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Decide the Future of the Internet: Tell Congress to Stop CISA

Policy

Decide the Future of the Internet: Tell Congress to Stop CISA

Fight for the Future, in partnership with Restore The Fourth, released a “political scoreboard” last week, which rates U.S. politicians based upon their stance on Internet privacy.

October 4, 2015

ECPA and Privacy – Why YOU Should Care

Policy

ECPA and Privacy – Why YOU Should Care

ECPA was enacted in 1986, when we lived in a very different electronic world than today; the “public” Internet did not even exist. The primary purpose for ECPA was to address the then-new communications technologies and services and govern how law enforcement could obtain information about “oral,” “wire” and “electronic” services, which at the time mostly consisted of bulletin boards and walled-garden portals

Bureaucrats Want to Look Through Your Windows – YOUR Privacy AGAIN at Stake

Policy

Bureaucrats Want to Look Through Your Windows – YOUR Privacy AGAIN at Stake

A United States Securities and Exchange Commission letter has asked the United States Senate Judiciary Committee to change the current ECPA reform bill (S.607) so that U.S. state and federal regulatory agencies could obtain a “quasi-warrant” to compel communication service providers to disclose their users’ “content” directly to them.

It’s About Time: ECPA Reform Considered by US House Judiciary Committee

Policy

It’s About Time: ECPA Reform Considered by US House Judiciary Committee

ECPA, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, was debated by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The law was originally passed in 1986, and allows the government (law enforcement) to access digital communications.

December 2, 2015

ECPA Reform Moves Forward in 2016

Policy

ECPA Reform Moves Forward in 2016

The H.R. 699 bill is due for markup in the Senate on May 26, and in advance of the markup many businesses and groups signed onto the letter supporting the bill as it passed in the House without further amendments.

Policy

Electricity v. Internet: Why Do We Treat the Markets Differently?

Open Internet is the practice of allowing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to openly compete for consumers using the government protected framework laid down by a service provider (i.e. AT&T, or Verizon).

Email Privacy Act reintroduced to House

Policy

Email Privacy Act reintroduced to House

We are excited to hear about the bill’s passage, as it includes important protections and warrant restrictions for law enforcement to abide by when accessing electronic communications. The bill will now move on to the Senate.

January 9, 2017

Encryption Under Attack Again, This Time By The Five Eyes

Policy

Encryption Under Attack Again, This Time By The Five Eyes

In the latest in this ongoing debate, a concept called “responsible encryption” is being thrown around. What this refers to is a way to encrypt that both offers consumers privacy and security, and also affords law enforcement access to messages if and when they need to read them during investigations.

November 6, 2017

From The Daily Dot: Encryption is the Second Amendment for the Internet

Policy

From The Daily Dot: Encryption is the Second Amendment for the Internet

Last week, FBI Director James Comey once again campaigned for “backdoors” into the encryption programs of tech companies.

EU Law Raises Workplace Privacy Concerns

Policy

EU Law Raises Workplace Privacy Concerns

Ruling came in the case of Bărbulescu v. Romania, in which a worker was fired for using a messenger account for personal purposes. His company monitored his work chats to determine that he wasn’t using the messenger as advised. The ruling means, in effect, companies have the right to monitor private online communications that occur in the workplace.

February 22, 2016

The Evolution of the Encryption Debate

Policy

The Evolution of the Encryption Debate

Encryption has been in the news a lot recently. Whether it’s Apple vs. the FBI, Microsoft suing the Justice Department, or Senators drafting bills to require mandatory encryption backdoors, encryption and cybersecurity are very hot topics lately.

executive-order-updated-restrict-cia-surveillance-powers

Policy

executive-order-updated-restrict-cia-surveillance-powers

With all that’s going in the news lately, some big surveillance news that may have been overlooked in recent weeks are updates to the rules governing how the CIA can spy on Americans. These rules, referred to as Executive Order 12333 (EO 12333) were updated recently offering slightly more protections than they did previously.

February 8, 2014

The FCC Must Prevent ISPs From Blocking Encryption

Policy

The FCC Must Prevent ISPs From Blocking Encryption

We discovered this by studying the service of a particular wireless broadband provider, and discovered it was able to interfere with the ability of one of our engineers to encrypt their email communication.

November 3, 2014

FCC Reveals Plan to Eliminate Net Neutrality Rules for Broadband Providers

Policy

FCC Reveals Plan to Eliminate Net Neutrality Rules for Broadband Providers

In a disturbing trend that would further eliminate consumer protections when browsing online, as well as remove any accountability to broadband providers, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai today announced his plans to eliminate the Open Internet Order of 2015.

FCC Blocks Regulations to Protect Consumer Internet Privacy

Policy

FCC Blocks Regulations to Protect Consumer Internet Privacy

As a company that stands for strong privacy and security for all Intenret users, we were encouraged by the FCC’s new privacy rules and are highly concerned that these measures are not going into effect as planned.

The FCC is Trying to Kill The Open Internet – What That Means and How to Stop It

Policy

The FCC is Trying to Kill The Open Internet – What That Means and How to Stop It

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has so far been everything and done everything you could expect from someone who vowed to “take a weed whacker” to the open Internet

Feinstein/Burr Draft Backdoor Encryption Bill Causes Concern

Policy

Feinstein/Burr Draft Backdoor Encryption Bill Causes Concern

The letter expresses their strong opposition to the bill, and cites the bill’s negative consequences for both business and security in the US and abroad, as well as leave the technology industry in the US “at a disadvantage competitively.”

FISA 702: We Need Reform Before It’s Too Late

Policy

FISA 702: We Need Reform Before It’s Too Late

FISA stands for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the 702 amendments allow for law enforcement to collect data on foreign targets.

October 31, 2017

FISA 702 Amendments Renewed, Mass Surveillance in United States Continues

Policy

FISA 702 Amendments Renewed, Mass Surveillance in United States Continues

Under the law, the FISA 702 amendments allow for US law enforcement to collect data foreign targets of criminal investigations.

January 21, 2018

fisa-section-702-reform-upcoming-debate-about-freedom

Policy

fisa-section-702-reform-upcoming-debate-about-freedom

Imagine a world of constant, ubiquitous surveillance where your every move may be monitored by the government at any time: every email you send, every picture you take, every book you read, every website you visit, and every political rally you participate in.

Four things the FCC & FTC got wrong in their Washington Post Op-ed

Policy

Four things the FCC & FTC got wrong in their Washington Post Op-ed

In case you missed it, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen co-authored a piece justifying their effort to eliminate consumer privacy online, and offered an explanation as to why this action is for the greater good.

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