Privacy & Technology

The ACLU works to expand the right to privacy, increase the control individuals have over their personal information, and ensure civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by technological innovation.

Privacy, including the right to be free from unwarranted government surveillance, is guaranteed under the California Constitution. The people--not the government or corporations--should determine how and when others can access our personal information.

Right now, technological innovation has outpaced our privacy protections. As a result, our digital footprint can be tracked by government and corporations in ways that were just recently unimaginable. This includes our communications, whereabouts, online searches, purchases, and even our bodies. When the government has easy access to this information, we lose more than just privacy and control over our information. Free speech, security, and equality suffer as well.

We work to ensure that civil liberties are protected as technology advances. Americans shouldn't have to choose between using new technologies and protecting their privacy rights. The ACLU is at the forefront of making sure that the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable searches extends to digital property, so that our data remains our own.