Privacy & Technology

The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures, but rapidly advancing technological capabilities and outdated laws have nevertheless left Americans’ private lives vulnerable to government intrusion.

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Privacy & Technology is part of ACLU of Colorado's Privacy & Liberty Project.

The Fourth Amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures, but rapidly advancing technological capabilities and outdated laws have nevertheless left Americans’ private lives vulnerable to government intrusion.

We work to defend privacy as it relates to medical information, the internet and social media, consumer information, and more. Here in Colorado, we’ve filed suit to safeguard taxpayer privacy, challenged school officials’ search of students’ text messages, and investigated the disclosure of private phone records to the National Security Agency. We also revealed the existence of the Denver Police Department’s Spy Files ‐ the monitoring and recording of the peaceful protest activities of Denver-area residents, and the file-keeping on the expressive activities of law-abiding advocacy organizations. In 2013, we successfully advocated for legislation that protects Coloradans’ personal social media passwords and credit history from employers.

The Latest

News & Commentary
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Denver City Council Approves New Axon Contract to Replace Flock, Despite Community Concerns and Calls for a No Vote

Despite numerous calls from its constituents to vote no on this new contract, Denver City Council voted to allow Mayor Mike Johnston to abruptly switch from one dragnet surveillance corporation to another...
Press Release
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New Proposed Ordinance Aims to Regulate Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Technology in Durango

Issue Areas: Privacy & Technology, Government Transparency
Press Release
Photo of 3 CCTV cameras on a pole with a blue sky in the background.

Community Organizations and Denver Surveillance Task Force Members Ask Denver City Councilors to Vote No on Axon ALPR Contract

Fourteen organizations sent a letter to councilors expressing opposition and outlining existing concerns with the surveillance technology
Issue Areas: Privacy & Technology, Government Transparency
Press Release
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Federal Appeals Court Finds City of Colorado Springs and Local Police Cannot Avoid Responsibility for Unlawfully Searched Activists

ACLU of Colorado sued the city and its officers in 2023 for violating constitutional safeguards intended to prevent invasive searches and seizures
Issue Areas: Privacy & Technology
Court Case
Dec 23, 2025

United States of America v. Jena Griswold

The ACLU of Colorado moved to intervene on behalf of Common Cause and individual Colorado voters in a federal lawsuit over the federal government’s demand that Colorado turn over its entire voter registration rolls, including voters’ sensitive personal data.
Court Case
Jun 12, 2025

Ruby Johnson v. Gary Staab and Gregory Buschy of the Denver Police Department

We sued two Denver Police Officers for searching our client's home based on an illegal search warrant lacking probable cause.
Court Case
Mar 12, 2026

Armendariz and Chinook Center v. City of Colorado Springs, et al.

This case concerns the Colorado Springs Police Department’s use of unconstitutional warrants to comb through activists’ digital data in retaliation for their political speech and association.
Court Case
Jun 10, 2017

Longmont public housing tenants subjected to illegal K-9 searches of their homes