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Deeplinks

EFF"s Deeplinks Blog: Noteworthy news from around the internet

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EFF to European Commission: Don’t Resurrect Illegal...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/23

The mandatory retention of metadata is an evergreen of European digital policy. Despite a number of rulings by Europe’s highest court, confirming again and again the incompatibility of general and indiscriminate data retention mandates with European fundamental rights, the European Commission is taking major steps towards the re-introduction of EU-wide data retention mandates. Recently, the Commission launched a Call for Evidence on data retention for criminal investigations—the first formal step

Protect Yourself From Meta’s Latest Attack on Privacy

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/20

Researchers recently caught Meta using an egregious new tracking technique to spy on you. Exploiting a technical loophole, the company was able to have their apps snoop on users’ web browsing. This tracking technique stands out for its flagrant disregard of core security protections built into phones and browsers. The episode is yet another reason to distrust Meta, block web tracking, and end surveillance advertising. Fortunately, there are steps that you, your browser, and your government can take

A Token of Appreciation for Sustaining Donors 💞

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/19

You'll get a custom EFF35 Challenge Coin when you become a monthly or annual Sustaining Donor by July 10. It’s that simple. Give Once a Month Give Once a YEar Start a Convenient recurring donation Today! But here's a little more background for all of you detail-oriented digital rights fans. EFF's 35th Anniversary celebration has begun and we're commemorating three and a half decades for fighting for your privacy, security, and free expression rights online. These values are hallmarks of freedom and

Strategies for Resisting Tech-Enabled Violence Facing...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/18

Today's Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti upholding bans on gender-affirming care for youth makes it clear: trans people are under attack. Threats to trans rights and healthcare are coming from legislatures, anti-trans bigots (both organized and not), apathetic bystanders, and more. Living under the most sophisticated surveillance apparatus in human history only makes things worse. While the dangers are very much tangible and immediate, the risks posed by technology can amplify them in

Apple to Australians: You’re Too Stupid to Choose...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/18

Apple has released a scaremongering, self-serving warning aimed at the Australian government, claiming that Australians will be overrun by a parade of digital horribles if Australia follows the European Union’s lead and regulates Apple’s “walled garden.” The EU’s Digital Markets Act is a big, complex, ambitious law that takes aim squarely at the source of Big Tech’s power: lock-in. For users, the DMA offers interoperability rules that let Europeans escape US tech giants’ walled gardens without

LGBT Q&A: Your Online Speech and Privacy Questions,...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/18

This year, like almost all years before, LGBTQ+ Pride month is taking place at a time of burgeoning anti-LGBTQ+ violence, harassment, and criticism. Lawmakers and regulators are passing legislation restricting freedom of expression and privacy for LGBTQ+ individuals and fueling offline intolerance. Online platforms are also complicit in this pervasive ecosystem by censoring pro-LGBTQ+ speech, forcing LGBTQ+ individuals to self-censor or turn to VPNs to avoid being profiled, harassed, doxxed, or

Big Brother's Little Problem | EFFector 37.6

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/18

Just in time for summer, EFFector is back—with a brand new look! If you're not signed up, now's a perfect time to subscribe and get the latest details on EFF's work defending your rights to privacy and free expression online. EFFector 37.6 highlights an important role that EFF has to protecting you online: watching the watchers. In this issue, we're pushing back on invasive car-tracking technologies, and we share an update on our case challenging the illegal disclosure of government records to DOGE

Podcast Episode: Securing Journalism on the...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/18

Public-interest journalism speaks truth to power, so protecting press freedom is part of protecting democracy. But what does it take to digitally secure journalists’ work in an environment where critics, hackers, oppressive regimes, and others seem to have the free press in their crosshairs?

Betting on Your Digital Rights: EFF Benefit Poker...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/17

Hacker Summer Camp is almost here... and with it comes the Third Annual EFF Benefit Poker Tournament at DEF CON 33 hosted by security expert Tarah Wheeler.Please join us at the same place and time as last year: Friday, August 8th, at high noon at the Horseshoe Poker Room. The fees haven’t changed; it’s still $250 to register plus $100 the day of the tournament with unlimited rebuys. (AND all players will receive a complimentary EFF Titanium Level Membership for the year.) Tarah Wheeler—EFF board

Connectivity is a Lifeline, Not a Luxury: Telecom...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/16

For the third time since October 2023, Gaza has faced a near-total telecommunications blackout—plunging over 2 million residents into digital darkness and isolating them from the outside world. According to Palestinian digital rights organization 7amleh, the latest outage began on June 11, 2025, and lasted three days before partial service was restored on June 14. As of today, reports from inside Gaza suggest that access has been cut off again in central and southern Gaza. Blackouts like these

Google’s Advanced Protection Arrives on Android:...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/16

With this week’s release of Android 16, Google added a new security feature to Android, called Advanced Protection. At-risk people—like journalists, activists, or politicians—should consider turning on. Here’s what it does, and how to decide if it’s a good fit for your security needs. To get some confusing naming schemes clarified at the start: Advanced Protection is an extension of Google’s Advanced Protection Program, which protects your Google account from phishing and harmful downloads, and is

EFF to NJ Supreme Court: Prosecutors Must Disclose...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/16

This post was written by EFF legal intern Alexa Chavara. Black box technology has no place in the criminal legal system. That’s why we’ve once again filed an amicus brief arguing that the both the defendant and the public have a right to information regarding face recognition technology (FRT) that was used during an investigation to identify a criminal defendant. Back in June 2023, we filed an amicus brief along with Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the National Association of

Protecting Minors Online Must Not Come at the Cost of...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/16

The European Commission has taken an important step toward protecting minors online by releasing draft guidelines under Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA). EFF recently submitted feedback to the Commission’s Targeted Consultation, emphasizing a critical point: Online safety for young people must not come at the expense of privacy, free expression, and equitable access to digital spaces. We support the Commission’s commitment to proportionality, rights-based protections, and its efforts to

A New Digital Dawn for Syrian Tech Users

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/12

U.S. sanctions on Syria have for several decades not only restricted trade and financial transactions, they’ve also severely limited Syrians’ access to digital technology. From software development tools to basic cloud services, Syrians were locked out of the global internet economy—stifling innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.EFF has for many years pushed for sanctions exemptions for technology in Syria, as well as in Sudan, Iran, and Cuba. While civil society had early wins in securing

EFFecting Change: Pride in Digital Freedom

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/12

Join us for our next EFFecting Change livestream this Thursday! We're talking about emerging laws and platform policies that affect the digital privacy and free expression rights of the LGBT+ community, and how this echoes the experience of marginalized people across the world. EFFecting Change Livestream Series:Pride in Digital FreedomThursday, June 12th4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Pacific - Check Local TimeThis event is LIVE and FREE! Join our panel featuring EFF Senior Staff Technologist Daly Barnett, EFF

Congress Can Act Now to Protect Reproductive Health Data

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/11

State, federal, and international regulators are increasingly concerned about the harms they believe the internet and new technology are causing to users of all categories. Lawmakers are currently considering many proposals that are intended to provide protections to the most vulnerable among us. Too often, however, those proposals do not carefully consider the likely unintended consequences or even whether the law will actually reduce the harms it’s supposed to target. That’s why EFF supports Rep

Oppose STOP CSAM: Protecting Kids Shouldn’t Mean...

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/10

A Senate bill re-introduced this week threatens security and free speech on the internet. EFF urges Congress to reject the STOP CSAM Act of 2025 (S. 1829), which would undermine services offering end-to-end encryption and force internet companies to take down lawful user content. TAKE ACTION Tell Congress Not to Outlaw Encrypted Apps As in the version introduced last Congress, S. 1829 purports to limit the online spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. CSAM

Despite Changes, A.B. 412 Still Harms Small Developers

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/10

California lawmakers are continuing to promote a bill that will reinforce the power of giant AI companies by burying small AI companies and non-commercial developers in red tape, copyright demands and potentially, lawsuits. After several amendments, the bill hasn’t improved much, and in some ways has actually gotten worse. If A.B. 412 is passed, it will make California’s economy less innovative, and less competitive. The Bill Threatens Small Tech Companies A.B. 412 masquerades as a transparency

35 Years for Your Freedom Online

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/10

Once upon a time we were promised flying cars and jetpacks. Yet we've arrived at a more complicated timeline where rights advocates can find themselves defending our hard-earned freedoms more often than shooting for the moon. In tough times, it's important to remember that your vision for the future can be just as valuable as the work you do now. Thirty-five years ago, a small group of folks saw the coming digital future and banded together to ensure that technology would empower people, not oppress

NYC Lets AI Gamble with Child Welfare

Deeplinks ·

2025/06/09

The Markup revealed in its reporting last month that New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) has been quietly deploying an algorithmic tool to categorize families as “high risk". Using a grab-bag of factors like neighborhood and mother’s age, this AI tool can put families under intensified scrutiny without proper justification and oversight. ACS knocking on your door is a nightmare for any parent, with the risk that any mistakes can break up your family and have your children

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