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U.S. Among World's Worst Surveillance Societies London-based ACLU partner Privacy International (PI) has issued its most recent ranking of the world's leading surveillance societies. By examining national policies in 14 categories such as constitutional protection, privacy enforcement, and workplace monitoring, PI has ranked nations on a scale from "consistently upholds human right standards" to "endemic surveillance societies." The United States ranked with Russia, China and the U.K. at the bottom among the worst surveillance societies. Map: The World's Leading Surveillance Societies

Liberty in the Age of Technology

Rep. Harman Introduces Bill To Restrain Domestic Deployment Of Spy Satellites (06/05/2009)
WASHINGTON – Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) introduced two bills last night to stop the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) use of satellite imagery from intelligence agencies for homeland security and law enforcement purposes. The legislation, H.R. 2703 and 2704, will prohibit funding for and close the DHS’ National Application Office (NAO). This troubled office is responsible for a domestic surveillance program that the American Civil Liberties Union had long opposed in testimony and letters to Congress over the past two years.

Brookline Rejects Homeland Security Surveillance Cameras (06/03/2009)
BROOKLINE -- The Brookline Town Meeting voted late last night to adopt a resolution against the use of police surveillance cameras provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The resolution calls on the Board of Selectmen to halt a one-year trial use of the cameras and to take them down.

DHS To Review Spy Satellite Program At Urging of Congresswoman (03/27/2009)
WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has asked for a review of the Department’s National Applications Office (NAO), a troubled program created to use satellite imagery from intelligence agencies for homeland security and law enforcement purposes. The review comes at the behest of House Homeland Security Committee members Jane Harman (D-CA) and Norman Dicks (D-WA). The move, disclosed in a March 25 letter to Representatives Harman and Dicks, follows criticism of this program by the American Civil Liberties Union, which testified on its opposition to the program before Congress in 2007.

Cameras in Pioneer Park Pose Privacy Problems, Won't Reduce Crime (02/18/2009)
SALT LAKE CITY – This afternoon, Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank will announce a new Public Space Camera Policy, as well as a program that will place four surveillance cameras in Pioneer Park. Indeed, at the time of Chief Burbank's press conference, the surveillance cameras will already be operational in the park.

Cambridge City Council Votes Unanimously to Oppose Surveillance Cameras (02/03/2009)
BOSTON – In the first move of this kind in the state – and perhaps the nation – Cambridge City Council voted 9-0 on February 2, 2009, to oppose the installation in the city of eight surveillance cameras. The cameras were intended to form part of a network funded with a $4.6 million Department of Homeland Security grant linking Cambridge and eight other Greater Boston communities.

Even Bigger, Even Weaker: The Emerging Surveillance Society: Where Are We Now? (09/17/2007)
An Update to the ACLU Report, Bigger Monster, Weaker Chains

New Matrix Documents Raise Troubling Questions (05/20/2004)
White Paper: New Documents Obtained by ACLU Raise Troubling Questions About Matrix Program

'No-Fly' List Risk (07/01/2003)

Bigger Monster, Weaker Chains: The Growth of an American Surveillance Society (01/15/2003)

ACLU v. NSA - ACLU Appeal Brief (11/13/2006)

E.U. Agreement With U.S. on Sharing Passenger Data -- Finding of Adequacy (04/25/2006)

Memorandum of Understanding Between the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security (04/25/2006)

ACLU CDC Freedom of Information Act Request (04/21/2006)
ACLU CDC Freedom of Information Act Request

Petition for Review in ACLU v. FCC (12/01/2005)

Sign On Letter to House Homeland Security, Intelligence and Judiciary Committees Opposing Funding for Domestic Spy Satellites (06/04/2008)

ACLU Letter to House Appropriations Committee, Intelligence Committee and Leadership Urging Against Funding for Spy Satellites (05/22/2008)

ACLU FOIA Request regarding the NSA's Total Information Awareness program (03/12/2008)

ACLU Letter to Senate Strongly Urging Opposition to S. 2389, THE "PROTECTING CONSUMER PHONE RECORDS ACT" (09/27/2006)

ACLU Comments on the Proposed CDC Information-Collection regulations (04/21/2006)
ACLU Comments on the Proposed CDC Information-Collection regulations

Constitution Free Zone: The Numbers (10/22/2008)

Surveillance Society Clock: Graphics You Can Use (09/17/2007)
ACLU graphics you can use on the Web, in e-mail, wherever you can to help get the word out about the crisis of surveillance in America.

ACLU Comments to the FCC on AT&T-BellSouth Merger Calling for Investigation of NSA Data-Sharing Allegations (06/06/2006)

CDC Information Gathering & Quarantine Proposals: Links and Resources (04/25/2006)
A secret deal has been revealed between the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control to share airline passenger data -- a deal that violates agreements that DHS has signed with the E.U. and possibly other foreign governments. This deal raises questions about the government's apparent inability to respect privacy restrictions, as well as its habitual drive to operate in secrecy.

Organizations and People Supporting the NSA Lawsuit (04/20/2006)

Why a Surveillance Society Clock? (09/04/2007)

Fact Sheet: Why BellSouth Stockholders Should Be Cautious (07/21/2006)
Considerations for BellSouth shareholders with regard to the AT&T merger and the NSA spying controversy

Secure Flight compared to CAPPS II (03/29/2005)
Chart and graphic comparing Secure Flight to its predecessor CAPPS II

The MATRIX: Data Mining Moves Into the States (10/30/2003)
Now the same ideas that inspired TIA have reappeared in an alarming new program that has been dubbed The Matrix ("Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange"). Run by a private corporation on behalf of a cooperative network of state governments, The Matrix, which is already up and running, is a "data surveillance" program every bit as dangerous and Orwellian as Total Information Awareness.

Q&A On Face-Recognition (09/02/2003)