Gold Prices Smash Records as U.S.–Venezuela Tensions Intensify

Gold prices surged to unprecedented highs this week as escalating pressure from the United States on Venezuela sent investors rushing toward safe‑haven assets. Spot gold climbed as high as $4,498.70 per ounce, breaking the $4,500 barrier for the first time during Asian trading. Other market trackers reported peaks between $4,420 and $4,469 per ounce as volatility rippled across global commodities. The rally […]

Continue Reading

Local Communities Are Winning Against ALPR Surveillance—Here’s How: 2025 in Review

Across ideologically diverse communities, 2025 campaigns against automated license plate reader (ALPR) surveillance kept winning. From Austin, Texas to Cambridge, Massachusetts to Eugene, Oregon, successful campaigns combined three practical elements: a motivated political champion on city council, organized grassroots pressure from affected communities, and technical assistance at critical decision moments. The 2025 Formula for Refusal […]

Continue Reading

Estimated Loss from Cybercrime Cost Up to $10 Trillion in 2025 as Cybersecurity Funding Falls to Multiyear Low

Venture capital investment in the cybersecurity sector has dropped to a multiyear low, even as global cybercrime losses are projected to reach as much as $10 trillion in 2025. The contrast between shrinking investment and escalating economic damage is sharpening concerns that the industry may be underestimating the scale and urgency of the threat. The cybersecurity […]

Continue Reading

China Launches WTO Case Challenging India’s Tariffs and Subsidy Programs

China has escalated its trade tensions with India by filing a formal complaint at the World Trade Organization, targeting New Delhi’s tariffs on technology imports and subsidies linked to key manufacturing sectors. Beijing’s request for consultations marks the first step in the WTO’s dispute‑settlement process and reflects a widening rift between Asia’s two largest economies. According […]

Continue Reading

The Fight Against Presidential Targeting of Law Firms: 2025 in Review

The US legal profession was just one of the pillars of American democracy that was targeted in the early days of the second Trump administration. At EFF, we were proud to publicly and loudly support the legal profession and, most importantly, continue to do our work challenging the government’s erosion of digital rights—work that became […]

Continue Reading

EFF’s ‘How to Fix the Internet’ Podcast: 2025 in Review

2025 was a stellar year for EFF’s award-winning podcast, “How to Fix the Internet,” as our sixth season focused on the tools and technology of freedom.  It seems like everywhere we turn we see dystopian stories about technology’s impact on our lives and our futures—from tracking-based surveillance capitalism, to street level government surveillance, to the […]

Continue Reading

Why Isn’t Online Age Verification Just Like Showing Your ID In Person?

This blog also appears in our Age Verification Resource Hub: our one-stop shop for users seeking to understand what age-gating laws actually do, what’s at stake, how to protect yourself, and why EFF opposes all forms of age verification mandates. Head to EFF.org/Age to explore our resources and join us in the fight for a free, […]

Continue Reading

EFF and 12 Organizations Urge UK Politicians to Drop Digital ID Scheme Ahead of Parliamentary Petition Debate

The UK Parliament convened earlier this week to debate a petition signed by 2.9 million people calling for an end to the government’s plans to roll out a national digital ID. Ahead of that debate, EFF and 12 other civil society organizations wrote to politicians in the country urging MPs to reject the Labour government’s […]

Continue Reading

Trends to Watch in the California Legislature

If you’re a Californian, there are a few new state laws that you should know will be going into effect in the new year. EFF has worked hard in Sacramento this session to advance bills that protect privacy, fight surveillance, and promote transparency. California’s legislature runs in a two-year cycle, meaning that it’s currently halftime […]

Continue Reading