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EFFector Vol. 34, No. 5 Friday, October 7, 2022
[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 785th issue:
* Inside Fog Data Science, the Secretive Company Selling Mass Surveillance to Local Police
EFF staff put together a series on Fog Data Science, a data broker that has
been selling raw location data about individual people to federal, state, and
local law enforcement agencies. This personal data isn’t gathered from cell
phone towers or tech giants like Google—it’s obtained by the broker via
thousands of different apps on Android and iOS app stores as part of the
larger location data marketplace.
Read more: [link removed]
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EFF Updates
* Audio Version of EFFector Newsletter
We're piloting an audio version of EFFector's Newsletter. We hope you enjoy
it!
[link removed]
* Automated License Plate Readers Threaten Abortion Access. Here's How Policymakers Can Mitigate the Risk
Law enforcement agencies around the country have adopted mass surveillance
technology that uses cameras to track the vehicles of every driver on the
road. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's /Dobbs/ ruling, that technology
may soon be turned against people seeking abortions, the people who support
them, and the workers who provide reproductive healthcare.
[link removed]
* How to Ditch Facebook Without Losing Your Friends (Or Family, Customers or Communities)
We launched “How to Ditch Facebook Without Losing Your Friends” – a
narrated slideshow and essay explaining how Facebook locks in its users, how
interoperability can free them, and what it would feel like to use an
“interoperable Facebook” of the future.
[link removed]
* San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors Grants Police More Surveillance Powers
In a 4-7 vote, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a 15-month pilot
program granting the San Francisco Police Department more live surveillance
powers.
[link removed]
* Study of Electronic Monitoring Smartphone Apps Confirms Advocates’ Concerns of Privacy Harms
Researchers at the University of Washington and Harvard Law School recently
published a groundbreaking study analyzing the technical capabilities of 16
electronic monitoring (EM) smartphone apps used as “alternatives” to
criminal and civil detention.
[link removed]
* Online Privacy for Nonprofits: A Guide to Better Practices
This EFF guide is intended for organizations to improve their privacy
practices, with particular focus on marketing and analytics.
[link removed]
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Announcements
* EFF Awards 2022
For thirty years, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has recognized leaders
on the electronic frontier at our annual Pioneer Award Ceremony. This year,
we’re taking a new step to recognize the ways in which the digital world
has fused with modern life. We invite you to celebrate the first annual EFF
Awards!
[link removed]
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Job Openings
* Associate General Counsel
EFF is looking for a full-time Associate General Counsel to identify and
analyze legal issues impacting EFF as an organization, draft key documents,
present clear recommendations to top management, and assure legal compliance.
[link removed]
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MiniLinks
- Detroit Op-ed: ShotSpotter profits off fears of gun violence
A Detroit-based technology surveillance researcher penned this Op-ed calling
on the city not to expand the Shotspotter program with new American Rescue
Plan Act funds.
[link removed]
- Lawsuit claims SMUD illegally gave user data to police, enabling discriminatory pot enforcement
EFF filed a lawsuit this week with the Asian American Liberation Network in
Sacramento Superior Court, alleging that the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District is “searching entire zip codes’ worth of peoples’ private data
and disclosing it” to the Sacramento Police Department in bulk, without a
court order or investigation.
[link removed]
- FTC Moves to Create Rules to Stop Data Surveillance, Lax Cybersecurity
The U.S. regulator is going to take input from the public on crafting the new
privacy rules, which could target data collection from online advertisers and
social media firms.
[link removed]
- This Is the Data Facebook Gave Police to Prosecute a Teenager for Abortion
Under court order, Facebook released private messages to Nebraska law
enforcement officials, leading to the prosecution of a 17-year old girl and
her mother under the state’s attempt to restrict abortion access.
[link removed]
- Nashville: No License Plate Readers in Imposing Abortion Ban
Nashville’s City Council has unanimously approved a ban on the use of data
from the city’s Automated License Plate Readers for investigating and
prosecuting Tennessee’s abortion ban. Privacy advocates say the city
council’s initiative doesn’t go far enough.
[link removed]
- Amazon’s iRobot deal faces renewed scrutiny
Some lawmakers are pushing the Federal Trade Commission to reject Amazon’s
acquisition of Roomba-maker iRobot for what they describe as anti-competitive
practices. Meanwhile, privacy advocates voice concern about the possibility
that Amazon will use the products to map consumers’ homes.
[link removed]
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expertise into crucial battles about online rights. Whether defending free
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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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