civil-liberties
Constitutional personal freedoms
Civil liberties are the fundamental rights and freedoms that protect individuals from government overreach—freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and the press; the right to privacy; protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
The term emphasizes limits on state power rather than positive entitlements: The new surveillance law raised civil-liberties concerns.
Organizations like the ACLU focus on defending these protections.
Justified claims to freedoms
- freedomsRights to act unhindered
- protectionsMeasures preventing harm
- guaranteesPromises ensuring specific outcomes
- amendmentsFormal changes to documents
Advocacy group for constitutional protections
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- litigationLegal dispute process
lawsuit · injunction · watchdog · EFF · campaign · petition · grassroots · mobilization
Official content restriction
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- speechOral communication ability
- journalismNews gathering and dissemination
- mediaInformation distribution channels
whistleblower · flag-burning · hate-speech · libel · slander · transparency
Freedom from observation
- NSAFederal cryptologic intelligence agency
- wiretappingCovert phone surveillance
- metadataDescriptive information about content
- encryptionConverting data into code
FISA · Snowden · tracking · warrantless · monitoring · CCTV · biometrics · dragnet
Seize by law
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- GuantanamoUS base in Cuba
- bailCourt-set release payment
- pretrialBefore case adjudication
internment · interrogation · arraignment · custody · rendition · deportation
rights
Justified claims to freedoms
- freedomsRights to act unhindered
- protectionsMeasures preventing harm
- guaranteesPromises ensuring specific outcomes
ACLU
Advocacy group for constitutional protections
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
litigation · lawsuit · injunction · watchdog · EFF · campaign · petition · grassroots · mobilization · march
censorship
Official content restriction
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- speechOral communication ability
- journalismNews gathering and dissemination
media · whistleblower · flag-burning · hate-speech · libel · slander · transparency
privacy
Freedom from observation
- NSAFederal cryptologic intelligence agency
- wiretappingCovert phone surveillance
- metadataDescriptive information about content
encryption · FISA · Snowden · tracking · warrantless · monitoring · CCTV · biometrics · dragnet · backdoor
arrest
Seize by law
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- GuantanamoUS base in Cuba
- bailCourt-set release payment
pretrial · internment · interrogation · arraignment · custody · rendition · deportation
civil-libertiestotalitarianism
State controls everything absolutely
authoritarianism · tyranny · despotism · state powers · government authority
civil-libertiesoppression
Unjust exercise of power
repression · censorship · suppression · thought control · restrictions
civil-libertiespersecution
Systematic mistreatment of groups
subjugation · disenfranchisement · silencing · marginalization
civil, civility, civilian, civilize, civilized, civilization, civics, civic, liberty