The Administration is seeking reauthorization of the NSA phone record collection program, according to a letter from Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats published by the New York Times. The Patriot Act "Section 215" program originally allowed the bulk collection of all telephone records of Americans. In 2013, following the Snowden disclosures, EPIC filed a petition with the Supreme Court, challenging the lawfulness of the bulk collection program. Congress then held extensive hearings which found the program was ineffective and later passed the USA Freedom Act, which limited the data collection. NSA has since acknowledged significant compliance problems with the Freedom Act, and the Coats letter confirms that the program was subsequently suspended. EPIC has joined civil liberties organizations in calling for a permanent end to the NSA's phone record collection program.
A Grindr user has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appellate court's refusal to find the dating app liable for failing to remove a false profile that enabled abuse. EPIC filed an amicus brief in Herrick v. Grindr, arguing that Section 230, the law the appeals court found barred liability, was intended to "encourage internet service providers to police their platforms," not to "give platforms carte blanche to ignore harassment and abuse." EPIC explained that victims may be subjected to ongoing "psychological, social, and financial harm" if internet services are not accountable for harassment and abuse. EPIC routinely files friend of the court briefs in cases concerning emerging privacy and civil liberties issues. Herrick's attorney (and EPIC Champion of Freedom Award winner) Carrie Goldberg recently published "Nobody's Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls."
EPIC has filed comments on the Council of Europe's Recommendation on AI and human rights. Drafted by a committee of human rights experts, the Recommendation is expected to be adopted by the COE in early 2020. EPIC expressed strong support for the draft Recommendation, noting nearly all of the Universal Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence principles are included. EPIC also recommended the COE incorporate UGAI principles prohibiting secret profiling and unitary scores and requiring termination of AI systems that spin out of control. Intended to maximize the benefits of AI, to minimize the risk, and to ensure the protection of human rights, over 250 experts and 60 organizations have endorsed the Universal Guidelines. EPIC also recently urged the White House to safeguard personal data in U.S. AI research and development.
