# Defending Digital Liberties: A Look Inside the Electronic Frontier Foundation The **Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)** stands as a leading non-profit organization dedicated to defending civil liberties in the digital realm. Supported by over 30,000 members, the EFF's mission encompasses a wide range of critical issues, from age verification and AI to challenging corporate overreach and government surveillance. [JOIN EFF TODAY](https://supporters.eff.org/donate/join-eff-4--wsds) To learn more about their work, [follow EFF on social media](https://www.eff.org/pages/where-find-eff) and subscribe to EFF's EFFector newsletter. ## Privacy's Defender: Cindy Cohn's Thirty-Year Fight  In *Privacy’s Defender: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance* (**MIT Press**), EFF Executive Director **Cindy Cohn** recounts her personal journey alongside her role as a leading legal advocate for technology users, innovators, whistleblowers, and researchers. The book delves into pivotal moments such as the Crypto Wars of the 1990s, battles against the **NSA's** internet surveillance programs revealed in the 2000s, and the ongoing fight against **FBI** gag orders. ## "Let's Sue the Government" T-Shirt  EFF's merchandise, including the popular "Let's Sue the Government" shirt, serves as a powerful statement: when your rights are at risk, you don’t stay quiet. [Our "Let's Sue the Government" shirt](https://shop.eff.org/products/lets-sue-the-government-t-shirt) tells people: When your rights are at risk, you don’t stay quiet. ## Privacy First: Addressing Online Harms Many of the internet's current problems stem from corporate surveillance. The collection of personal data – our locations, activities, communications – is used in multiple ways and often sold to third parties, including law enforcement. Addressing this issue is crucial for promoting human rights, civil liberties, and fostering free expression and innovation. [Read EFF's Privacy First: A Better Way to Address Online Harms](https://www.eff.org/wp/privacy-first-better-way-address-online-harms). ## EFF's History: From Steve Jackson Games to Today Founded in July 1990 by **Mitch Kapor**, **John Perry Barlow**, and **John Gilmore**, with support from **Steve Wozniak**, the EFF emerged in response to the U.S. Secret Service raids targeting **Steve Jackson Games**. This case established a landmark precedent: electronic mail deserves at least as much protection as telephone calls.  *EFF's original logo, in use from 1990-2018* EFF's second major case, *Bernstein v. U.S. Department of Justice*, challenged the government's ban on publishing encryption software online. The lawsuit established that software code is speech protected by the First Amendment, granting everyone the right to "export" encryption software without prior government permission. Since then, the EFF has fought against government and corporate abuses of Constitutional rights, including warrantless wiretapping, surveillance technologies, and corporate data collection practices. ## EFF's Greatest Hits: Protecting Users on All Fronts Today, the EFF combats corporate overreach that attempts to stifle online speech, hinder innovation, and enable government surveillance. They also develop technologies to help individuals protect their privacy and security online. [JOIN EFF TODAY](https://supporters.eff.org/donate/join-eff-4--wsds) EFF is actively involved in legislative battles, opposing digital censorship bills, fighting attempts to force companies to spy on users, and advocating for surveillance reform. Their work includes documenting police technology and helping users protect themselves from surveillance. Learn more about EFF's most impactful work: [Download a PDF of our new catalog, "Now That's What I Call Digital Rights!](https://www.eff.org/files/2026/03/27/eff_now_thats_what_i_call_digital_rights.pdf)"