Privacy & Technology

We continue to work diligently to protect our right to privacy, limit government intrusion into our lives, and increase the control we have over our personal information.

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“The right to be left alone,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis noted more than 100 years ago, is a basic human right. Unfortunately, digital technology makes it easier for governments and corporations to learn the minutiae of our private lives, and this information gives them tremendous power over us. Today, the ACLU of RI continues to work diligently to protect our right to privacy, limit government intrusion into our lives, and increase the control we have over our personal information.

The Latest

News & Commentary
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After Appeals Court Denies Child Advocate’s Emergency Motion to Prevent the Release of Medical Records of Minors Receiving Care at RI Hospital, Safeguards Remain in Place to Protect the Data

"While we are disappointed in this result, this decision is not the end of our fight to protect Rhode Island children’s medical privacy."
News & Commentary
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Emergency Motion Filed to Prevent the Release of Private Medical Records of Minors Receiving Medical Care at RI Hospital

Rhode Island’s Child Advocate filed an emergency motion this morning in the federal appeals court
News & Commentary
Neon green background with photos of a RI 2026 legislative session bill and a child holding a smartphone.

Why Social Media Bans for Kids are a Bad Idea

Not only are these bills bad for students’ ability to find community online, but they also unnecessarily undermine the privacy and speech of all users, regardless of age.
News & Commentary
Light blue background with white and pink images of a doctor and a trans pride flag.

Judge Upholds Children’s Privacy Rights, Quashes Department of Justice Subpoena of R.I. Hospital Records

“DOJ’s request for intimate medical details from one of this country’s most vulnerable populations constitutes a drastic overreach of its investigative authority.”
Court Case
May 14, 2026

Administrative Subpoena – Private Medical Records of Minors

Attorneys for the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island (LCRI) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island (ACLU) filed an emergency motion to quash a subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking the sensitive private medical records of minor patients who have received medical treatment for gender dysphoria at Rhode Island Hospital. Case name: In the Matter of Administrative Subpoena 25-1431-032 Civil action number: 4:26-MC-00006-O
Court Case
Dec 09, 2025

United States of America v. Gregg M. Amore

Alongside the National ACLU, we intervened in a lawsuit to prevent the Department of Justice from obtaining sensitive, non-public information contained in the Rhode Island state voter file on behalf of Common Cause.
Court Case
Oct 23, 2024

ACLU of Rhode Island v. Salisbury Jr.

Court Case
Dec 04, 2023

LeBlanc v. City of Pawtucket

A federal lawsuit against Pawtucket city officials on behalf of five firefighters whose personal lockers at the fire station were searched by police without their knowledge or consent.