ACLU Archives

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

It’s no longer a federal crime to probe online platforms for discrimination, thanks to help of Northeastern researchers

In a big win for computer scientists and other online researchers, the U.S. Department of Justice recently updated its official charging memo—an internal document used to determine whether federal prosecutors should pursue criminal charges—for computer-fraud cases.

by Molly Callahan - contributor June 9, 2022

Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Supreme Court ruling clears path for researchers, journalists who test Facebook and other platforms for discrimination

In a major victory for researchers and journalists, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday narrowed the scope of a federal law that creates criminal and civil liability for violations of website terms of service. “The ruling removes a significant cloud of legal uncertainty around the kind of work we do,” said Alan Mislove, professor of computer science at Northeastern.

by Molly Callahan June 3, 2021

Detainees wait for their turn at the medical clinic at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, La. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. Nearly 1,500 migrants are detained at Winn. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Immigrant detainees are at high risk for COVID-19. Should they be released?

The facilities that house the more than 37,000 detained immigrants across the United States, with their close communal living quarters, can be a breeding ground for disease, says Northeastern law professor Hemanth Gundavaram.

by Khalida Sarwari March 24, 2020

Pop star Taylor Swift performs during her Reputation Stadium Tour at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Robert E. Klein/Invision/AP)

She knew you were trouble when you walked in

While thousands of Taylor Swift fans were watching the singer at a concert earlier this year, Swift was also watching them. Her security team used hidden facial recognition technology to scan the crowd for stalkers, employing a mode of surveillance that’s still in its infancy and prone to corruption, said Woodrow Hartzog, a Northeastern law professor who studies technology and privacy.

by Molly Callahan December 14, 2018

In a number of major Supreme Court cases this term, Northeastern legal scholars say Justice Anthony Kennedy is likely to tip the scales one way or the other. Photo via iStock

Cases to watch in Supreme Court’s blockbuster new term

The Supreme Court will be busy this term, hearing cases on voting rights, the First Amendment and discrimination, collective bargaining, and privacy in the age of cellphones. We asked legal scholars Dan Urman and Michael Meltsner to weigh in on which cases they’re watching, and both said Justice Kennedy may tip the scales in a number of significant ones.

by Molly Callahan October 12, 2017

Researchers challenge federal law in attempt to prevent ‘Big Data’ discrimination

Northeastern’s Alan Mislove and Christo Wilson have been researching whether the algorithms e-commerce and other websites use to analyze user profile data, web-browsing choices, and other online information may lead to discrimination. Now the ACLU has sued the government on their and others’ behalf so they can continue to do so without prosecution.

by Thea Singer June 30, 2016

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