The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is “a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values.”

EPIC is another great organization that was established to help people against all the privacy risks they may encounter. EPIC publishes a newsletter called the EPIC Alert which is openly available for anyone to read or subscribe to. Along with the Epic Alert, the organization also publishes books pertaining to privacy issues, open government, and free speech.

One of my favorite parts of the website is the “Policy Issues” menu. This is where you can look up more detailed information on free speech, open government, and privacy issues. The “Privacy A to Z” gives a very detailed list of Hot Topics and New Resources, as well as a comprehensive list of privacy issues (listed alphabetically of course). Many of the issues you can find here are ones that would be difficult to get any decent amount of information about. EPIC stays updated with the latest concerns and privacy risks through this section.

Another excellent part of the site that I use a lot is the “Resources” section. This is where you can also sign up for the EPIC Alert, visit the bookstore, check out EPIC-sponsored events, company press releases, and find privacy tools/resources. This section also offers a very useful Bill-Track, which keeps updated information on Congressional bills, and also features an entire section regarding “Former Secrets,” uncovered by EPIC’s use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

EPIC is another pioneer for privacy. The hard work and dedication of the staff makes it easier for everyone to be informed about the latest privacy issues and ways to stay protected. EPIC is regularly featured in the news, and continues to fight hard to protect us.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is here to protect your digital privacy. The EFF is the first line of defense against cyber attacks. The nonprofit organization contains a mix of lawyers, analysts, activists and technologists that are working hard to protect us all from damage to our digital rights, ranging from cyber criminals to legislation against privacy.

EFF spends much of its time litigating and overseeing court cases that concern the digital rights of everyone who is entitled to them. Many crucial EFF court victories have shaped the way we use the Internet today.

The EFF website offers a wide array of information to research including e-voting rights and intellectual property issues. The site also has current cases that the EFF is involved in and any important updates. The Deeplinks Blog offers commentary and submission from various writers who have joined the fight with EFF in protecting us all.

It is great knowing that there is a place to turn when in need of information. EFF goes above and beyond most other organizations to protect us. The website offers an almost endless amount of content…just about anything you could want to know concerning privacy and the rights you have. EFF offers employment opportunities, internships, and volunteering for anyone who wants to join in the protection of our rights. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been working hard since 1990 to set precedents and continues to fight against today’s issues.

As mentioned in a previous post about Internet privacy and who can be trusted, it is important to know who you can and can’t count on. The EFF does not remain anonymous about what they do. They put themselves on the front lines and allow themselves to be seen by everyone, including photos and biographical information.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a “nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization,” helping people stay protected in most aspects of their lives. The site ranges from issues concerning financial privacy and identity theft to Internet privacy. The organization was founded and is still run by Beth Givens and its mission is two-fold: consumer information and consumer privacy. The San Diego-based company was established in 1992 and is predominately grant-supported. The goals of the PRC are:

• Raise consumers’ awareness of how technology affects personal privacy.

• Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection.

• Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance.

• Document the nature of consumers’ complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.

• Advocate for consumers’ privacy rights in local, state, and federal public policy proceedings, including legislative testimony, regulatory agency hearings, task forces, and study commissions as well as conferences and workshops.

The PRC website offers consumer information regarding just about any privacy issue that could be of concern. The website offers various fact sheets on privacy issues in both English and Spanish. The site is conveniently indexed so that the user can easily search for a specific issue. Of course, as any pioneer for privacy should, PRC has a very extensive privacy policy clearly stated on the website. The best part, I feel, is the “Alerts & New Info” section which shows current privacy-related issues that should be paid special attention to. At this time the newest alert is “Security & Privacy for your Windows Computer” (in PDF). Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a great site and a great organization that is founded on helping consumers protect themselves from the many privacy risks out there.