Why Government Access to Encrypted Messages Won’t Make Us Safer

Thor Benson / Truthdig Nov 25, 2015 Since the Paris attacks, some officials and pundits have argued that government agencies should have a "back door" to encoded apps But such a capability would only compromise the communications of law-abiding citizens, and terrorists would quickly find new ways to evade detectionSince the Paris attacks, some officials have argued that government should have a "back door" to encoded apps. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Ahead of Senate Vote, Edward Snowden Speaks Out to Stop CISA Surveillance Bill

By Nadia Prupis / Common Dreams Oct 27, 2015 Joining privacy rights groups in opposition to the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), Snowden says it is "not going to make us any safer." Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Can Apple, Google and Facebook Save Us From Big Brother?

Thor Benson / Truthdig Sep 11, 2015 The big tech companies have the resources to launch a campaign for privacy that could change the world. As one scholar and researcher has written, “They may be our best chance out of this surveillance mess.” Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Laura Poitras Hits Back at U.S. Government With Harassment Suit

Kasia Anderson / Truthdig Jul 15, 2015 "Citizenfour" director Laura Poitras has taken the U.S. government to task through her work as a filmmaker, and, unsurprisingly, she's gotten a direct message about how that's gone over with the powers that be in Washington. (Hint: not well.) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Government Wants to Improve Its Cybersecurity and Weaken Ours

Thor Benson / Truthdig Jun 24, 2015 The FBI wants tech companies to build “back doors” into encryption that protects user information but allows government to access the data. But even if that was OK with you, it wouldn’t work, says one expert. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

USA Freedom Act: Where Do We Go From Here?

Roisin Davis / Truthdig Jun 5, 2015 There is a long way to go despite the passage of the USA Freedom Act, explains digital rights watchdog Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Undercutting the Patriot Act Is a Major Win for Rand Paul and Edward Snowden

Bill Boyarsky / Truthdig Jun 2, 2015 The senator was a legislative force against the invasive law, but most of the credit goes to the now-exiled whistleblower who revealed the government’s massive and secret abuse of our privacy rights. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Here’s How to Help Deep-Six Section 215 of the Patriot Act

Kasia Anderson / Truthdig May 28, 2015 It's not just Republican Sen. Rand Paul who doesn't want Congress to allow the Patriot Act's Section 215 -- which has enabled the U.S. government to spy on residents on an unprecedented scale in recent years -- to be renewed before its scheduled expiration on June 1. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Why Wikimedia Just Might Win Its Lawsuit Over NSA Surveillance

Thor Benson / Truthdig Mar 28, 2015 The nonprofit organization behind Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, claims that because of Edward Snowden's revelations, the spy agency can no longer use the same old "state secrets" defense. The organization behind Wikipedia says that because of Edward Snowden's revelations, the spy agency can no longer use the "state secrets" defense. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Oh, No: The ACLU Helped Jail CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Feb 10, 2015 One of the U.S.' most respected civil liberties organizations collaborated with President Reagan's CIA in writing secrecy laws that enabled the prosecution of Bush-era whistleblower John Kiriakou, reports Mark Ames at Pando Daily. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Why Twitter’s Lawsuit Could Make or Break Transparency

Thor Benson / Truthdig Oct 22, 2014 President Obama has called his administration the “most transparent in history,” but instead of allowing companies to be completely transparent regarding their involvement in government surveillance, Washington has muzzled them. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

The Two-Front War for the Future of the Internet

By Thor Benson Sep 10, 2014 Protests like Wednesday's Internet Slowdown Day and the continued push to make the Internet a public utility are episodes in long battles that have no definite end in sight, but activists are in it for the long haul. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )