News & Commentary

Internet service providers (ISPs) have access to some of your most personal information like every website you visit, the times you log into and out of your accounts, and even some location data. And, because the federal government has failed to put privacy protections in place, ISPs can sell that private information to third parties, like advertisers, without your permission.

“Bail has only one purpose - to ensure that a person accused of a crime will appear in court for his trial. We presume a person to be innocent until he is proven guilty, and thus the purpose of bail is not punishment. It is not harassment. It is not to put people in jail. It is simply to guarantee appearance in court. This is a legitimate purpose for a system of justice. In practice, though, bail has become a vehicle for systematic injustice. Every year in this country, thousands of persons are kept in jail for weeks and even months following arrest. They are not yet proven guilty. They may be no more likely to flee than you or I. But, nonetheless, most of them must stay in jail because, to be blunt, they cannot afford to pay for their freedom.”

It’s been a busy session with a lot of bills to keep track of. Here’s what’s happened so far:

In 2017, Congress and the Trump administration rolled back protections on consumer privacy, allowing internet service providers (ISPs) to comb through our data constantly, and then sell it to the highest bidders. Here are just a few ways that can hurt you.

On April 4, the Sixth Amendment Center released a report on the current state of 6th Amendment protections in Maine. Spoiler alert: Maine didn’t do well.

Craving a good read? Want to find new ways to inform your activism? Looking for a way to build community around the issues of civil rights? Enter the ACLU of Maine Civil Liberties Book Club.

Testimony of ACLU of Maine Executive Director Alison Beyea before the Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary on March 7, 2019

A letter to the editor is a great advocacy tool for reaching a wide audience outside of your immediate acquaintances. Keep these tips in mind to maximize your chance of getting published.

It’s that time again! Over 2,000 bill titles have been announced by the Maine Legislature, and now we’re reading every single one to identify which ones will have implications – good or bad – for your rights and liberties.