civil liberties
The Technological Leaps Hitting the Market Show the True Face of Facial Recognition
A new report from the LA Times reveals the frightening scale of potential civil liberties violations posed by recent advances in facial recognition technology. The piece profiles a company called Vintra which is showcasing the “co-appearance” feature of its … Read more »
Senators Continue to Push Legislation Curbing Facial Recognition Use By Federal and State Governments
Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey has formally reintroduced his “Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act”. Initially debuted in the Senate chambers in 2021, Markey has been persistent in reintroducing it.
If passed, the bill would be a first for regulating … Read more »
Timuel Black, Civil Liberties Champion and CCDBR Board Member, Dies at 102
It is with a heavy heart that CCDBR marks the passing of Chicago civil liberties champion and board member Timuel Black. In Black, we have lost a tireless civil rights advocate and a fixture of Chicago civic life. His exemplary … Read more »
President’s Note: CCDBR Remembers Civil Liberties Champion Larry Kennon
CCDBR salutes the memory of Attorney Larry Kennon, longtime advisory board member and Bill of Rights Foundation registered agent. Both as a defender of civil rights and liberties and as a treasured friend, Larry will be missed by all of us … Read more »
San Francisco Debuts Nation’s First Facial Recognition Regulation with Ban on Government Use
An article last week from Wired reported that San Francisco has passed the nation’s first ban on government use of facial recognition technology. Enacted by the city’s Board of Supervisors, the measure was adopted as part of a suite of … Read more »
Report: Justice Department Convenes Forum to Expand Police Use of Drones with Zero Concern for Privacy Implications
Last week, the US Department of Justice issued a press release announcing the start of a forum designed to help law enforcement agencies across the country expand their use of drones. The release, which took the form of a … Read more »
More Trump Inauguration Protester Prosecutions Dropped as Judge Rules Government Suppressed Evidence
Al Jazeera reports that US attorneys prosecuting a group of protesters at a Washington, DC Inauguration Day demonstration (known as J20) for felony rioting charges have dropped charges against a new group of defendants after a judge ruled that the … Read more »
Muslim Leaders Settle Lawsuit with NYPD in Resounding Win for Equal Constitutional Protection
The Guardian reports that last week a settlement was reached in a lawsuit against the New York Police Department in which lawyers representing New Jersey-area Muslim community leaders won significant concessions from the defendant. The suit, filed jointly by Muslim … Read more »
Prosecution Drops Case Against 129 Inauguration Day Protesters
According to a new piece from Al Jazeera, prosecutors in the case against protesters taking part in the Disrupt J20 demonstration, which took place in Washington, DC in January 2017, have dropped all charges against 129 defendants. Among the … Read more »
First of 194 Defendants in J20 Prosecution, Including Journalist, Found Not Guilty
A new piece from The Intercept reports that a jury in Washington DC has found the first six defendants in the federal prosecution of 194 Disrupt J20 protesters not guilty on all charges. The charges, which included an array of … Read more »
