Favorite The human brain might be the grandest computer of all, but in this episode, we talk to two experts who confirm that the ability for tech to decipher thoughts, and perhaps even manipulate them, isn’t just around the corner – it’s already here. Rapidly advancing “neurotechnology” could offer new ways for people with brain…
All posts tagged Medical Privacy
Fake Clinics Quietly Edit Their Websites After Being Called Out on HIPAA Claims
Favorite In a promising sign that public pressure works, several crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs, also known as “fake clinics”) have quietly scrubbed misleading language about privacy protections from their websites. Earlier this year, EFF sent complaints to attorneys general in eight states (FL, TX, AR, and MO, TN, OK, NE, and NC), asking them to…
EFF to Court: Protect Our Health Data from DHS
Favorite The federal government is trying to use Medicaid data to identify and deport immigrants. So EFF and our friends at EPIC and the Protect Democracy Project have filed an amicus brief asking a judge to block this dangerous violation of federal data privacy laws. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. Department of…
State AGs Must Act: EFF Expands Call to Investigate Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Favorite Back in January, EFF called on attorneys general in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri to investigate potential privacy violations and hold accountable crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) that engage in deceptive practices. Since then, some of these centers have begun to change their websites, quietly removing misleading language and privacy claims; the Hawaii legislature is…
Hawaii Takes a Stand for Privacy: HCR 144/HR 138 Calls for Investigation of Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Favorite In a bold push for medical privacy, Hawaii’s House of Representatives has introduced HCR 144/HR 138, a resolution calling for the Hawaii Attorney General to investigate whether crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are violating patient privacy laws. Often referred to as “fake clinics” or “unregulated pregnancy centers” (UPCs), these are non-medical centers that provide free…
EFF to State AGs: Time to Investigate Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Favorite Discovering that you’re pregnant can trigger a mix of emotions—excitement, uncertainty, or even distress—depending on your circumstances. Whatever your feelings are, your next steps will likely involve disclosing that news, along with other deeply personal information, to a medical provider or counselor as you explore your options. Many people will choose to disclose that…
The Breachies 2024: The Worst, Weirdest, Most Impactful Data Breaches of the Year
Favorite Every year, countless emails hit our inboxes telling us that our personal information was accessed, shared, or stolen in a data breach. In many cases, there is little we can do. Most of us can assume that at least our phone numbers, emails, addresses, credit card numbers, and social security numbers are all available…
Sen. Wyden Exposes Data Brokers Selling Location Data to Anti-Abortion Groups That Target Abortion Seekers
Favorite This post was written by Jack Beck, an EFF legal intern In a recent letter to the FTC and SEC, Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) details new information on data broker Near, which sold the location data of people seeking reproductive healthcare to anti-abortion groups. Near enabled these groups to send targeted ads promoting anti-abortion…
A Year Since Dobbs, The Fight For Reproductive Privacy and Information Access Continues
Favorite A year ago this Saturday, the Supreme Court’s Dobbs abortion ruling overturned Roe v. Wade. This decision deprived millions of people of a fundamental right. As we wrote then, it also underscored the importance of fair and meaningful protections for data privacy. In the past year, EFF staff have worked with reproductive justice and…
Californians: Speak Up To Protect People Seeking Repro and Gender-Affirming Care
Favorite We need your help to advance A.B. 793, a bill authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta to protect people seeking abortion and gender-affirming care from dragnet-style digital surveillance. It’s facing law enforcement opposition as it heads to the Assembly floor for a vote. California’s Assemblymembers need to hear from you to stand up for what’s…
