ACLU to Host Legislative Briefing on Mass Surveillance and Civil Rights in California

ACLU California Action will be holding a press conference tomorrow, February 11th, at the California State Capitol to discuss government surveillance and its impact on civil rights in the state. The event will feature a legislative briefing open to the public, with panelists including a former FBI special agent, representatives from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and other experts in privacy and civil liberties. The briefing aims to inform California lawmakers, their staff, and the public about the dangers of unchecked government surveillance. Key topics will include:

• What surveillance technologies are being used to monitor citizens without their knowledge
• Where all the collected data is going and who has access to it
• The importance of stronger legal protections for digital privacy rights

A major focus will be on “fusion centers” – state-run intelligence hubs that connect local police, state agencies, federal agencies like the FBI and DHS, as well as private companies. According to the ACLU, there are 6 such fusion centers in California, the most of any state, yet they operate with little oversight or transparency. The ACLU is encouraging members of the public to contact their state representatives and urge them to attend the briefing, as the organization hopes to push for new legislation to safeguard civil liberties in the face of expanding government surveillance.