Democrats Recently Voted to Give Trump Even MORE Police Power

Even amidst an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on protesters, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize the questionably named USA FREEDOM Act.

Alan Macleod
By Alan Macleod
USA Freedom Act Feature Photo

Even as the president has overseen a nationwide wave of police brutality in response to the George Floyd protests, Democrats are voting to increase the executive branch and the national security state’s powers. Last week, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize the questionably named USA FREEDOM Act,

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More Gov’t Hooks in Social Media: Facebook Hires Patriot Act Co-Author While Trump Jawbones Twitter CEO

Facebook’s recent controversial hire may give a boost to efforts to “break up” Facebook and other social media giants, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) recent call to take antitrust action against some of Silicon Valley’s largest companies, including Facebook and Twitter.

Whitney Webb
By Whitney Webb
Facebook | surveillance

The U.S. government-social media nexus appears to be tightening. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump held a closed-door meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Just days prior, the other top social-media network, Facebook, hired Jennifer Newstead, a former legal adviser to Trump’s state department who had previously co-authored the

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Congress, Big Oil Collude to Charge Anti-Pipeline Activists as Domestic Terrorists

It appears that many members of Congress are more concerned with expanding the definition of domestic terrorism to include dissenting voices to powerful industries than they are with cracking down on actual incidences of domestic terror that claim innocent American lives.

Whitney Webb
By Whitney Webb

In late October, over 80 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter urging U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to consider domestic terrorism charges for activists who damage pipelines or disrupt their construction. The letter, drafted by Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) and co-signed by numerous other representatives, asserts that, while

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Liberty Act Presents Another “Fake Fix” To Controversial NSA Spying Program

With vague language, loopholes, and glaring omissions, the proposed USA Liberty Act — ostensibly intended to check exposed NSA spying abuses — is a toothless tiger, leaving in place practices that are squarely at odds with Fourth Amendment constitutional protections for ordinary citizens.

Whitney Webb
By Whitney Webb
A reflection of the Department of Homeland Security logo in the eyeglasses of a cybersecurity analyst at the watch and warning center of the Department of Homeland Security's secretive cyber defense facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Ever since Edward Snowden helped reveal the true extent of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) massive spying program, U.S. politicians have attempted to “fix” the program’s gross violations of the Fourth Amendment with legislation. While some legislative efforts were “fake fixes,” others were well-meaning but have fallen short, as legislators

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Do ‘National Security Letters’ Violate The 1st Amendment?

National security letters are so wrought with potential for abuse that EFF describes them as “one of the most frightening and invasive” facets of the PATRIOT Act.

Derrick Broze
By Derrick Broze
A judge ruled in January that the FBI had acted in a manner ‘fundamentally at odds with’ the Freedom of Information Act.

The question is at the heart of an ongoing court battle between the Federal Bureau of Investigations and two communications service providers represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. EFF is representing CREDO Mobile and Cloudflare in their efforts to defend themselves against the use of the controversial national security letters (NSL).

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Unsatisfied With Weak Spy Reforms, Movement Snowden Built Vows To Fight On

‘Two years ago, debating these modest changes would’ve been unthinkable, and it is absolutely a vindication for Edward Snowden.’

Jon Queally
By Jon Queally
The USA Freedom Act vote "shows the power that investigative journalism and brave whistleblowing can have on even the most entrenched government interests," says Trevor Timm. (Photo: The Guardian)

The USA Freedom Act vote "shows the power that investigative journalism and brave whistleblowing can have on even the most entrenched government interests," says Trevor Timm. (Photo: The Guardian)   The law itself isn't nearly strong enough for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and his strongest supporters to get behind,

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