The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is an international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California. Founded in July 1990 by John Gilmore, John-Perry Barlow, and Mitch Kapor, the organization was established to defend civil liberties in the digital world as the internet began to expand into the mainstream. According to their official mission, the EFF provides funds for legal defense in court, presents amicus curiae briefs, and defends individuals and new technologies from what it considers baseless or misplaced legal threats.
Key Advocacy Areas
The EFF is a major proponent of Privacy and Free Expression. They engage in extensive litigation against government Surveillance programs, most notably in the case of Jewel v. NSA, which challenged the warrantless wiretapping of United States citizens. The organization also focuses on Copyright Reform, frequently criticizing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for its potential to stifle innovation and fair use.
Technical Projects and Tools
Beyond legal advocacy, the EFF develops software tools to empower users to protect their own Digital Security. Notable projects include Privacy Badger, a browser extension that blocks spying ads and invisible trackers, and the development of Certbot. They were also a founding partner of Let's Encrypt, a free, automated, and open certificate authority that has dramatically increased the use of HTTPS across the web, a milestone documented by Wikipedia.
Impact on Digital Policy
The EFF has been a vocal supporter of Net Neutrality, arguing that internet service providers should treat all data on the internet the same. Their work extends to Patent Reform, where they aim to combat 'patent trolls' that hinder software development. Through their Takedown Hall of Shame, they highlight abuses of intellectual property laws that result in the removal of legitimate online content.