Snowden’s Vindication Snowden’s Vindication
An appeals court declares the NSA’s data grab illegal.
May 13, 2015 / David Cole
Here’s What’s Wrong With the USA Freedom Act Here’s What’s Wrong With the USA Freedom Act
It would constrain some of the worst excesses of the Patriot Act, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough.
May 6, 2015 / David Cole
Is Privacy Obsolete? Is Privacy Obsolete?
Thanks to the revolution in digital technology, privacy is about to go the way of the eight-track player.
Mar 23, 2015 / Feature / David Cole
The One Supreme Court Decision We Can Celebrate The One Supreme Court Decision We Can Celebrate
In ruling that police may not search cellphones without a warrant, the Court brought the Fourth Amendment into the twenty-first century.
Jul 2, 2014 / David Cole
We’ve Been Living in ‘1984’ Since 1921 We’ve Been Living in ‘1984’ Since 1921
That was when the Bureau of Investigation—the forerunner of today’s FBI—first opened a file on the magazine.
Jun 25, 2014 / David Cole
Why Obama’s NSA Reforms Are Only a First Step Why Obama’s NSA Reforms Are Only a First Step
The president has made a step toward better oversight, but his proposals leave the agency’s system of dragnet surveillance mostly intact.
Jan 22, 2014 / David Cole
We Need Privacy Laws for the Digital Era We Need Privacy Laws for the Digital Era
Updating the Fourth Amendment has been done before, to address the invention of cars, phones and GPS. It’s time to do it again.
Jan 8, 2014 / David Cole
Time to End the Spying Game Time to End the Spying Game
Americans are justifiably upset about the NSA’s sweeping domestic surveillance. But we should be just as concerned about spying on foreigners.
Nov 13, 2013 / David Cole
Race at the Supreme Court Race at the Supreme Court
Affirmative action survives, for now, but the Court erects new hurdles for employment discrimination suits.
Jun 24, 2013 / David Cole
Supreme Court Delivers a Win for First Amendment Rights Supreme Court Delivers a Win for First Amendment Rights
In a 6-2 decision, the Court prohibited the government from requiring organizations to espouse specific ideas in order to receive funding.
Jun 20, 2013 / David Cole