Civil Liberties
1,370 Articles
Scramble to Erase New Zealand Attack Videos Exposes Pitfalls Too
The white supremacist who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, created a Facebook livestream of his assault that spread at an alarming rate. At times, YouTube said,…
Fulfilling the Promise of the USA Freedom Act: Time to Truly End Bulk Collection of Americans’ Calling Records
The new Section 215 "call detail records" program is still ineffective and doesn't justify the privacy threats it poses.
The U.S. Must Forcefully Oppose Blanket Amnesty for Civil War Atrocities in Guatemala
“All the people have disappeared.” So reads a declassified cable from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, dated Dec. 28, 1982. The subject was an incident that occurred just…
Taking No Chances, Thailand’s Junta Locks Down the Internet ahead of Elections
Thailand's political parties’ use of social media is restricted even though the electoral framework all but guarantees defeat for the opposition.
New U.K. Border Security Law: A Frightening Response to the Skripal Poisoning
The British Home Office has quietly gone about making it easier to detain and interrogate travelers at its borders without "reasonable suspicion," and with little public notice.
‘Fixer’ Unbound: Public Confidence in Attorneys, Not Just the President, at Stake
Lawyers may be judged by the company they keep, but not by the clients they represent. Attorneys routinely advocate positions they disfavor on behalf of clients whose views and…
Homeland Security’s Intelligence Overreach: Two Cases Illustrate Risks to Civil Society
The Department of Homeland Security is deploying its intelligence apparatus against activists, journalists, and human rights lawyers, with no guard rails against abuse in place.…
EU ‘Terrorist Content’ Proposal Sets Dire Example for Free Speech Online
Countries around the world are seeking to exert more control over content on the internet – and, by extension, their citizens. Europe, unfortunately, is providing them with a…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in February 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…
The Seven Step Program for Fighting Disinformation
A full-spectrum strategy is needed to proactively prepare for the next wave of social-media and internet-based psychological disinformation operations.
Mueller’s Findings: Why DOJ Non-Disclosure Policy and Grand Jury Secrecy May Not Apply
As the Watergate scandal deepened in November 1973, President Richard Nixon declared: “People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook.” Nixon was right.…
“Just fall, that is all!” Is Sudan on the Brink of Change?
Sudan has entered the third month of widespread and sustained protests across the country, and there is now some indication that President Omar al-Bashir’s grip on power is weakening.…