One of the world’s largest DNA collections in private hands, ancestry testing company 23AndMe with over 14 million genotypes, seems headed for a chaotic ownership change after CEO Anne Wojcicki warned of incoming bankruptcy and the entire board quit. While…
Author: Tracy Rosenberg
Oakland Shotspotter Contract Renewal
Controversial gunshot detection technology Shotspotter is up for contract renewal for the next three years in Oakland. The system depends on outdoor microphones that ping when exposed to a loud noise that might be a gunshot and a dispatch system…
2024 State Legislature Wrap-up
It is now past the end of the road for the 2024 state legislative year, so we wanted to report back to you on what happened, what OP did, and what new laws are coming your way. It was the…
SFPD Violates State Military Equipment Law
The San Francisco Police Department has confirmed in writing that they acquired 6 DJI drones in May of 2024, without requesting Board of Supervisors authorization or getting an approved use policy as required by State Law (AB 481-2021-Chiu). We are…
Opt Out of Clearview AI Giveaway
Clearview AI, the notorious facial recognition software that scraped pictures from the world’s social media and then sold them to the police for a perpetual line-up, has been hit with a blizzard of well-deserved litigation. Cases from all over the…
$115 Million Dollar Settlement in Katz-Lacabe v. Oracle Privacy Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit against Oracle Corporation for violating state and federal privacy laws by asssembling digital dossiers on people and selling them was settled for $115 million dollars. OP member Mike Katz-Lacabe was a primary named plaintiff. Oracle assembled…
Why I Opposed AB 3080
by Saoirse Grace, 2024 Privacy Rights Fellow Much has been written about the legal, social, and practical reasons AB 3080 must be stopped. I agree—it must be. For those unfamiliar, AB 3080 is a bill in the California state legislature…
And …. We Are A Non-Profit
Non-profit industrial complex, here we come. Seriously, we are pleased to announce that after 12 years as an anarchist collective, Oakland Privacy has finally taken the plunge into 501c3 status. Our Tax ID# is 93-4007475. What this means for you:…
Meet Saoirse Grace – 2024-2025 Privacy Rights Fellow
Oakland Privacy is pleased to annouce that Saoirse Grace has been selected as the 2024-2025 Privacy Rights Fellow. The fellowship is a part-time advocacy and organizing position generously funded by the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment. Here is…
London Breed’s Prop E May Violate State Law
Proposition E on the San Francisco March 2024 ballot, sponsored by the group Safer San Francisco and championed by SF Mayor Breed, seems to violate 2021 state law (Assembly Bill 481). The ballot initiative purports to allow SFPD to use…