Privacy SOS

The ACLU of Massachusetts' Privacy SOS campaign aims to roll back unwarrented government surveillance by pushing for legislation that will protect our First Amendment and privacy rights, safeguard personal data from improper use by the government, and focus law enforcement resources where they are needed.

We've created this website to help accomplish that goal. Towards that end, we need your help to do the following:

1. Pass robust state legislation in Massachusetts that limits the kind of data police and intelligence agencies can gather about innocent people, prevents them from gathering private information about people who are not reasonably suspected of having committed a crime, and raises the bar to make sure that private data isn't being improperly shared with other agencies. Visit our take action page to tell your state legislators to support privacy legislation!

2. Pass robust federal legislation to update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), originally passed in 1986, before the world wide web even existed. Check out the DotRights campaign for more information on updating ECPA, and visit their take action page to tell your legislators to support reform.

3. Pass local resolutions in towns and cities in Massachusetts opposing the installation of Department of Homeland Security surveillance cameras and the use of racial, ethnic and religious profiling by law enforcement.

The ACLU of Massachusetts is excited to help you organize in your own community. We have lots of experience, toolkits and ideas. Please contact us for more information or to start getting involved.

Here are three things you can do to push back:

  1. TAKE ACTION by contacting your state and federal legislators to tell them: support data protection legislation so I can control my privacy!
  2. HOST A GATHERING in your community to educate people on the issues and spread the word about our campaign.
  3. HELP US investigate the extent to which Massachusetts residents are being monitored by our local, state and federal government.

We have many resources available for events, including toolkits, video presentations and speakers available free of charge. Get in touch to find out how you can help win back our rights to privacy and freedom from unwarranted searches.

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