goods in stores or by online retailers, advocating for changes to regulations of goods and services covered in this policy, and advocating for or concerning the use of pharmaceutical drugs in the context of medical treatment, including discussion of physical or mental side effects.” Also, “Debating or advocating for the legality or discussing scientific or medical merits of prescription drugs is allowed. This includes news and public service announcements.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1621. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;Over and over again, the policies say one thing, but the actual enforcement says another.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1622. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We spoke with multiple Meta representatives to share these findings. We asked hard questions about their policies and the gap between how they’re being applied. Unfortunately, we were mostly left with the same concerns, but we’re continuing to push them to do better. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1623. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;In the coming weeks, we will share a series of blogs further examining trends we found, including stories of unequal enforcement, where individuals and organizations needed to rely on internal connections at Meta to get wrongfully censored posts restored; examples of account suspensions without sufficient warnings; an exploration of Meta’s ad policies; practical tips for users to avoid being censored; and concrete steps platforms should take to reform their abortion content moderation practices. For a preview, we’ve already shared some of our findings with &lt;a href=&quot;https://apnews.com/article/social-media-abortion-censorship-eff-a71965f86b40912db10fad6d26bcdd95&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;Barbara Ortutay at The Associated Press&lt;/a&gt;, whose &lt;a href=&quot;https://apnews.com/article/social-media-abortion-censorship-eff-a71965f86b40912db10fad6d26bcdd95&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer&quot;&gt;report&lt;/a&gt; on some of these takedowns was published today&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1624. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;We hope this series highlighting examples of abortion content censorship will help the public and the platforms understand the breadth of this problem, who is affected, and with what consequences. These stories collectively underscore the urgent need for platforms to review and consistently enforce their policies in a fair and transparent manner. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1625. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;With &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights&quot;&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;reproductive rights under attack&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt; both in the U.S. and abroad, sharing accurate information about abortion online has never been more critical. Together, we can hold platforms like Meta accountable, demand transparency in moderation practices, and ultimately stop the censorship of this essential, sometimes life-saving information.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;240}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1626. &lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;This is the first post in our blog series documenting the findings from our Stop Censoring Abortion campaign. Read more in the series: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;auto&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span data-contrast=&quot;none&quot;&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span data-ccp-props=&quot;{}&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1627.  
  1628. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1629.     <pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:07:16 +0000</pubDate>
  1630. <guid isPermaLink="false">111192 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1631. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights">Reproductive Justice</category>
  1632. <dc:creator>Jennifer Pinsof</dc:creator>
  1633. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/04_stopcensoringabortion-banner1.png" alt="An illustration of hands opening a box of abortion pills and pulling out a insert that says &amp;quot;Access Denied&amp;quot;" type="image/png" length="358787" />
  1634.  </item>
  1635.  <item>
  1636.    <title>EFF to Court: The Supreme Court Must Rein in Expansive Secondary Copyright Liability</title>
  1637.    <link>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/09/eff-court-supreme-court-must-rein-expansive-secondary-copyright-liability</link>
  1638.    <description>&lt;div class=&quot;field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__items&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;field__item even&quot;&gt;&lt;p&gt;If the Supreme Court doesn’t reverse a lower court’s ruling, internet service providers (ISPs) could be forced to terminate people’s internet access based on nothing more than mere accusations of copyright infringement. This would threaten innocent users who rely on broadband for essential aspects of daily life. EFF—along with the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, and Re:Create—filed an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/cox-v-sonyeff-amicus-brief&quot;&gt;amicus brief&lt;/a&gt; urging the Court to reverse the decision.&lt;/p&gt;
  1639. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Stakes: Turning ISPs into Copyright Police&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1640. &lt;p&gt;Among other things, the Supreme Court approving the appeals court’s findings will radically change the amount of risk your ISP takes on if a customer infringes on copyright, forcing the ISP to terminate access to the internet for those users accused of copyright infringement—and everyone else who uses that internet connection.&lt;/p&gt;
  1641. &lt;p&gt;This issue turns on what courts call “secondary liability,” which is the legal idea that someone can be held responsible not for what they did directly, but for what someone else did using their product or service.&lt;/p&gt;
  1642. &lt;p&gt;The case began when music companies sued Cox Communications, arguing that the ISP should be held liable for copyright infringement committed by some of its subscribers. The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit agreed, adopting a “material contribution” standard for contributory copyright liability (a rule for when service providers can be held liable for the actions of users). The lower court said that providing a service that &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; be used for infringement is enough to create liability when a customer infringes.&lt;/p&gt;
  1643. &lt;p&gt;In the Patent Act, where Congress &lt;em&gt;has&lt;/em&gt; explicitly defined secondary liability, there’s a different test: contributory infringement exists only where a product is &lt;em&gt;incapable&lt;/em&gt; of substantial &lt;em&gt;non-infringing&lt;/em&gt; use. Internet access, of course, is overwhelmingly used for lawful purposes, making it the very definition of a “staple article of commerce” that can’t be liable under the patent framework. Yet under the Fourth Circuit’s rule, ISPs could face billion-dollar damages if they fail to terminate users on the basis of even flimsy or automated infringement claims.&lt;/p&gt;
  1644. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Our Argument: Apply Clear Rules from the Patent Act, Not Confusing Judge-Made Tests&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1645. &lt;p&gt;Our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/cox-v-sonyeff-amicus-brief&quot;&gt;brief&lt;/a&gt; urges the Court to do what it has done in the past: look to patent law to define the limits of secondary liability in copyright. That means contributory infringement must require more than a “material contribution” by the service provider—it should apply only when a product or service is especially designed for infringement and lacks substantial non-infringing uses.&lt;/p&gt;
  1646. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Human Cost: Losing Internet Access Hurts Everyone &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1647. &lt;p&gt;The Fourth Circuit’s rule threatens devastating consequences for the public. Terminating an ISP account doesn’t just affect a person accused of unauthorized file sharing—it cuts off entire households, schools, libraries, or businesses that share an internet connection.&lt;/p&gt;
  1648. &lt;ul&gt;
  1649. &lt;li&gt;Public libraries, which provide internet access to millions of Americans who lack it at home, could lose essential service.&lt;/li&gt;
  1650. &lt;li&gt;Universities, hospitals, and local governments could see internet access for whole communities disrupted.&lt;/li&gt;
  1651. &lt;li&gt;Households—especially in low-income and communities of color, which disproportionately share broadband connections with other people—would face collective punishment for the alleged actions of a single user.&lt;/li&gt;
  1652. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1653. &lt;p&gt;With more than a third of Americans having only one or no broadband provider, many users would have no way to reconnect once cut off. And given how essential internet access is for education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation, the consequences of termination are severe and disproportionate.&lt;/p&gt;
  1654. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What’s Next&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1655. &lt;p&gt;The Supreme Court has an opportunity to correct course. We’re asking the Court to reject the Fourth Circuit’s unfounded “material contribution” test, reaffirm that patent law provides the right framework for secondary liability, and make clear that the Constitution requires copyright to serve the public good. The Court should ensure that copyright enforcement doesn’t jeopardize the internet access on which participation in modern life depends.&lt;/p&gt;
  1656. &lt;p&gt;We’ll be watching closely as the Court considers this case. In the meantime, you can read our amicus brief &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.eff.org/document/cox-v-sonyeff-amicus-brief&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  1657.  
  1658. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
  1659.     <pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:25:59 +0000</pubDate>
  1660. <guid isPermaLink="false">111191 at https://www.eff.org</guid>
  1661. <category domain="https://www.eff.org/issues/innovation">Creativity &amp; Innovation</category>
  1662. <dc:creator>Betty Gedlu</dc:creator>
  1663. <enclosure url="https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/fixcopyright-graphic-banner.jpg" alt="EFF Presents &amp;quot;Fix Copyright&amp;quot;, a design featuring a cartoon mouse hacking his tractor." type="image/jpeg" length="359162" />
  1664.  </item>
  1665.  </channel>
  1666. </rss>
  1667.  

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