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

Speaking freely online shouldn’t cost you your visa. But the federal government is using social media surveillance to target student visa holders living in the U.S. for online speech the administration disfavors. This is an alarming attack on digital rights. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/trump-administrations-targeting-international-students-jeopardizes-free-speech-and

If TX passes SB 2880, the bill would make it illegal to “provide information” on how to obtain an abortion-inducing drug. Texas legislators not only want to make sure no one can start a discussion on abortion pills, they also want to make sure no one can find one. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/texass-war-abortion-now-war-free-speech

US citizens aren't legally required to carry citizenship documents, but “the law is divorced from reality,” EFF’s Saira Hussain told @huffingtonpost - the practical reality is that DHS, CBP, and ICE “may not necessarily be following case law at the moment.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/proof-of-citizenship-trump-deportations_l_680675f2e4b066a6887ab2f0

Internet access is critical to our rights to freely express ourselves and access information. The internet is becomingly rapidly inaccessible to Gazans who are surviving war. Join the Palestine Digital Activism Forum on May 20th and 21st to learn about the impacts of war on digital rights. https://2025.pdaf.net/

Encryption is one of the most important tools we have to protect privacy online. Florida’s SB 868 intends to completely undermine it while also putting the privacy and safety of young people at risk. Learn more about this dangerous bill and tell Florida lawmakers that they must protect digital privacy. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/floridas-anti-encryption-bill-wrecking-ball-privacy-theres-still-time-stop-it

"By refusing to implement even the bare minimum protections they once promised, Google is making clear that user privacy comes second to their surveillance-based business model,” EFF’s Lena Cohen told The Register. https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/22/google_privacy_sandbox/

Learn how governments are able to read certain text messages, and how to ensure your messages are end-to-end encrypted on Digital Rights Bytes, our site dedicated to helping break down tech issues into byte-sized pieces. https://www.digitalrightsbytes.org/topics/can-the-government-read-my-text-messages

Florida’s SB 868 is a deeply invasive bill that puts the privacy and safety of young people at serious risk. From forcing social media platforms to break end-to-end encryption to banning disappearing messages, this bill is a massive overreach. Tell Florida lawmakers to reject SB 868. https://act.eff.org/action/sb-868-is-a-privacy-disaster-tell-florida-lawmakers-to-reject-it-db6210d7-cf53-43e6-8d8b-1b9725225fe3

EFF's Certbot has brought HTTPS to millions of web domains for free! Each cert brings us closer to encrypting the web and defending users everywhere. Help support this work today. https://eff.org/support-certbot

Everyone should be able to travel without the fear of surveillance and retaliation. States like California, Illinois, and Massachusetts are taking steps to protect location data privacy and defend our right to move freely without fear. More states must join. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/privacy-map-how-states-are-fighting-location-surveillance

NEXT WEDNESDAY! EFF's Bay Area Members' Speakeasy is happening! Current members should be on the lookout for an email invite, or reach out at events@eff.org to learn more. https://www.eff.org/event/bay-area-members-speakeasy

If you're defending your local community from surveillance and censorship, consider joining the Electronic Frontier Alliance. https://efa.eff.org/pages/about

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Powering off your phone or laptop erases the key that unlocks its encryption, and so protects against unwanted searches, EFF’s Will Greenberg told AP. “This is why a border agent can’t simply turn a device on to use a tool like Cellebrite.” https://apnews.com/article/internet-privacy-smartphones-travel-e0a3146ae7966ea0e4157dbfae1f6a81

Rampant use of police surveillance tech “really comes down to a question of, do we want to live in a city where all of us – all of us, not just 'criminals,' but all of us - are watched & listened to everywhere we go?” EFF's @JoshRichman told NBC Bay Area. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco-police-tour-new-facility/3840883/

There's a more secure alternative to texting via your phone's native messaging app. Signal is a free app that employs end-to-end encryption and we have a step-by-step guide to help you learn how to use it. https://ssd.eff.org/module/how-to-use-signal

"The phone is a window into the soul," from a record of everyone you meet with to personal correspondence. "And so for many people, they might want to take precautions to keep that information secure," EFF’s @Adam_D_Schwartz told @cbcnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-us-border-phone-search-1.7502829

If you're heading out to a protest, there are a number of concepts to keep in mind to keep yourself—and your data—safe. https://ssd.eff.org/module/attending-protest

The time for debate is over: copyright should never block someone’s free access to the law. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/03/eff-urges-third-circuit-join-legal-chorus-no-one-owns-law