Home : Privacy & Technology

Idaho Joins the Ranks of the Anti-Real ID States (04/11/2008)
WASHINGTON – This week, Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed into law legislation that prohibits the Idaho Department of Transportation from complying with the Real ID Act of 2005, a federal law requiring the states to implement a national identification card. The bill landed on the governor’s desk after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in both the Idaho House and Senate, not receiving a single vote against passage. Idaho now joins Georgia, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Washington as states that have passed laws prohibiting compliance with Real ID.

American Civil Liberties Union Of Minnesota Applauds Governor Pawlenty For Signing "Massage Therapist" Bill (04/11/2008)
St. Paul, Minn - Governor Pawlenty signed H.F. 3708 into law today. Among the provision of this bill are changes for complementary and alternative health care practitioners. Specifically, this law deals with when alternative health care providers can engage in a private sexual relationship with former clients.

MCLU Seeks Public Records on REAL ID Waiver (04/03/2008)
PORTLAND - Today, the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation filed a public records request with the Office of Governor John E. Baldacci for records relating to the debate over REAL ID. After more than a week of back and forth between the Governor's Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the two parties announced yesterday that Maine was granted a waiver in exchange for promises by the Governor to propose changes to Maine driver license law. Just last year, Governor Baldacci signed into law a statute prohibiting Maine's participation Real ID.

Real ID Won’t Really Be Enforced, DHS Gives Maine Real ID Extension (04/02/2008)

New Report Supports ACLU Warnings on Fusion Centers (04/02/2008)
Washington, DC – A new document obtained by the Washington Post supports warnings by the American Civil Liberties Union regarding the post-9/11 institutions known as fusion centers. A story published today in the Post confirms fusion centers’ growing role in law enforcement and reveals their expanding ties to private industry, including relationships with massive data-brokering companies. The ACLU released a report last year outlining serious concerns with fusion centers.

South Carolina Stands Firm Against DHS and Real ID (03/31/2008)
WASHINGTON - The governor of South Carolina today issued a blistering critique of the Department of Homeland Security's national identification program, Real ID. The state is facing a DHS-imposed deadline to request that their drivers' licenses and ID cards continue to be accepted for federal purposes. South Carolina was one of seven states that passed legislation prohibiting participation in the Real ID program, yet five of those states have already been granted waivers on the statutory deadline.

With Thousands of Cameras in the Congestion Pricing Plan, City Must Do More to Protect New Yorkers' Personal Privacy (03/24/2008)
The New York Civil Liberties Union today asked the city to consider the impact the proposed congestion pricing plan would have on New Yorkers’ privacy.

Montana and DHS Go to Eye-to-Eye, and DHS Blinks (03/21/2008)
WASHINGTON – In the strongest confirmation yet that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is caving in to state resistance on the Real ID Act, DHS today agreed not to enforce the requirements of the Real ID Act on the state of Montana, even though the state has passed a law prohibiting implementation. To date, nearly a dozen states have received extensions without committing to comply with the act – including three states in which the legislatures have actually passed statutes barring compliance. In other cases, DHS has granted extensions despite explicit statements disclaiming any intention of complying.

Passport Security Breaches Show Privacy Vulnerabilities (03/21/2008)

MCLU Applauds Senators Collins and Snowe for Defending Mainers’ Right to Fly (03/13/2008)
PORTLAND – The Maine Civil Liberties Union today praised Maine’s two Senators for calling on the Department of Homeland Security to scrap its May deadline for compliance with the controversial REAL ID program.

Stunning New Report on Domestic NSA Dragnet Spying Confirms ACLU Surveillance Warnings (03/12/2008)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union responded today to a stunning new report that the NSA has effectively revived the Orwellian "Total Information Awareness" domestic-spying program that was banned by Congress in 2003. In response, the ACLU said that it was filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more information about the spying. And, the group announced that it was moving its "Surveillance Clock" one minute closer to midnight.

Three National Privacy Experts to Address Arizona Legislators on Privacy Issues Related to REAL ID, RFID Tags (03/12/2008)
PHOENIX – Three nationally-recognized privacy experts will be in Phoenix on Thursday, March 13 to speak to legislators and members of the public about the privacy implications of everything from REAL ID and national identity cards to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and enhanced driver’s licenses.