Government Surveillance

Coalition Urges U.S. Government to End Facial Recognition Programs

Coalition Urges U.S. Government to End Facial Recognition Programs

Open MIC today joined a coalition of 40 organizations in urging the U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), an independent executive branch agency, to recommend suspension of facial recognition programs across the federal government. The organizations sent a letter to the PCLOB citing the dangerously rapid growth of government-supported facial recognition systems targeting American citizens within the United States.

Shareholders Tell Google to Prioritize Human Rights and Rethink China Search Product

Shareholders Tell Google to Prioritize Human Rights and Rethink China Search Product

A coalition of Google shareholders has filed a resolution asking the company to publish a human rights impact assessment for a controversial censored search product -- called "Dragonfly" -- that Google is reportedly developing for use in China. Led by Azzad Asset Management, the shareholders are concerned that Google's compliance with China’s repressive laws would facilitate and legitimize surveillance and censorship, posing serious human rights risks. 

Shareholders Call on AT&T and Verizon to Report on Efforts to Protect Customer Privacy

The AT&T proposal follows recent news reports that AT&T provided U.S. law enforcement agencies routine access to customer data through a sweeping program called Hemisphere. The proposal at Verizon comes on the heels of the company’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo. Subsequent to the company’s July announcement, Verizon learned of a data breach involving an estimated 500 million Yahoo accounts while Reuters reported that Yahoo had secretly built a custom software program to search all of its customers' incoming emails for specific information flagged by U.S. intelligence officials.

Shareholders Press American Express for Transparency on Privacy and Data Security

American Express shareholders expressed strong support for a consumer privacy proposal filed by sustainable wealth manager, Arjuna Capital in collaboration with open media advocate Open MIC. The proposal was supported by over 21% of shareholders at the company’s annual meeting held Monday in New York, representing a high historic vote on a social issue.

Investors Withdraw Verizon Shareholder Proposal on Government Surveillance Programs

A coalition of investors, which had requested that Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) publish regular reports on government and law enforcement requests for confidential customer data, today commended the company for publishing its first report and made recommendations for improving future reports.

Verizon Agrees to Publish Reports on Government Requests for Data

In a victory for shareholders concerned about the role of telecommunications companies in government surveillance programs, Verizon Communications announced that it will begin to publish regular reports on the number of government requests it receives for customer data.

Investment Firms Say Corporate Role in Government Surveillance Programs Raises ‘Serious Concern’

Citing the potential of “unprecedented and dangerous threats to the privacy of hundreds of millions of people” from government surveillance programs, a group of leading sustainable investment firms has called upon publicly-held U.S. companies to demonstrate leadership by adopting “a pro-active, principled approach to protecting the privacy and rights of their users.”