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In our 572 issue:
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Access have launched an international campaign for HTTPS Now, rallying consumers around the world to help us make web surfing safer. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) protects web surfing by encrypting requests from a user's browser and the resulting pages that are displayed, but many websites default to using the unencrypted and vulnerable HTTP protocol. The HTTPS Now campaign takes a three-pronged approach to protecting web surfing, including distributing updated tools for people to use to protect their web browsing, taking an Internet-wide survey of the state of HTTPS deployment, and helping website operators implement HTTPS.
This week was a turning point in EFF's battle over mass copyright litigation. Righthaven has brought lawsuits against individuals alleged to have unlawfully posted copyrighted materials online, including nonprofits and blogs that posted excerpts from new stories. EFF has been fighting for due process for those involved, and we're happy to report that a judge in Nevada has dismissed Righthaven's meritless claim to seize one victim's domain name. Also, a critical document in another case has been unsealed, showing that some of Righthaven's claims may be a sham.
Match.com has announced plans to implement a system to check their users against sex offender registries. This comes in the wake of a lawsuit against the company by a woman who says she was assaulted by someone she met through the website. While sexual assault is inexcusable, this would-be solution is deeply flawed. Match.com’s plan isn’t a good way to catch sexual predators, sacrifices user privacy, and sets a troubling precedent for allowing companies to peer into our personal lives and histories before doing business with us.
EFF Updates
EFF Files Comments with PTO Regarding Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
EFF filed comments with the Patent Office arguing that those whose work is deeply affected by patents will want to participate in the PTO’s rulemaking process on how to improve policies and procedures to eliminate bad patents and to bolster innovation.
Court Rejects Argument That All First-Time Email Hacking Offenses Are Felonies
A federal appeals court rebuffed another attempt to expand the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, finding that prosecutors can't double-count computer crime charges to turn misdemeanors into felonies.
Google's Lack of Transparency and Openness in the Android Market Will Hurt More Than Just Grooveshark
Google removed Grooveshark’s popular app from the Android Market for violation of the Android terms of service without providing a legal or policy basis for the takedown - a bad precedent for how they'll handle similar issues in the future.
"Who Has Your Back?" In Depth: Which Companies Promise To Tell Users About Government Data Requests?
EFF explains why a company ought to make an enforceable promise to let users know when the government is seeking their data, unless giving notice is prohibited by law or a court order.
"Who Has Your Back?" In Depth: Corporate Transparency About Government Demands for User Information
EFF explains why we want companies to do two things companies to show their commitment to transparency: provide reports on how often they provide data to the government and publish their law enforcement guidelines.
miniLinks
One Day Left for Humble Indie Bundle!
Pay what you want for great, DRM-free, cross-platform games -- and help charities like EFF!
Is WikiLeaks A Media Organization? The First Amendment Doesn’t Care
Andy Greenberg of Forbes explains that WikiLeaks’ legal liability and free speech protections depend on what WikiLeaks publishes, not what it is.
This Week in Privacy - How the Big Companies Compare on Protecting User Data
Dropbox faces public scrutiny over the terms of handing data to the government, Apple faces criticisms over unencrypted files on iPhones that keep track of users' locations, and EFF launches a campaign calling for privacy and transparency from the companies that hold your data.
Mass Copyright Litigation: New Challenge for the Federal Courts
EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn explains how mass copyright litigation raises fundamental due process concerns because many of the individual defendants are not even aware of the litigation, much less in a position to respond.
Administrivia
ISSN 1062-9424
EFFector is a publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
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