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In our 607th issue:
The House of Representatives has voted to approve the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), a bill that would allow companies to bypass all existing privacy law to spy on communications and pass sensitive user data to the government. EFF condemns the vote in the House and vows to continue the fight in the Senate.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was dealt a major blow on April 12 when the European Parliament's rapporteur for the agreement announced that he would be recommending a "no" vote. But while the prospects of the European Parliament ratifying the agreement seems to have fortunately lessened, it does not mean that it's a fait accompli that the European Parliament will reject ACTA.
The Federal Aviation Administration has finally released its first round of records in response to EFF's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit about the agency's drone authorization program. The agency says the two lists it released include the names of all public and private entities that have applied for authorizations to fly drones domestically. These lists show for the first time who is authorized to fly drones in the United States.
EFF Updates
Security for the 99%
In the legislative battle over cybersecurity reform, the rhetoric of fear is in full force. Fundamentally, though, the answer to securing U.S. critical infrastructure networks, corporate networks, and the Internet at large is very simple: fewer software vulnerabilities means more security.
Limbaugh Copies Michael Savage's Bogus Copyright Theory, Sends DMCA Takedown to Silence Critics
Radio host Rush Limbaugh has turned to copyright law to go after one of his most vocal critics, the left-leaning political site Daily Kos. The site's offense? Publishing a damning montage of Limbaugh's controversial comments about Sandra Fluke.
Aereo, Free Airwaves, and the Copyright Land Grab
For decades, the principle that the public airwaves are public property has been an obstacle to TV studios that want to control when, where, and how we watch their programs. But that hasn't stopped those studios from trying. The latest target is Aereo, a New York City startup that lets users stream local broadcast TV from a dime-sized antenna on a Brooklyn rooftop to their personal devices.
ISPs Ask Judge To Quash Subpoena In Troll Case -- Or Let Them Appeal
Techdirt has reported about a relatively new copyright troll tactic -- suing only Does that are unfortunate enough to be subscribers of ISPs that don't resist mass subpoenas. So we thought it was time to take note again of the ISPs that are challenging these outrageous lawsuits -- and, often, winning.
With May First/Riseup Server Seizure, FBI Overreaches Yet Again
The FBI is at it again -- executing broad search warrants, disrupting legitimate Internet traffic, and getting nothing in return. When the FBI seized a server from a colocation facility shared by May First and Riseup the actual investigative effect was zero. But more troubling is the collateral damage, as the server was used by a wide range of people who had nothing to do with the bomb threats being investigated.
CA Legislators Allow Wireless Industry to Continue "Working Day and Night" Selling You Out in Secret
EFF, along with the ACLU of Northern California, is a sponsor of the California Location Privacy Act of 2012, which would require California law enforcement officers and agencies to seek a search warrant before obtaining electronic location information. The bill has passed through the California Senate Committee on Public Safety and is now on its way to the full Senate for consideration. But when it gets there, it will be missing a major, important piece of its text: its reporting requirement.
New Wave of Facebook Phishing Attacks Targets Syrian Activists
The campaign of Internet attacks targeting Syrian opposition activists continues to intensify. Since the beginning of the year, we've documented several Trojans that covertly install spying software onto the infected computer, as well as phishing attacks which steal YouTube and Facebook login credentials.
miniLinks
Techdirt: Hulu puts gun to own head, may require users to show proof of pay TV subscription
Hulu may start requiring users to show proof of subscription to a pay TV plan to access certain areas of the site. Techdirt and others have called this plan out as a backwards-looking move from the site's owners: major Hollywood studios.
Foreign Policy: Down With CISPA
EFF Activist Trevor Timm argues in Foreign Policy that America needs to stop preaching civil liberties abroad while passing privacy-destroying bills at home.
EFF Activism Director Rainey Reitman on KQED
Listen to Rainey Reitman explain why CISPA's broad language infringes public privacy on the KQED program Forum.
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