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The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is an independent
nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
research center established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the
information age The Information Age is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technology ...
. Based in Washington, D.C., their mission is to "secure the fundamental right to privacy in the digital age for all people through advocacy, research, and litigation." EPIC believes that privacy is a fundamental right, the internet belongs to people who use it, and there's a responsible way to use technology. EPIC pursues a wide range of civil liberties,
consumer protection Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the marketplace. Consumer protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent business ...
, and human rights issues. EPIC has pursued several successful consumer privacy complaints with the
Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...
(FTC) concerning Snapchat (faulty privacy technology), WhatsApp (privacy policy after acquisition by Facebook),
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
(changes in user privacy settings),
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
(roll-out of Google Buzz),
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
(Hailstorm log-in), and Choicepoint (sale of personal information to identity thieves). EPIC has also prevailed in significant Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) cases against the CIA, the DHS, the Department of Education, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
, the National Security Agency (NSA), the ODNI, and the Transportation Security Administration. EPIC has also filed many '' amicus curiae'' briefs on law and technology, including '' Riley v. California'' (2014), which concerne cell phone privacy. They have also litigated important privacy cases, including ''EPIC v. DHS'' (D.C. Cir. 2011), which led to the removal of the x-ray body scanners in US airports, and ''EPIC v. NSA'' (D.C. Cir. 2014), which led to the release of the NSA's formerly secret cybersecurity authority. Additionally, EPIC challenged the NSA's domestic
surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...
program in a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. ''In re EPIC'', (U.S. 2013) after the release of the " Verizon Order" in June 2013. One of EPIC's current cases concerns the obligation of the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
to establish privacy regulations prior to the deployment of commercial drones in the United States. EPIC works closely with a distinguished advisory board, who have expertise in law, technology and public policy.


EPIC program areas


EPIC Open Government project

The EPIC Open Government Project is one of the nation's leading government transparency programs. Combining decades of expertise in the Freedom of Information Act with experienced litigation attorneys, EPIC obtains important government records to promote accountability and safeguard civil liberties. The EPIC Open Government Project pursues four distinct program activities. First, the project actively pursues secret government documents through the FOIA. Second, the EPIC Open Government Project recommends improvements to agency rulemakings concerning transparency, privacy, and civil liberties. Third, EPIC trains law school students on utilizing the FOIA to promote open government. Fourth, EPIC participates in coalitions with other government transparency organizations. EPIC's extensive press outreach and popular website allow EPIC to make FOIA documents widely available to the press and the public.


Public Voice project

The Public Voice coalition was established in 1996 by EPIC to promote public participation in decisions concerning the future of the Internet. The Public Voice has pursued issues ranging from privacy and freedom of expression to consumer protection and Internet governance. Through international conferences, reports and funding for travel the Public Voice project seeks to increase the presence of NGOs at meetings across the globe. In cooperation with the
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
,
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, and other international organizations, the Public Voice project brings civil society leaders face to face with government officials for constructive engagement about current policy issues. Public Voice events have been held in Buenos Aires, Cancun, Cape Town, Dubai, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Ottawa, Paris, Seoul, Washington, and Wroclaw. The Public Voice project is made possible, in part, by support from the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
, the Markle Foundation, the Open Society Institute, and EPIC. The Public Voice has provided support for several organizations, including the Center for International Media Action, CPSR, EDRi, People for Internet Responsibility, Privacy International, CPSR-Peru, and the TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD). The Public Voice helped establish the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) which is the "voice of civil society" at the OECD. CSISAC's mission is set out in the Seoul Declaration adopted at the OECD Ministerial Meeting in Seoul, 2008. CSISAC contributes to the OECD's work on Digital Economy Policy and promotes the exchange of information between the OECD and civil society. The OECD provides civil society participants with substantial empirical analysis that enable informed policy assessments; CSISAC provides the OECD with the essential perspectives of experts and NGOs leaders. CSISAC strengthens the relationship between civil society and the OECD and promotes better-informed and more widely accepted policies for the IT sector. "There is an increasing recognition that we must involve all stakeholders including the voice of civil society. The Public Voice meeting and its contributions to the Forum have been constructive and positive."—OECD Under Secretary General


EPIC Amicus project

The EPIC Amicus Project seeks to promote privacy and government oversight by filing "friend of the court" briefs in federal and state courts. The EPIC Amicus Program is one of the most prolific appellate advocacy programs in the United States, filing almost 100 amicus briefs on emerging privacy and civil liberties issues, including more than 20 briefs for the
US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...
. The EPIC Project brings together experts in the fields of law, technology, and privacy policy with a team of in-house litigators to identify and file in cutting edge privacy cases. EPIC's amicus briefs have been cited by judges and justices in significant Fourth Amendment, consumer privacy, communications privacy, medical privacy, workplace privacy, and open government cases. EPIC continues to expand the scope of the Amicus Program, including arguing cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court, the New Mexico Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. EPIC's amicus participation has also been requested by judges in both federal and state cases. And EPIC attorneys frequently speak at judicial conferences, both in the United States and around the world, about emerging privacy issues and the role of the judiciary.


EPIC AI & Human Rights project

The EPIC Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and Human Rights Project advocates for the adoption of transparent, equitable, and commonsense development of AI policy and regulations. EPIC pursues this goal through a combination of public education, direct legislative advocacy, freedom of information requests, comments to decision-makers at the state, federal, and international levels, and more.


EPIC Consumer Privacy project

The EPIC Consumer Privacy Project advocates for the rights of consumers and Internet users, and works to protect consumers' personal information and autonomy in the digital marketplace. EPIC promotes the implementation and enforcement of Fair Information Practices and the enactment of the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, so that consumers do not have to choose between engaging in modern society and retaining their right to privacy.


EPIC Surveillance Oversight project

EPIC's Project on Surveillance Oversight focuses public attention on merging technologies used to conduct domestic surveillance. As federal Judge Chutkan explained in a case brought by EPIC, "There can be little dispute that the general public has a genuine, tangible interest in a system designed to store and manipulate significant quantities of its own biometric data, particularly given the great numbers of people from whom such data will be gathered." EPIC's Project on Surveillance Oversight looks also at drone surveillance, social media monitoring, police body-worn cameras, passenger profiling, vehicle tracking and cyber-surveillance. The Project pursues several activities to inform the public and to advocate for better privacy protections. EPIC uses FOIA to obtain documents about government surveillance programs. EPIC also files comments with federal agencies, leads coalition advocacy efforts, and testifies before state and federal legislatures for better privacy protections. EPIC has filed numerous amicus briefs in important court cases that address surveillance issues.


EPIC Administrative Law project

Through the Administrative Law Project, EPIC aims to compel federal agencies to adopt practices that safeguard privacy and promote transparency. EPIC has pursued this mission through extensive comments to agencies, and subsequent lawsuits in instances where agencies fail to adopt EPIC's recommendations. Over the last twenty years, EPIC has successfully advocated for individual privacy rights in agency rulemaking proceedings. EPIC has also successfully sued the government to force an agency to conduct a public rulemaking as required under the APA.


Publications and web sites

EPIC maintains and publishes its monthly newsletter, the ''EPIC Alert''. EPIC also publishes several books on privacy and open government, including ''Privacy in the Modern Age: The Search for Solutions, Privacy Law Sourcebook, Privacy and Human Rights, Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws, Filters and Freedom, The Public Voice WSIS Sourcebook,'' and ''The Consumer Law Sourcebook''. EPIC maintains web sites for the Privacy Coalition, the Public Voice coalition, and the National Committee for Voting Integrity.


EPIC Champion of Freedom Award

EPIC established the Champions of Freedom Award in 2004 to recognize individuals and organizations that have helped safeguard the right of privacy, promote open government, and protect democratic values with courage and integrity.


EPIC Champions of Freedom

* Alondra Nelson (2023) * Attorney General Phil Weiser (2023) * Holly Jacobs (2023) * Attorney General Karl Racine (2022) * Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (2022) * John M. Abowd (2022) * Joseph Cox, Motherboard (2021) * The Markup (2021) * Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis (2020) * Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (2020) * Senator Steve Daines (2020) * Senator
Richard Blumenthal Richard Blumenthal ( ; born February 13, 1946) is an American politician, lawyer, and United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps veteran serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from ...
(2019) * Representative
Jan Schakowsky Janice Schakowsky ( ; née Danoff; born May 26, 1944) is an American politician who has served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from since 1999, and she previously served as a member of the Illinois House of Re ...
(2019) * Secretary Matthew Dunlap (2018) * Secretary Alex Padilla (2018) * Garry Kasparov (2017) * Judge Patricia Wald (2017) * Hon. Nancy Gertner (2016) * Richard Clarke (2015) * Tim Cook (2015) * AG Kamala Harris (2015) * Rep. Justin Amash (2014) * Edward Snowden (2014) * The Guardian (2014) * Sen. Rand Paul (2013) * Sen. Ron Wyden (2013) * Martha Mendoza (2013) * Sen. Al Franken (2012) * Judge Alex Kozinski (2012) * Dana Priest & William Arkin, “Top Secret America” (2012) * Susie Castillo (2011) * Rep. Jason Chaffetz (2011) * Rep. Rush Holt (2011) * WSJ, “What They Know” (2011) * Rep. Joe Barton (2010) * Pamela Jones Harbour (2010) * Rose Foundation (2010) * Pamela Samuelson (2010) * D.J. Caruso (2009) * Addison Fischer (2009) * Rep. Ed Markey (2009) * Paul M. Smith (2009) * Sen. Patrick Leahy (2004)


EPIC Lifetime Achievement Awardees

* Sherry Turkle (2022) * Shoshana Zuboff (2021) * David J. Farber (2020) * Joi Ito (2019) * Peter G. Neumann (2018) * Ron Rivest (2017) * Christopher Wolf (2016) *
Bruce Schneier Bruce Schneier (; born January 15, 1963) is an American cryptographer, computer security professional, privacy specialist, and writer. Schneier is an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Fellow at the Berkman ...
(2015) * Anita L. Allen (2014) * Hon. David Flaherty (2013) * Whitfield Diffie (2012) * Willis Ware (2012)


EPIC International Privacy Champions

* Tire Meu Rosto da Sua Mira (2024) * Johnny Ryan (2023) * Beeban Kidron (2023) * Forbrukerrådet (2022) * Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (2020) * Shyam Divan (2020) * Giovanni Buttarelli, European Data Protection Supervisor (2019) * Joe McNamee, European Digital Rights Initiative (2019) * Gus Hosein, Privacy International (2018) * Professor Artemi Rallo (2018) * Alexander Dix, chair, IWGDPT (2017) * Viviane Reding, Member, European Parliament (2016) * Peter Hustinx, European Data Protection Supervisor (2015) * Jan Philipp Albrecht, Member, European Parliament (2014) * Max Schrems, Europe v. Facebook (2013) * Jennifer Stoddart, Privacy Commissioner of Canada (2012) * Sophie in ’t Veld, Member, European Parliament (2011) * Justice Michael Kirby, High Court of Australia (2010) * Prof. Stefano Rodotà, Italian Data Protection Authority (2009)


EPIC Privacy Champions

* Safiya Noble (2022) * Joy Buolamwini (2021) * Brandi Collins-Dexter (2020) * Sophie Richardson (2019) * Stephanie Perrin (2018) * Carrie Goldberg (2017) * Ashkan Soltani (2016) * Susan Linn, Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood (2015) * Philip Zimmermann, Silent Circle (2015) * Evan Hendricks, Privacy Times (2014) * Susan Grant, Consumer Federation of America (2013) * Christopher Soghoian (2012) * Jeff Chester, Center for Digital Democracy (2011) * Beth Givens, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (2010)


See also

*
Electronic Frontier Foundation The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is an American international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1990 to promote Internet civil liberties. It provides funds for legal defense in court, ...
(EFF) * Center for Humane Technology


References

{{authority control Politics and technology Computer law organizations United States Fourth Amendment case law Privacy organizations Organizations established in 1994 EPIC Privacy in the United States