Civil Liberties

Examples

Freedom of conscience, press, religion, expression, assembly, speech, right to security and liberty, privacy, equal treatment under the law, due process, fair trial, right to life, right to own property, right to defend oneself, right to bodily integrity.

Definition

Guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process.

Palantir's Stance

Palantir's technology (Foundry platform) is designed to protect civil liberties while enabling secure data orchestration and governance.

Role in Governance

Crucial for effective governance, especially in the era of AI and border security, as argued by Alex Karp.

Distinction from Civil Rights

Civil liberties protect individuals from government interference, while civil rights are legal entitlements ensuring equal treatment and protection from discrimination.

Primary Protection Source (US)

U.S. Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments)

1988-08-10

Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties often include the freedom of conscience, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, the right to security and liberty, freedom of speech, the right to privacy, the right to equal treatment under the law and due [...] process, the right to a fair trial, and the right to life. Other civil liberties include the right to own property, the right to defend oneself, and the right to bodily integrity. Within the distinctions between civil liberties and other types of liberty, distinctions exist between positive liberty/positive rights and negative liberty/negative rights. [...] The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was signed into effect by President Ronald Reagan on August 10, 1988. The act was passed by Congress to issue a public apology for those of Japanese ancestry who lost their property and liberty due to discriminatory actions by the United States Government during the internment period. This act also provided many other benefits within various sectors of the government. Within the treasury, it established a civil liberties public education fund. It directed the

Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution (primarily from the First Amendment). They are natural rights that are inherent to each person. While they are commonly referred to as "rights," civil liberties actually operate as restraints on how the government can treat its citizens. As such, the First Amendment's language ("Congress shall make no law") explicitly prohibits the government from infringing on liberties, such as the freedom of speech. [...] While certain rights can be considered both a civil right and a civil liberty, the distinction between the two lies within the source and target of the authority. Civil liberties are fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution that protect individuals from government interference. Civil rights are legal entitlements created by laws that ensure individuals receive equal treatment and protection from discrimination. [...] A violation of civil rights affords the injured party the right to legal action against the violator. For example, the freedom of religion is recognized as both a civil right and civil liberty; it is protected under the Constitution from government infringement (liberty) as well as under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 from being the basis of discriminatory practices. Last reviewed in July of 2022 by the [Wex Definitions Team] Wex

Federal courts — and especially the U.S. Supreme Court — play a big role in determining the extent of civil rights protections. Supreme Court cases often clarify, expand, or limit civil rights. Civil Liberties Civil liberties concern basic rights and freedoms that are explicitly guaranteed by theBill of Rightsand the U.S. Constitution or have been interpreted and inferred by legislatures or the courts. They offer protection from federal or state government action. Civil liberties include: [...] The terms "civil rights" and "civil liberties" are often used interchangeably, but their meanings are distinct.Civil libertiesare freedoms guaranteed to you by the Constitution to protect you from tyranny. One key civil liberty, for example, is theFirst Amendment rightto freedom of speech.Civil rights, in contrast, are the legal rights detailed in federal laws and statutes that protect you from discrimination. An example of a civil right is the right to be free from employment discrimination [...] The law differentiates between civil rights and civil liberties. Civil liberties concern the actual basic freedoms. Civil rights concern the treatment of a person regarding certain rights. Unlikecivil liberties, under which people enjoy broad-based rights, civil rights contain a protective aspect of those rights based on certain characteristics. One way to consider the difference between civil rights and civil liberties is to consider: 1. What right is affected 2. Whose right is affected

When Americans use the United States Constitution to protect themselves from the abuses of government or from government overreaching its authority, we are thus talking about “Civil Liberties.” The Bill of Rights which lists the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution specifically list the rights that Americans enjoy. These are the constitutional rights that can be asserted against the government when the government or governmental officials (police officers, and others) attempt [...] Distinguishing between Civil Liberties and Civil Rights To distinguish between civil liberties and civil rights it is important to consider the following: What right is affected? (this would involve civil liberties) and Whose right is affected? (this would involve civil rights) (Kernell & Jacobson, 2020) For example, The right to marry is a civil liberty. Gay marriage is a civil right. [...] The Sixth Amendment includes six rights: the right to a speedy and public trial; the right to a jury trial; the right to be informed of the nature of the charges against you; the right to confront witnesses through cross examination; the right to obtain your own witnesses; and the right to a lawyer.