Electronic Frontier Foundation

Meta’s $17 billion settlement with 52 state attorneys general doesn’t just affect teens. It requires age assurance for Facebook and Instagram users in nearly every state, and normalizes an invasive system that threatens anonymity online. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/09/metas-17-billion-settlement-bad-deal-teens-and-all-social-media-users

OSINT is a powerful tool that community organizers and liberation movement workers can use to stay safe while being realistic about the risks of visibility. Here's our latest guide: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/doxxing-safety-pt-i-prevention-and-footprint-management

There is growing national momentum against ALPR mass surveillance. In the past year, dozens of cities have ended their contracts with Flock and other vendors. In the past week, Florida has ordered the removal of ALPRs from some roads, and Texas has ended its funding of city ALPRs. https://www.wesh.com/article/license-plate-readers-removed-from-state-roads-fdot/73572906

“They are going after the messenger,” EFF's @jilliancyork told

. “I don’t think that the members of the group would necessarily condone the actions of the people that they hosted. What they do condone is the freedom to host, the ability to be anonymous, ... to be private.” https://theintercept.com/2026/08/28/trump-antifa-terrorist-websites-free-speech/

The risk of being doxxed is top of mind for many movement workers. Learn what you can do to care for your digital footprint without compromising your work. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/doxxing-safety-pt-i-prevention-and-footprint-management

ICE has been forced to withdraw many subpoenas seeking social media user data. We're keeping track. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/list-ice-subpoenas-tech-companies

When you're thinking about digital security, start with what you want to protect and who you want to protect it from. https://ssd.eff.org/module/seven-steps-digital-security

Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic. We're happy to see France's top court acknowledge this and strike down the country's legislation banning social media for under-15s. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/french-top-court-gets-it-right-strikes-down-social-media-ban-youths

Being aware of any potential privacy risks is an important part of the decision to use any software, and that includes AI tools. https://ssd.eff.org/module/privacy-considerations-with-ai-tools

The surveillance industry is a key enabler of vast and untold violations of human rights and civil liberties, but people around the world are pushing back against the mass surveillance that is undermining privacy and free expression for everyone. Go to https://takebackctrl.org to learn more.

People are frustrated by emerging tech because it's something being done to them– surveilling, manipulating, draining resources- rather than providing tools to improve their lives, @legind told AZ Family. “These seem like things that are just so disempowering. So out of our control.” https://www.azfamily.com/2026/08/27/fed-up-why-theres-so-much-pushback-against-data-centers-flock-cameras/

Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic. We're happy to see France's top court acknowledge this and strike down the country's legislation banning social media for under-15s. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/french-top-court-gets-it-right-strikes-down-social-media-ban-youths

Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic. We're happy to see France's top court acknowledge this and strike down the country's legislation banning social media for under-15s. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/french-top-court-gets-it-right-strikes-down-social-media-ban-youths

Flock ALPRs or Axon ALPRs? Same difference, EFF’s Rin Alajaji told Fox10 Phoenix. “There is not good surveillance or bad surveillance... it's just government surveillance of your movements.” https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-police-cancel-flock-contracts-over-data-misuse-while-axon-expands-surveillance-technology

The Force is strong with this one. https://www.commondreams.org/news/darth-vader-flock

Age Verification schemes come with a wealth of privacy, security, and access issues. ZKP’s aren’t going to solve any of them, they just kick the problem down the road. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/zkps-arent-age-verification-silver-bullets

“Unfortunately, if you are on a machine that’s been issued by your workplace, you should expect that there’s some type of monitoring,” EFF’s

told @AssociatedPress. https://apnews.com/article/employer-surveillance-bossware-tracking-workplace-7d61e74242b872457bbfcf2223f9ebd5

Do you know how to spot covert automated license plate readers (ALPRs)? Here's what to look out for if you're on the U.S.-Mexico border.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/11/how-identify-automated-license-plate-readers-us-mexico-border

“Anonymity provides you the space to either publish unpopular speech, or speech that is critical of powerful individuals,” EFF’s

told Straight Arrow News. And those powerful individuals could be “folks who are rich and famous, or government officials.” https://san.com/cc/anna-delveys-crusade-against-wikipedia-and-what-it-means-for-the-first-amendment/

Social media bans and other age-based restrictions deny young people their rights to access information and speak online, EFF’s

told

. Non-governmental alternatives – such as parental control tools provided by the companies – are better options. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/18/meta-pays-influencers-teen-social-media-ban

If you want to start taking steps to enhance your digital security, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some simple concepts and tips. https://ssd.eff.org/en/playlist/want-security-starter-pack

Imagine if McDonald’s could use trademark law to control how you use the term “fast food.” The LDS Church has a track record of claiming exactly that kind of authority over the word “Mormon,” using the threat of expensive litigation to pressure speakers into compliance. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/dismiss-churchs-trademark-lawsuit-against-mormon-stories-podcast-eff-urges-court

Flock has paired new reforms with a tone shift recognizing the dangers of their technology. But don’t be fooled: their surveillance business model is the problem, and reforms can’t fix that. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/too-little-too-late-flock-admits-their-technology-needs-reforms

Locking down your phone, being mindful of what you're wearing, and coming up with plans to communicate with others are all key steps to take before attending a protest. https://ssd.eff.org/module/attending-protest

EFF's former Executive Director Cindy Cohn was commemorated in the California Senate on Monday for her years of leadership here at EFF. Her dedication to advocacy and digital rights was pivotal to EFF growing into the organization that is today.

Trademark law isn’t supposed to extend to generic terms. Otherwise, we risk giving trademark owners power to control discussion and debate over entire topics. Yet, the LDS Church is pursuing a lawsuit against a podcast called Mormon Stories for using the word "Mormon." https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/dismiss-churchs-trademark-lawsuit-against-mormon-stories-podcast-eff-urges-court

We submitted comments to the Meta Oversight Board on the removal of content related to the use of prescription drugs in pregnancy and childbirth. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/meta-must-stop-silencing-reproductive-health-information

We are at a critical juncture. We must ensure AI works for everyone. Join Cory Doctorow and Nicole Ozer for a livestream with Q&A on August 12 to learn how you can help!

https://eff.org/livestream-sai

An affordable microcontroller has become the foundation for a growing suite of open-source, user-friendly anti-surveillance tools. Learn about the ESP32 at #DEFCON on Sunday, August 9 at 10:00 am PT on Main Track 1 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/eff-bsideslv-black-hat-and-def-con

EFF's relentless legal work makes a lasting impact on privacy and free speech. But supporting EFF also fuels our Public Interest Technologist team, which builds tools like Privacy Badger and Certbot to put power in your hands while the wheels of justice turn. https://eff.org/vv

Grab a copy of former EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn's new book, Privacy's Defender—and get it signed—while you're at #DEFCON! Signings are happening today in Exhibit Hall West 4 from 11am-12pm & 1-2pm: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/eff-bsideslv-black-hat-and-def-con

“Flock has already claimed that they have oversight, that they have guardrails," yet we still see police officers using these camera networks to stalk women, EFF’s @evacide told The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/02/how-police-officers-used-vast-network-cameras-spy-their-exes/

Technology is inseparable from our workplaces, schools, healthcare, the justice system, and our democratic process. If you think tech should benefit everyone and not just accumulate wealth and control for the powerful, then congratulations: We'd like to welcome you to the team. https://eff.org/vv

Being aware of any potential privacy risks is an important part of the decision to use any software, and that includes AI tools. https://ssd.eff.org/module/privacy-considerations-with-ai-tools

We investigated ad libraries included in apps that facilitate and encourage location data sharing—through privacy-invasive defaults, financial incentives, and unclear documentation. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/developers-beware-ad-libraries-betray-your-users-location-privacy

Most AI tools require some sort of privacy sacrifice, so understanding the risk is important. https://ssd.eff.org/module/privacy-considerations-with-ai-tools

KOSA. The SCREEN Act. The CHATBOT Act. The Youth AI Privacy Act. Four different bills, with the same flawed approach: more surveillance, more data collection, and less privacy online. Tell the Senate to reject all four. https://www.acteff.org/campaign/167270/

Four bills up for a Senate vote on Wednesday would push websites and apps to collect more personal information, putting privacy and anonymous access to lawful speech at risk. Tell your Senators to reject them today: https://www.acteff.org/campaign/167270/

AI-driven surveillance pricing is predatory and needs to be stopped. Join our livestream to learn how you can defend your own privacy—live Q&A included! https://eff.org/livestream-sai

You might be a 1337 hacker, but can you obtain a glorious beard by Friday? Join us at the DEF CON Beard and Mustache Contest on the Contest Stage from 13:00-15:00. All are welcome to spectate (and participate!) https://defcon.org/html/defcon-34/dc-34-contests.html#orga_41367

The internet shouldn’t become an ID checkpoint. https://www.acteff.org/campaign/167270/

On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee will vote on four bills that would expand age verification, increase online surveillance, and make it harder to access lawful speech online. Take one minute to tell your senators to vote NO. https://www.acteff.org/campaign/167270/

Showing your ID to a bartender isn’t the same as uploading your ID online and having it saved in a database. If the SCREEN Act passes, that’s what many adults will have to do to see lawful content online. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/screen-act-threatens-privacy-far-beyond-adult-websites

La Junta de Supervisores de San Francisco postergó su voto de apoyo a la AB 2654, que prohibiría los "precios de vigilancia": cobrarte distinto según los datos personales que las empresas recolectan de ti. EFF les pide reconsiderar y no ceder ante la presión de la Cámara de Comercio. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/san-francisco-dont-fall-industry-defense-surveillance-pricing?language=es

Check out this clip of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and make sure you search the Atlas of Surveillance to see what surveillance technologies are being used in your community. https://www.atlasofsurveillance.org/

"Flock cameras are just one part of a vast ecosystem," Last Week Tonight's John Oliver warned his audience last night. "Check out resources like the EFF's Atlas of Surveillance, which catalogs each of the technologies used in your area." https://www.atlasofsurveillance.org/

El Cuarto Circuito de EE. UU. falló que los agentes fronterizos pueden revisar tu celular a mano sin ninguna sospecha de delito, aunque para un registro forense sí exigen sospecha razonable. EFF advierte que la invasión a la privacidad es la misma. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/fourth-circuit-says-border-agents-can-search-your-phone-hand-no-suspicion-required?language=es

Many people wear a fitness tracker to stay on top of their health—but do these devices respect your privacy? Find out more with our latest issue of EFFector: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/fitness-tracker-privacy-fails-effector-3814

The SCREEN Act isn't just about adult websites. It could require invasive age verification for nearly any online service that hosts a single piece of content deemed “harmful to minors.” https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/screen-act-threatens-privacy-far-beyond-adult-websites

The new CHATBOT Act doesn’t just require parental permission for teens to use AI. It requires AI companies to build monitoring systems that store and analyze entire conversations, creating new privacy risks for entire families. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/chatbot-act-forces-one-parenting-model-every-family

All Americans have a First Amendment right to record law enforcement. This includes ICE and CBP. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/eff-guide-recording-law-enforcement #ICE

Watches, bands, and rings—if you want to digitally monitor your fitness, more companies than ever are selling devices to do it. But what are they doing to protect our sensitive health data from prying eyes? Learn more with EFF's EFFector newsletter and podcast! https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/fitness-tracker-privacy-fails-effector-3814

Hacker Summer Camp is almost here... and with it comes the Fifth Annual EFF Benefit Poker Tournament

hosted by security expert

. Join us on August 7 at the Horseshoe Poker Room and take home new prizes, including bug bounty pins! https://eff.org/poker

EFF’s Dave Maass spoke with @CNN about the anti-ALPR sentiment sweeping the nation. “Once people start learning about the massive scale of the data that’s being collected and who it’s being accessed by, it starts to freak them out.” https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/30/us/flock-camera-vandalism-protests-cec

NEW: EFF’s

joins Jon Stewart’s The Weekly Show to examine how the AI industry relies on inflated expectations, question what AI can genuinely do, and explore how AI supercharges problems like surveillance, labor exploitation, and corporate consolidation.

“Features like this are a good reminder that email tends not to be terribly private to begin with,” EFF’s

told @huffingtonpost. “Gmail’s consistent rollout of AI features in particular really showcases just how much access Google the company has to people’s lives.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/google-ai-inbox-privacy_l_6a68b391e4b09807b5ed6500

Bars should stop using ID scanners that share information, return to standard ID checks, and prove to their customers that their privacy and security still matters. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/why-are-gay-bars-building-databases-their-patrons

Tired of misleading cookie banners? The EU Commission has finally proposed a solution: set your privacy preferences in the browser once, and never see another banner. EFF joins a number of civil society organizations across Europe fighting to #KillTheCookieBanner https://killthecookiebanner.eu/

Sure, maybe you don't need more dice. But these ones help protect free speech and privacy online 🎲 https://shop.eff.org/products/liquid-core-eff-dice

EFF’s Atlas of Surveillance “has become a go‑to source for mapping police technology — which also includes drones, facial-recognition cameras and body cameras — with a searchable database that’s often more dependable than alternatives,” @cnet reports. https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/this-searchable-tool-is-helping-track-flock-surveillance-cameras-in-your-city/

More than 600,000 police reports have been written with help from Axon’s AI tools. Public records obtained by @forbes show that they can introduce errors that cops have to spend time editing out. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/07/22/axon-says-ai-police-reports-save-time-public-records-show-they-get-facts-wrong/

The KIDS Act will effectively create a new mass surveillance system, EFF’s India McKinney wrote for @CoinDesk. Your current online usage is not necessarily linked to your specific identity; if this bill passes, that will likely change.

https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2026/07/23/the-kids-act-is-way-worse-than-digital-carding-it-is-a-mass-surveillance-system

"Getting footage of crime constantly does not equate to building sustainable safety for all people,” EFF’s Matthew Guariglia told KTVU FOX2 Bay Area.

https://www.ktvu.com/news/privacy-concerns-over-sfpd-drone-program

One bit of paperwork filed to California’s privacy agency lets you tell hundreds of data brokers to delete and stop selling your information. Here’s what to know about DROP. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/what-you-need-know-about-californias-drop-tool

The Pentagon's scheme to cut off public access to unclassified documents would let the federal government avoid public accountability. "While its latest move has drawn relatively little attention, it may pose the greatest systemic threat to accountability," writes

' Lauren Harper. https://www.ms.now/opinion/pentagon-unclassified-records-foia-proposal

“There is no technology available that is entirely privacy-protective, fully accurate, and that guarantees complete coverage of the population,” EFF’s Rin Alajaji told @IncMagazine, and “no one should have to sacrifice their privacy or anonymity in order to exercise their free speech rights online.”

https://www.inc.com/georgia-fearn/the-internet-is-starting-to-card-everyone-these-startups-are-making-millions-from-it/91364328

The Right to Repair movement is bigger than fixing your phone. It's a community of everyday people pushing back against corporate control. Join EFF, Adam Savage, and iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens TOMORROW, July 23, to learn how to get involved. Live Q&A included! https://eff.org/livestream-r2r

What does a court case about drivers reporting police checks have to do with social media and freedom of speech? Potentially, a lot. A new ruling of the EU's top court risks pushing platforms to monitor what we say online. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/new-eu-court-justice-ruling-platform-liability-could-cause-collateral-damage

Learn about the spying technologies police are deploying in our communities at EFF's Street-Level Surveillance hub.

https://www.eff.org/sls

Join EFF's Cooperating Attorneys List!

This mailing list is where we post short case descriptions, and interested attorneys simply drop us a note to get connected with the client.

Interested in joining? Send an email to [email protected] with a subject that says: "Add Me to Cooperating Attorneys."

Have you registered for this year's EFF Benefit Poker Tournament at

? Join us at the Horseshoe Poker Room next Friday, August 7, at high noon! Register now https://eff.org/poker

Police in many cases are using Flock ALPR cameras to search not for cars, but for people. “Unfortunately, this ability to search cameras as though doing a search engine inquiry is increasingly common for surveillance cameras,” EFF’s Beryl Lipton told

.

https://www.404media.co/how-cops-use-flock-to-track-people-not-cars/

It’s well past time consumer health wearable companies step up and start providing transparency reports and stronger encryption options. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/most-smart-watches-rings-and-bands-lack-basic-transparency-reports-and-key-privacy

California legislators have backed down from a plan to expand age-gating to web browsers and websites under AB 1856. Because of this critical change and new protections for open-source developers, EFF has removed our opposition to the bill. Read our full update: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/california-steps-back-dangerous-expansion-its-age-gating-law

The EU’s General Court has ensured competitive fairness and openness in the digital marketplace by rejecting Apple’s attempt to escape its interoperability requirements under the Digital Markets Act: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/european-court-apple-can-not-shirk-its-interoperability-requirements

Lack of transparency around how AI tools might be used in creating or changing policy is particularly worrisome, “so having access to the prompts is really the best way to be able to tell what officials are using these tools for and how harmful those uses might be,” EFF’s Tori Noble told @WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/doge-deployed-ai-housing-policy/

Online behavioral advertising has made surveillance the business model of the internet. Privacy Badger fights for a better web by incentivizing companies to respect your privacy. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/online-tracking-out-control-privacy-badger-can-help-you-fight-back

Killing physical discs is just the next step in diminishing your right to own your videogame library. This is how we reclaim digital ownership. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/sony-nerfs-videogame-ownership

It's important that you actually own the products you purchase. Companies are making it harder to fix things, and are even taking away digital media you purchase. You can learn how to fight back with our livestream on July 23: https://eff.org/livestream-r2r

No one—of any age—should have their web browsing tracked and logged from website to website. The Senate should reject the KIDS act and instead pass comprehensive privacy laws that benefit all users. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/house-passed-kids-act-senate-should-reject-it

RSS is a secret trick to making the internet more usable. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/06/hate-algorithm-rss-one-tools-youve-been-looking

A few simple steps can drastically decrease the amount of personal information that’s available about you online. https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-manage-your-digital-footprint

The best way to get around censorship is very dependent on where you are, and what types of censorship you're running into. https://ssd.eff.org/module/understanding-and-circumventing-network-censorship

EFF helped expose Texas' use of automated license plate readers to track down a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion. Our friends at Mayday Health helped make sure pregnant people were aware of the surveillance risk. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/we-want-texans-know-their-rights-qa-mayday-health-impact-surveillance-abortion

Automated content moderation isn’t just a technical problem for clever engineers and product teams to solve. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/part-2-automated-moderation-here-stay-accountability-must-keep-pace

Since EFF's founding we've focused on your right to own the devices that you purchase. Ever wonder why we care about this issue so much? Tune in on July 23 to join Adam Savage and iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens to learn more: https://eff.org/livestream-r2r

36 years ago, EFF started fighting for your digital rights—and we're not stopping now. Help us celebrate our anniversary by becoming an EFF member today. https://eff.org/summer

EFF's

joined Trevor Noah's What Now? podcast to discuss enshittification, Big Tech, and the hope we have for fighting back.

Cell-site simulators (CSS, also known as Stingrays or IMSI catchers) are devices that masquerade as legitimate cell-phone towers, tricking phones within a certain radius into connecting to the device rather than a tower. Our tool, Rayhunter, can help you find them. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/meet-rayhunter-new-open-source-tool-eff-detect-cellular-spying

Language disparities are just one of several concerns as automated moderation becomes more widespread. The varied examples we share here demonstrate the risks of over reliance on automated moderation—and the need for stronger safeguards. https://eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/part-2-automated-moderation-here-stay-accountability-must-keep-pace

Yes, AI can boost efficiency, benefit scientific discovery, and expand access to knowledge. But it can also increase surveillance, stifle creativity and innovation, and heighten privacy violations. EFF is detangling these nuances and keeping your rights at the forefront. Donate today: https://eff.org/summer

The House passed the KIDS Act, but the fight isn’t over. The Senate can still reject this package of internet bills that will harm our privacy and free expression. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/house-passed-kids-act-senate-should-reject-it

Online meeting participants might not know if another attendee is using an off-platform AI notetaker, EFF’s

told AP News. “Asking everyone for consent before doing a sensitive meeting would be the most polite approach to take.”

https://apnews.com/article/ai-notetaker-work-meetings-privacy-data-c700299371ca7cfec77dafdfb948067f

EFF’s @evacide joined the Security Cocktail Hour podcast to explain how some of the most damaging cyber threats are not exotic. Stalkerware, shared device access, coercion, and weak privacy defaults can turn an ordinary phone into a tool for surveillance and control.

https://securitycocktailhour.com/episodes/episode-80-stalkerware-when-surveillance-gets-personal-eva-galperin/

Sony is ending the sale of physical discs for new Playstation games. This switch to only digital sales is a move that takes away even more rights from consumers.

EFF recently joined 60+ organizations raising serious concerns about the UK government's plans to deploy facial age estimation to assess asylum-seeking children. Join us in calling on the Home Secretary to immediately halt these plans by signing this petition. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-home-office-using-experimental-ai-on-asylum-seeking-children

Your local police department might be using Flock Safety’s automated license plate readers to inform ICE of the location of immigrants that they have identified as an “Immigration Violator” in your city. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/06/are-your-local-police-using-flock-safety-alprs-scan-immigrants