{
  "id": 18351,
  "title": "EFF Guide to Recording Law Enforcement",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/eff-guide-to-recording-law-enforcement",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-07-31T14:11:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "EFF Deeplinks",
    "slug": "eff-deeplinks",
    "url": "https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/eff-guide-recording-law-enforcement"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has released a guide detailing the legal and practical aspects of recording law enforcement officers. This guide emphasizes that all Americans possess a First Amendment right to record law enforcement, including local police and federal officers like those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).\n\nThe right to record extends to bystanders as well as individuals recording their own interactions with law enforcement, such as livestreaming a traffic stop. The recording can encompass photos, video, and audio, with wiretap laws generally not prohibiting civilians from audio recording law enforcement.\n\nHowever, there are limitations to this right. Courts have ruled that obstructing or interfering with effective law enforcement or public safety is not protected. If law enforcement officers are off-duty or in a private space that the recorder is not also legally entitled to be in, the right to record may be restricted.\n\nDespite exercising this right, individuals should remain calm and courteous. Staying at a safe distance from the scene of recording is advised, though officers may approach and confront bystanders attempting to record. It's also crucial to be aware that officers might illegally retaliate against the recorder, who could face arrest, destruction of their device, or even bodily harm. They might also retaliate against the person being arrested.\n\nWhen recording, respect the sensitive nature of recording in the context of an arrest. For example, if the person being arrested or their loved ones are concerned about their immigration status, consider obtaining consent or blurring out faces in any published version, while retaining the original video. Law enforcement officers cannot search your cell phone or other device without a warrant based on probable cause from a judge. Therefore, you may refuse an officer's request to review or delete your recordings and also refuse to unlock your phone or provide your passcode.\n\nThe guide advises on protecting footage, noting that how well protected photos or video footage are depends on the device and recording method. If video is uploaded to a livestreaming service, it can be saved to the cloud if enabled. For locally stored recordings, modern smartphones generally use encryption, making it difficult for officers to delete what is stored. Removing biometrics such as face and fingerprint unlock can further protect device contents. For detailed instructions on securing device settings, the guide recommends checking EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense guides.",
  "summary": "This post is available as a printable one page handout in English and Spanish . Recordings of law enforcement, whether by bystanders or by those directly encountering officers, can be powerful tools of government accountability and can support movements for social change. But recording officers can come with risks. Below are important legal and practical considerations related to recording the…",
  "key_points": [
    "EFF releases guide on recording law enforcement, emphasizing First Amendment rights.",
    "Recording extends to bystanders and livestreaming interactions with law enforcement.",
    "Limitations include obstructing law enforcement or being in private spaces without permission."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}