In our 694th issue:

• UPDATES
• MINILINKS
• ANNOUNCEMENTS

2016 Presidential Questionnaire

What do the U.S. presidential candidates have to say about NSA surveillance? Or the Trans-Pacific Partnership? How about open access? We’ve put together a questionnaire for candidates on everything from privacy to patents. We’ll let you know when they respond, but in the meantime, we invite you to ask these questions at town halls, fundraisers, and everywhere that candidates for office interact with the public. Together, we can keep digital rights in the spotlight for the 2016 election.

Voter Privacy: What You Need to Know

The right to an anonymous vote is a cornerstone of the U.S. democratic process. But although your ballot is secret, it can be frighteningly easy for political campaigns to buy and sell your name, contact details, and political leanings. Learn how campaigns track voters and some simple steps you can take to protect your privacy.

EFF Updates

Apple, the FBI, and Freedom of Speech

A U.S. federal magistrate judge recently ordered Apple to break the security of an iPhone, potentially compromising the security of thousands of iPhone users. EFF has filed an amicus brief in support of Apple’s right to refuse to comply with the order. Learn why forcing Apple to write and sign code violates the First Amendment.

Let's Encrypt Issues One Million Certificates

EFF and the Let’s Encrypt Certificate Authority are building a more secure and fully encrypted future for the World Wide Web. This week—only three months after beta launch—Let’s Encrypt issued its one millionth certificate.

Tell Congress: It's Time to Move FASTR

When you pay for federally funded research, you should be allowed to read it. That’s the simple premise of the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act, which was just passed out of a major Senate committee.

Content ID and the Rise of the Machines

Using content-recognition tools to recognize potential cases of copyright infringement isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The problem comes when humans fall out of the picture.

The Kafkaesque Battle of Soulseek and PayPal

Does your business follow copyright law to the best of its ability? Not good enough. At least that was the case for one long-standing peer-to-peer network, which had its payment processing shut down after more than 14 years of being a loyal PayPal customer.

TPP and Your Digital Rights

EFF’s new infographic explains what's wrong with the Trans-Pacific Partnership and what you can do about it.

miniLinks

CNET: 11 Juiciest Arguments Made in the Apple vs. FBI iPhone Fight

CNET summarizes several of the arguments experts have made in the Apple vs. FBI case, including EFF’s.

TechDirt: Indian Patent Office Gives Definitive 'No' To Software Patents

India takes a strong stance on software patents: “The computer programme in itself is never patentable. If the contribution lies solely in the computer programme, deny the claim.”

WSJ: Top House Democrat on Trade Sander Levin Rejects Pacific Agreement

“To not get it right is to get it wrong, and this TPP, as negotiated, is not right for America.” A key representative on international trade speaks out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Supported by Donors

Our members make it possible for EFF to bring legal and technological expertise into crucial battles about online rights. Whether defending free speech online or challenging unconstitutional surveillance, your participation makes a difference. Every donation gives technology users who value freedom online a stronger voice and more formidable advocate.

If you aren't already, please consider becoming an EFF member today.

Donate Today

Administrivia

Editor: Elliot Harmon, Activist
editor@eff.org

EFFector is a publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
eff.org