Notices by Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff@mastodon.social), page 14

Through a combination of predatory pricing, woefully inadequate eBook catalogs, and bad policies restricting access to paper literature, states around the US have exacerbated an already acute book censorship problem for incarcerated people. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/prison-banned-books-week-being-jail-shouldnt-mean-having-nothing-read

Be the reason EFF can fight for privacy and free expression online by becoming a member today! https://eff.org/join

A new take on the sextortion email scam includes pictures of the targets’ houses, but don’t fall for it. You probably haven’t been hacked. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/new-email-scam-includes-pictures-your-house-dont-fall-it

A Senate committee was scheduled to vote on two misguided patent bills today, but the meeting was canceled. We'll continue to oppose PERA and PREVAIL, bills that would make patent trolling much worse. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/senate-vote-tomorrow-could-give-helping-hand-patent-trolls

"We have seen in some cases that, yes, law enforcement has misused their access to this type of information,” EFF’s Beryl Lipton told Fox 13 Seattle. "This is really going to change the face of privacy on the streets of Seattle."
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/aclu-nonprofits-warn-seattle-police-surveillance

Patents on abstract ideas, natural phenomena, and human genes? We’ll pass. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-we-can-t-afford-more-bad-patents

Tech companies’ poor privacy and security policies around user data, ad tracking & collection, and behavioral tracking of users’ data means ”they are already mechanized for some really dystopic consequences,” EFF’s Daly Barnett told @motherjonesmag. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/09/project-2025-abortion-surveillance-tech/

Tomorrow, the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on a bill that would re-open the door to the worst software patents, and even patents on human genes. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-we-can-t-afford-more-bad-patents

Consumer groups, patient groups, small business, and EFF all agree: PERA and PREVAIL are bills that will inspire more junk patents and harm the public domain. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/patient-rights-and-consumer-groups-join-eff-opposing-two-extreme-patent-bills

Laws like the 1994 Driver’s Privacy Protection Act “weren’t enacted with modern-day tech in mind,” rife with exceptions that could be read broadly to let companies or the government violate people’s privacy, EFF’s Lee Tien told @slate. https://slate.com/technology/2024/09/parking-lot-fines-ai-privacy-regal-movie-theaters-abm-industries.html

Calling all digital freedom supporters 📣 Join us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 Oct. 28-30 in SF. Get 35% off your ticket when using our registration code! https://www.eff.org/event/eff-techcrunch-disrupt-0

Corporate social media locks you in to their platforms, but projects like the Fediverse put you in control to build a more free, more private, and better moderated web. It's exciting to see more people working to make independent social media even better.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/24/as-the-open-social-web-movement-grows-a-new-nonprofit-launches-to-expand-the-fediverse/
#fediverse #activitypub

A Senate committee vote is coming up Thursday on two bills that will make the patent troll problem even worse. We need your help to oppose them: https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-we-can-t-afford-more-bad-patents

EFF isn't afraid to punch above our weight ✊ That's why we call out—and even sue—governments and companies that illegally spy on you. But we can't do this work without public support. Donate today! https://eff.org/join

To protect global privacy, freedom of expression, and human rights more broadly, the #UNCybercrimeTreaty must be firmly rejected. The United States must vote against the treaty at the UN General Assembly. https://www.justsecurity.org/98738/cybercrime-convention-human-rights/

“Hard to find opt-out tools are almost never an effective way to allow users to exercise their privacy rights,” EFF’s F. Mario Trujillo told the @washingtonpost — companies “should present users with a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ consent choice.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/23/linkedin-training-ai-setting-opt-out/

EFF’s Matthew Guariglia joined @nbcnews to discuss privacy concerns over the face recognition technology that the NFL has installed at every stadium.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/behind-the-scenes-look-at-nfl-s-facial-authentication-technology-219901509913

Deceptive, AI-generated replicas can cause real harm, but the costs of the NOFAKES Act far outweigh the benefits. Tell Congress to reject it. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-the-senate-throw-out-the-no-fakes-act-and-start-over

A critical Senate vote on two patent bills has been re-set for Thursday, Sept. 26. We need your help:  tell Congress to reject these terrible proposals. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-we-can-t-afford-more-bad-patents

Venezuela's digital identification systems have been weaponized against its population by linking access to essential services with affiliation to the governing party. Learn more about Venezuela's digital repression: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/unveiling-venezuelas-repression-legacy-state-surveillance-and-control