News and Commentary

As the leading civil rights organization in the Lone Star State, we at the ACLU of Texas believe it is our duty to keep the public informed about the state of their civil liberties. The work we do at the legislature, in the courts, and in our communities is important, but there is no better defender of civil rights than a public that is informed and engaged.

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Jun 3, 2014

VICTORY: Judge Releases Information about Police Use of Stingray Cell Phone Trackers

A Florida judge has sided with the ACLU to order release of information about police use of “stingrays,” which are invasive surveillance devices that send out powerful signals to trick cell phones into...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project

A Florida judge has sided with the ACLU to order release of information about police use of “stingrays,” which are invasive surveillance devices that send out powerful signals to trick cell phones into...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project
Jun 3, 2014

U.S. Marshals Seize Local Cops’ Cell Phone Tracking Files in Extraordinary Attempt to Keep Information From Public

A run-of-the-mill public records request about cell phone surveillance submitted to a local police department in Florida has unearthed blatant violations of open government laws, including an incredible...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project

A run-of-the-mill public records request about cell phone surveillance submitted to a local police department in Florida has unearthed blatant violations of open government laws, including an incredible...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project
Jun 2, 2014

New York Court Recognizes Privacy-Invasive Nature of Cell Tower Dumps But Stops Short of Requiring a Warrant

A magistrate judge in New York has become only the second federal judge to issue a public ruling addressing...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project

A magistrate judge in New York has become only the second federal judge to issue a public ruling addressing...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project
May 28, 2014

Federal Trade Commission Needs to Move Beyond Reports When It Comes to Data Brokers

“In the nearly two decades since the Commission first began to examine data brokers, little progress has been made to improve transparency and choice.”
     - Conclusion, Federal Trade...

By By Chris Calabrese, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office

“In the nearly two decades since the Commission first began to examine data brokers, little progress has been made to improve transparency and choice.”
     - Conclusion, Federal Trade...

By By Chris Calabrese, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office
May 21, 2014

A Partial Victory For Judicial Transparency

In a partial victory for the public’s right to access and scrutinize court proceedings, a federal judge recently made public most of two...

By By Bennett Stein, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project

In a partial victory for the public’s right to access and scrutinize court proceedings, a federal judge recently made public most of two...

By By Bennett Stein, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project
May 13, 2014

San Francisco Woman Pulled Out of Car at Gunpoint Because of License Plate Reader Error

A lawsuit pertaining to the use of license plate readers in San Francisco illustrates how dangerous it can be when police officers turn off their eyes, ears, and brains, and mistakenly rely on imperfect...

By By Kade Crockford, Director, ACLU of Massachusetts Technology for Liberty Project

A lawsuit pertaining to the use of license plate readers in San Francisco illustrates how dangerous it can be when police officers turn off their eyes, ears, and brains, and mistakenly rely on imperfect...

By By Kade Crockford, Director, ACLU of Massachusetts Technology for Liberty Project