Trump made it cool to hate government spying again, EFF’s departing chief says

Cindy Cohn, the outgoing executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), recently shared insights from her memoir, "Privacy’s Defender," which reflects on the ongoing battle against government surveillance. When she began drafting her memoir in 2022, Cohn expressed concern that readers might view her as an outdated figure who is overly alarmed about online privacy issues. However, her extensive background as one of EFF’s pioneering litigators and leaders reveals the critical evolution of digital rights advocacy since the rise of the Internet in the 1990s. Over the years, the focus of concerns has shifted from government surveillance to the often-overlooked harms posed by major tech companies. Yet, the onset of Donald Trump's second term brought renewed urgency to the discussion, particularly through the aggressive operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These operations have relied heavily on technology to facilitate mass deportations, prompting communities to unite in defense of their online privacy. Activists have rallied across political lines to dismantle surveillance tools like Flock cameras, which could potentially assist in arrests. Cohn pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been increasingly trying to identify critics of ICE on social media, although these efforts have largely been unsuccessful. In response, EFF has taken legal action to safeguard Americans' rights to monitor ICE activities and share information anonymously. In her memoir, Cohn highlights three landmark EFF lawsuits that galvanized a diverse group of pioneers, hackers, and cypherpunks to navigate the legal system, articulating complex technical issues in ways that judges could understand. This advocacy has set critical precedents for online privacy rights. Cohn further emphasizes how the government has sought to expand its own power to issue subpoenas under the guise of national security, paving the way for potential abuses of authority. With the current political climate, Cohn believes her memoir has become increasingly relevant. She notes that the Trump administration's overt tactics have starkly contrasted with the more covert approaches of previous administrations. This transparency has revealed the stark reliance of government surveillance on Big Tech, including demands for user information from platforms like Facebook and pressure on app stores like Apple to eliminate certain applications.