News & Commentary

While studies from around the world show that video surveillance is not effective in preventing or reducing violent crime, another Northern California city is moving to install cameras. The City of Sacramento Police announced yesterday that it was starting a "pilot program" to install public video surveillance- claiming it will help make the community safer.

The City of Sacramento Police Department Press Release (click here)

Capital Public Radio Story (click here)

Read more about ineffective and intrusive public video surveillance here.

In the News:

High-Tech Companies to Push for Data-Privacy. Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and other high-tech companies are preparing to push for data-privacy legislation next year to replace what they consider an outdated patchwork of state and federal laws that are inconsistent and burdensome. "We think the time has come for a comprehensive privacy bill that would protect consumers' personal information while still allowing the flow of information needed for commerce online," said Ira Rubinstein, a Microsoft lawyer. Gigalaw.

Do you live, work, or walk around 16th and Mission?

If you don't let the Police Commission know that you do not want public video cameras put up that will m

Very disappointing news – despite strong support from up and down the state and across the aisle and thousands of letters sent by constituents, the Governor vetoed the RFID bill.

A California father and son, who are both American citizens, were finally allowed to re-enter the U.S. on Sunday after being barred from returning when they refused to cooperate with the FBI.

In a victory for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, the ACLU obtained a preliminary injunction requiring the Hawaii Youth Correction Facility to establish policies and procedures to prevent abuse of LGBT youth in their custody

Welcome to Bytes and Pieces, the new blog for the Technology and Civil Liberties Program.

I hope that you will be a frequent visitor to this spot to keep up to date on all the latest news and activities on privacy, free speech, and new technology and share your thoughts on current projects and emerging issues.

Hot Off the Presses:

Landmark RFID Bill Passes Legislature, On Governor's Desk Right Now

The RFID privacy bill that we have been working on for the past two years passed the California legislature with broad bipartisan support and is now sitting on the Governor's desk. The Governor is expected to make a decision about the bill this week!

The Identity Information Protection Act (SB 768) has definitely been "the little engine that could"…chugging tirelessly uphill to try to be the first legislation in the nation to provide for privacy and security protections on the use of RFID tags in identification documents, like drivers' licenses.

RFID tags are tiny computer chips that can be embedded in public documents. Whether you were walking down the street, participating in a political rally, or visiting a doctor's office or a gun show, anyone with an RFID scanner could read the personal data stored on the chip in your ID. The chips would not alert you that your personal information, such as a name, address or social security number, is being transmitted. The unknown disclosure of that information could put you at risk of tracking, stalking and identity theft.

In late December 2004, the District Attorney of Yolo County filed papers seeking a permanent injunction against the Broderick Boys “gang.” thereby placing hundreds of residents of a predominantly Latino neighborhood in West Sacramento on permanent probation without trial or due process.

The ACLU has sued telecommunications giants AT&T and Verizon to stop them from continuing to provide the National Security Agency (NSA) with the personal phone records of millions of California customers.