Civil Liberties
12 stories related to this topic, newest first.
ReasonFederal Reports Detail Monitoring of Anti-Technology Protests
Wired obtained more than 1,000 pages of unpublished reports from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and fusion centers that outline plans to track individuals and groups expressing opposition to technology.
jpost.comUK Report Details Legal Changes Affecting Climate and Pro-Palestine Protesters
A report released Tuesday examines new laws and court practices applied to protest-related cases in Britain since 2019. Researchers documented longer sentences, pretrial detention, and limits on what defendants may say in court.
PropublicaU.S. Citizen Detained for Third Time by Immigration Agents in Alabama
Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen born in Florida, was pulled from his vehicle and shackled by immigration agents on May 2 near his Alabama home. It was the third time agents detained him despite his presentation of a state-issued REAL ID. The incidents occurred even as fed…
thesouthafrican.comU.S. Citizen Detained Briefly by ICE During Stop of Truck Registered to Illegal Alien
Leo Garcia Venegas was pulled from his truck, tackled and shackled in front of his Silverhill, Alabama home on May 2 2026. The incident marks his third detention by federal officers since 2025 even though he presented identification as a U.S. citizen. Venegas is the lead plaintif…
azernews.azPentagon Signs AI Deals with Several Companies After Blacklisting Anthropic Over Safeguard Concerns
The Pentagon announced contracts with multiple technology firms for AI tools to support military operations, excluding Anthropic due to its refusal to remove certain safeguards. Anthropic had warned about risks of AI for mass domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. The deal…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewHouse Speaker Johnson Proposes FISA Renewal Amid Republican Opposition
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced a bill to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, following a failed attempt last week. Opposition from some Republicans, including Rep. Thomas Massie, centers on concerns over warrantless surveillance of Am…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewACLU Sues ICE and DHS Over FOIA Requests for Subpoena Records
Two lawsuits seek to compel Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security to release records on administrative subpoenas used to identify anonymous online users. The actions follow ignored Freedom of Information Act requests amid reports of increased…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewProjection on Edinburgh Castle Announces UK Protests Against Digital ID Plans
A large-scale projection protesting digital ID appeared on Edinburgh Castle last night, organized by the Together Declaration. The group has scheduled demonstrations in four UK capitals on April 25 to oppose government plans. Labour recently reversed its decision to make digital…
bgr.comNew Civil Liberties Alliance Submits Amicus Brief in Fourth Circuit Case on Norfolk's License Plate Tracking System
The New Civil Liberties Alliance submitted an amicus curiae brief on April 20, 2026, in the case Schmidt v. City of Norfolk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The brief urges reversal of a district court decision upholding the city's automated license plate reco…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewCoalition of Advocacy Groups Demands Meta Abandon Face Recognition in Smart Glasses
More than 70 organizations urged Meta to cancel plans for face recognition in Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. The groups sent a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding abandonment of the Name Tag feature. The coalition raised concerns about privacy and potential misuse in haras…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan Calls for Government Unit to Combat Social Media Disinformation
London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that the city faces a surge in disinformation portraying it as in decline, linking it to offline harm. He urged the creation of a central government body to enforce rules on social media platforms. Civil liberties groups expressed concerns over pote…
thecanary.coOver 500 Arrested at Trafalgar Square Protest Supporting Banned Group Palestine Action
Police arrested more than 500 protesters in London's Trafalgar Square during a demonstration supporting the banned group Palestine Action. The event occurred amid ongoing legal challenges to the group's terrorist designation. Arrests followed a police reversal on enforcement afte…