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EFFector Vol. 35, No. 9 Monday, July 24, 2023 [email protected]

A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
ISSN 1062-9424

effector: n, Computer Sci. A device for producing a
desired change.

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In our 795th issue:

* First Draft of UN Cybercrime Convention Drops Troubling Provisions, But Dangerous And Open-Ended Cross Border Surveillance Powers Are Still on the Table
The much-anticipated official first negotiated draft of the proposed UN
Cybercrime Convention—shaped by many months of Member States-led
negotiations in which EFF has been deeply involved—is now public. With the
release of this “zero draft,” Member States will start article-by-article
negotiations to reach consensus on a final draft during a two-week marathon
session from August 21 through September 1. EFF will be there, continuing our
push for robust human rights protections in the treaty.

Read more: [link removed]

* Settled Human Rights Standards as Building Blocks for Platform Accountability and Regulation: A Contribution to the Brazilian Debate
Read EFF’s in-depth report on the current discussion about platform
regulation in Brazil, both in the draft bill known as “PL 2630” and in
constitutional cases pending in the country’s Supreme Court. Much effort is
going into addressing these challenges, but proper responses are not simple
to craft. We should be able to tailor these responses safeguarding the
positive potential of digital technologies and the essential role that
freedom of expression—including access to information—plays in preserving
democratic societies.

Read more: [link removed]

* DSA Must Follow a Human-Rights Centered Enforcement Process, With Regulators Engaging International Civil Society Voices
EFF and its partners in the Digital Services Act (DSA) Human Rights Alliance
called on European Union regulators to engage international civil society
voices and forge a human rights centered approach in talks about the
implementation and enforcement of the DSA, which sets out new
responsibilities and rules for how platforms handle and make decisions about
billions of users’ posts.

Read more: [link removed]

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EFF Updates

* Audio Version of EFFector Newsletter
Listen to an audio version of EFFector. We hope you enjoy it!

[link removed]

* Celebrating 33 Years of EFF
EFF has officially been working toward internet freedom longer than many
people have been online. Executive Director Cindy Cohn expresses her
gratitude to EFF's supporters for ensuring that digital rights remain
important and vital, even as the internet itself becomes a crucial yet often
overlooked fact of life for most.

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* Victory! Ninth Circuit Allows Human Rights Case to Move Forward Against Cisco Systems
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit cleared a path of legal
accountability for American technology companies who build tools that
facilitate human rights abuses by foreign governments, in a case called /Doe
I v. Cisco Systems/—a tremendous victory for victims of digital tools of
repression. EFF filed multiple amicus briefs in the case, including in the
Ninth Circuit.

[link removed]

* Generative AI Policy Must Be Precise, Careful, and Practical: How to Cut Through the Hype and Spot Potential Risks in New Legislation
Anxiety about generative AI is growing almost as fast as the use of the
technology itself, fueled by dramatic rhetoric from prominent figures in
tech, entertainment, and national security. Something, they suggest, must be
done to stave off any number of catastrophes, from the death of the artist to
the birth of new robot overlords. Given the often hyperbolic tone, it might
be tempting (and correct) to dismiss much of this as the usual moral panic
new technologies provoke, or self-interested hype. But there are legitimate
concerns in the mix, too, that may require some rules of the road. If so,
policymakers should answer some important questions before crafting or
passing on those rules. As always, the devil is in the details, and EFF is
here to help you sort through them to identify solid strategies and potential
collateral damage.

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* Even the Government Thinks It Should Stop Buying Corporate Surveillance Data
U.S. government intelligence agencies are buying data about us. The danger to
our civil liberties is so extreme that even the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence (ODNI) said things have gone too far in a detailed
report released in June.

[link removed]

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Announcements

* New Watching the Watchers T-shirt!
We are excited to launch our new member t-shirt for 2023! Donate at the
Copper Level or above to receive our new Watching the Watchers t-shirt.

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* EFF at Black Hat USA
EFF is rarin’ to go for Black Hat USA August 5-10! If you have legal
concerns regarding an upcoming talk or sensitive InfoSec research that you
are conducting at any time, please email [email protected] [1] and we will do our
best to get you the help that you need.


[1] mailto:[email protected]
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* EFF at BSidesLV
EFF is excited to be back at the Tuscany Suites & Casino on August 8-9 for
BSides Las Vegas! Stop by the EFF booth to chat with some of our team and
learn about the latest developments in defending digital freedom for all. You
can even pick up a special gift as a token of our thanks when you take
advantage of our membership specials or donate!

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* EFF at DEF CON 31
Come find us in the vendor area August 10-13 to talk to us about the latest
in online rights, get on our action alert list, or donate to become an EFF
member. We'll also have our limited-edition DEF CON 31 shirts available!
These shirts have a puzzle incorporated into the design—try your hand at
cracking it!

[link removed]

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Job Openings

* No available positions at this time
Bookmark our opportunities page for future options!

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MiniLinks

- Of sharks, surveillance, and spied-on emails: This is Section 702, with Matthew Guariglia (MalwareByes Lock and Code podcast)
Host David Ruiz talks with EFF’s Matthew Guariglia about what the NSA can
grab online, whether its agents can read that information and who they can
share it with, and how a database that was ostensibly created to monitor
foreign intelligence operations became a tool for investigating Americans at
home.

[link removed]

- Sacramento Sheriff is sharing license plate reader data with anti-abortion states, records show (Sacramento Bee)
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is defying the demand that EFF and
the ACLUs of Northern and Southern California made to 72 California police
agencies, urging them to stop breaking state law by sharing automated license
plate reader data with police agencies in states that have made abortion
illegal. But just a few miles from Sacramento, the Woodland Police Department
has agreed to abide by state law and stop this illegal sharing. EFF’s Adam
Schwartz helps explain.

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- The Quiet Rise of Real-Time Crime Centers (WIRED)
Real-time crime centers—hubs where police pool surveillance camera feeds,
automated license plate reader information, and other data—are springing up
in cities large and small all across America. Few people know they exist, let
alone the extent of the surveillance they entail, so they can receive little
public scrutiny and often operate without much oversight. EFF’s Beryl
Lipton discusses how these panopticons “hyper-charge” concerns over
violations of First and Fourth Amendment rights.

[link removed]

- What does Threads mean for digital rights? (Context/Thomson Reuters Foundation)
There’s something a bit shocking about Threads, the new social media
service from Meta—and it could turn out to be shockingly good, EFF’s Ross
Schulman writes in an op-ed.

[link removed]

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-------- SUPPORTED BY DONORS
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Our members make it possible for EFF to bring legal and technological
expertise into crucial battles about online rights. Whether defending free
speech online or challenging unconstitutional surveillance, your
participation makes a difference. Every donation gives technology users who
value freedom online a stronger voice and more formidable advocate. Check out
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If you aren't already, please consider becoming an EFF member today.


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* Administrivia

Editor:
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EFFector is published by:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation
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