ACLU

A lot of states are looking at or starting to implement digital driver's licenses -- without putting in place good privacy and accessibility protections to make sure they don't have significant negative effects. What protections should those be? We have published a document listing 12 that we see as vital, with explanations and proposed legislative language. Here's a blog post about the document and (in the comments) a link to the document itself.

?? 5 Minimum Requirements for a Privacy-Protective and Equitable Digital ID System To ensure we have a digital ID system that doesn't allow anyone to be tracked anywhere they go, political leaders should take the time to do it right. Our senior policy analyst Jay Stanley breaks down 5 of our 12 recommendations for keeping our identities safe in a digital ID system. 1?? Don't let ID issuers track their usage. State agencies and their private contractors who issue IDs should not have access to data that tracks every time we show our ID, whether its used in an interaction with police, in a gas station to purchase age-restricted items, or board a plane. 2?? Users must retain control over the release of data. If you have to prove that you’re over 21, you shouldn’t have to share your age, date of birth, name, or any other data. You should be allowed to share the minimum data necessary for a transaction. 3?? Don't let ID verifiers track ID holders. Digital IDs must not be allowed to serve as “super cookies” — unique identifiers that allow us to be tracked across the stores, offices, and web sites that we visit. 4?? We must preserve the right?not?to use a digital ID. Many people do not possess smartphones, do not have reliable internet access, or are not technologically savvy enough to participate in a digital identity system. Everyone should have the right to choose the form of ID they prefer, be that physical or digital. 5?? Reasonable restrictions on demands to show your ID. Private companies like retail shops or social media sites should not require users to submit their digital IDs.?Legislatures should limit ID demands to only those that are reasonable and necessary for the transaction, such as in the purchase of age-restricted items. Read the full article for all 12 of our recommendations for legislators considering digital IDs.

When we show up together, we win — and as we look at the fights ahead, we know we’ll need your help. Today only, when you make a DAF gift to the ACLU Foundation, you’ll double the impact of your gift. Donor-Advised Funds, or DAFs, are tax-advantaged charitable giving accounts that anyone can start. DAFs make it simple for you to plan your charitable giving and are easier to use than ever before. Make a DAF gift today at: https://aclu.org/DAF. #DAFDay

Looking back on the highlights from our summer road trip to hang out with more than 5,000 of our friends! From banned book events to concerts, podcast recordings, and a live ACLU game show, thank you to everyone who made the Know Your Rights Bus Tour a trip to remember. See you at the ballot box ??? ??

Did you catch our bus tour on the road? We loved getting to know folks in Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan!

We’re thrilled to announce Cecillia Wang as our new national legal director. Cecillia has the litigation experience and vision to lead our legal team in the fight to defend our rights. She is the first woman and the first woman of color to be the top lawyer at the ACLU. Cecillia’s more than two decades as a civil rights lawyer have been shaped by an unwavering commitment to defending and advancing freedom, equality, fairness, and the principle that the government is accountable to people. A daughter of immigrants, Cecillia is keenly aware that we build on the sacrifices and investments of generations of the people who precede us in this work. Cecillia played a key role in our legal battles with the Trump administration, including challenging Trump’s 2017 Muslim ban and use of military funds to construct a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. In 2018, she argued before the Supreme Court to end a draconian interpretation of immigration detention statute. Under her leadership, we also fought to end Trump’s family separation policy and block the Trump administration from placing a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Before becoming an ACLU staff attorney in 2004, she served as a public defender in New York, and clerked at the U.S. Supreme Court for both Justice Harry Blackmun and Justice Stephen Breyer. Cecillia replaces David Cole as legal director, after his return to Georgetown Law. Congratulations Cecillia!?

STARTING SOON: ACLU President Deborah Archer and Senior Policy Counsel Kimberly Conway are speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference this year.

Are you a: ?? Current law student ?? Strong writer and researcher ?? Passionate about civil rights and liberties ?? Member of the National Black Law Students Association or member of your law school’s Black Law Students Association The ACLU-NBLSA legal internship program is a paid opportunity to be involved in crucial legal, policy, and organizing campaigns in the issue areas that most affect Southern Black and Brown communities. In partnership with the National Black Law Student Association, applications are available at the 13 ACLU southern affiliates (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV). Apply by the priority deadline of October 15th, or no later than November 18th, at tinyurl.com/ACLUSLIP2025

The ACLU Know Your Rights Bus Tour is kicking off in Georgia! We'll be in Savannah at E. Shaver Booksellers, Starland location, in Athens at Avid Bookshop, and in Atlanta at GA Stand Up Movement Center as we partner with author Seema Yasmin and content creator Jameelah Jones to discuss our favorite banned books. Join us for free food and fun — and there may be other surprises! RSVP at aclu.org/bustour or at the link in our bio and bring a friend ??