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In our 606th issue:

Stop Cyber Spying Week: Join EFF in a Week of Action Opposing CISPA

You may have already heard about CISPA, the cybersecurity bill moving quickly through the House that would let companies like Google, Facebook, and AT&T snoop on our communications and hand sensitive user data to the government without a court order. That's why EFF is joining a coalition of other organizations in speaking out against this cyber spying bill -- and we're calling on the Internet community to join us. So what can you do to stand against this bill?

And follow our Deeplinks blog and our microblogging on Twitter or Identi.ca for updates on the campaign.

 

EFF Updates

ACTA: The State of Play in the U.S.

In the last few weeks, we've seen surprising and significant developments with the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in both the U.S. and the EU. In both process and in substance, ACTA is a deeply undemocratic initiative that has bypassed checks and balances of existing international IP norm-setting bodies, without any meaningful input from national parliaments, policymakers, or their citizens. Here are some recent U.S. developments and what we and others are doing to highlight the illegitimacy of this controversial agreement.

TPP: Continuing to Nudge Toward Agreement

Informal negotiations are underway in Chile this week on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). Up for negotiation are provisions dealing with intellectual property -- including online copyright enforcement, DMCA-style digital locks, and Internet intermediary liability.

Hollywood Loves a Sequel -- But Really, SOPA 2?

Chris Dodd, Chair of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was quoted as saying he is "confident" negotiations for a SOPA revival are taking place. It sounds like Dodd learned the wrong lesson from the Internet uprising against SOPA: since January's protests, Internet users have been clear and consistent about rejecting backroom deals that would undermine their online freedoms in misguided attempts to preserve legacy business structures.

Miami-Dade PD Releases Information about Its Drone Program; Will the FAA Follow Suit?

EFF recently received records from the Miami-Dade Police Department in response to a Public Records request for information on its drone program. These records provide additional insight into domestic drone use in the United States, and they reinforce the importance of public access to information on who is authorized to fly drones inside US borders.

Trouble in Trolltown: Judges Are Increasingly Catching On to Copyright Trolls' Unfair Tactics

Life under the bridge is a bit less comfortable for copyright trolls these days, as a series of legal losses continues to undermine their misguided business model. In the past few months, judges around the country have picked up the pace and gone after both the legal tactics used for trolling and the lawyers engaging in them.

EFF Sponsors California Bill to Protect Location Data

Police shouldn't be able to get your sensitive location data -- information that can reveal your religion, health, hobbies, and politics -- on a whim. That's why EFF is a sponsor of a new bill in the California legislature that would ensure law enforcement obtains a warrant before acquiring a person’s location information from an electronic device like a cell phone.

This Week in Censorship: The Increasingly Censorious World

New research from the OpenNet Initiative says 47% of all Internet users experience censorship online; Vietnam could edge out the competition to be Enemy #1 of the Internet; and Iran denies reports that it plans to cut itself off from the global Internet.

miniLinks

SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court grants cert on Kirtsaeng v. Wiley

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider the legality of purchasing copyrighted works overseas and bringing them back to the U.S. for resale. The Court had agreed to rule on that issue in 2010, but wound up splitting 4-4.

EU Parliament’s draftsman urges ACTA rejection

Finally, some good news on ACTA: the British MEP in charge of drafting urges EU Parliament to reject it.

CNET: This Internet provider pledges to put your privacy first. Always.

Nicholas Merrill, renowned for fighting off a National Security Letter, is now planning an encrypted and privacy-maximizing ISP.

Administrivia

ISSN 1062-9424

EFFector is a publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
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Editor: Parker Higgins, Activist
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Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is encouraged. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of EFF. To reproduce signed articles individually, please contact the authors for their express permission.

Press releases and EFF announcements & articles may be reproduced individually at will.

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Announcements

Aereo Customers In NYC: EFF Needs Your Input

EFF wants to hear from Aereo customers as we explore how to keep broadcast TV free. If you are an Aereo customer, live in New York City, and want your voice heard, please send an email to aereocustomers@eff.org. Tell us about how you use Aereo and why you think it should stay legal. The public airwaves belong to you -- help us protect your right to access them when and how you choose.

SOURCE Boston

EFF Senior Staff Attorney Marcia Hofmann and EFF Senior Staff Technologist Seth Schoen team up to discuss "Privacy at the Border: A Guide for Traveling with Devices."
April 17-19, 2012
Boston, MA

Members-Only Speakeasy: Boston

After SOURCE, raise a glass with us and discover our latest work protecting digital innovation, privacy, and free speech, and learn more about the continuing fight to defend your freedom online. EFF's Speakeasy events are free, informal meetups that give you a chance to mingle with local members and speak with the people behind the world's leading digital civil liberties organization.
April 19, 2012
Boston, MA

Innovate/Activate

EFF activists and lawyers will be participating in Innovate/Activate, a two-day conference on IP activism. The conference will discuss additional tools for a more effective activism that is capable of challenging our accepted notions of freedom and equality.
April 20-21, 2012
Berkeley, CA

LinuxFest Northwest 2012

Catch Senior Staff Technologist Seth Schoen at LinuxFest Northwest 2012! Seth will be speaking along with the ACLU's Brian Alseth on the Joint Panel Forum.
April 28-29, 2012
Bellingham, WA

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