Electronic Frontier Foundation

[MayorQuimby]

Hello. Just wondering what your thoughts are on this organization? It's based in the US, I read a few of their articles, they seem like a legitimate organization who truly cares about doing the right thing. However, before I open up my wallet, I would like to get a sense of what they really are like.

Link here: Electronic Frontier Foundation

Thanks

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Hello. Just wondering what your thoughts are on this organization? It's based in the US, I read a few of their articles, they seem like a legitimate organization who truly cares about doing the right thing. However, before I open up my wallet, I would like to get a sense of what they really are like.

Link here: Electronic Frontier Foundation

Thanks

They’re absolutely legitimate and highly respected. I've personally followed and interacted with the Electronic Frontier Foundation for decades and still receive regular emails from them. They’ve consistently been on the forefront of digital rights, privacy, and civil liberties—long before these topics became mainstream.

EFF has a strong track record of fighting for free expression, encryption rights, government transparency (including surveillance overreach), and defending individuals and small organizations against powerful corporate or government abuses in the tech space.

If you care about the intersection of law, technology, and human rights, they’re one of the most principled organizations you could support. Their litigation, amicus briefs, and public education work have been critical in shaping responsible digital policy in the U.S.

EFF’s Big Case in the Early 2000s:

Hepting v. AT&T (2006)
Overview:
EFF filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of AT&T customers, alleging that AT&T had violated federal law by cooperating with the NSA in a massive, warrantless surveillance program that intercepted phone calls, internet traffic, and emails — all without court orders.
Key Details:

• The case was based on evidence from whistleblower Mark Klein, a former AT&T technician who exposed a secret room (Room 641A) at AT&T’s San Francisco office where internet traffic was diverted to the NSA.
• EFF argued this was a violation of the Fourth Amendment and federal wiretapping laws (such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — FISA).

Why it Mattered:

• It was one of the first major post-9/11 surveillance cases to challenge the federal government’s actions using telecom infrastructure.
• It gained widespread media coverage and helped elevate EFF as a serious legal actor willing to confront both corporate and government overreach.
• Congress later passed FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which included retroactive immunity for telecoms like AT&T — effectively ending the lawsuit.

Other Notable EFF Cases Around That Era

• Bernstein v. DOJ (1995–2003) — Challenged U.S. restrictions on exporting encryption software. The court ruled code is speech, a major First Amendment victory.
• Bunnell v. MPAA (2007) — EFF defended against illegal email surveillance by the MPAA.
• EFF v. Department of Justice (multiple FOIA cases) — Seeking records on government surveillance, particularly after the Patriot Act.

 

[MayorQuimby]

Wow, thanks! Stuff like that is exactly what I need. Awesome.