From Fight For The Future:
Members of Congress are finally talking about ending the biggest mass surveillance law in the U.S. because—get this—they’re afraid that it could lead to compromising information about themselves being leaked.[1]
It’s ridiculous that that’s what it takes for them to care about upholding the Constitution, but this is a huge opportunity for us to beat back mass surveillance. As they go into negotiations this week and next, they need to hear from you.
Take action to stop Congress from renewing Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, one of the biggest mass surveillance law in the U.S.
Section 702 is at the core of the corrupt mass surveillance apparatus in the US. When it was passed, the government claimed it was for collecting information about terrorism suspects. Instead, it has been used to collect hundreds of millions of emails, phone calls, and text messages sent and received by ordinary people who aren’t suspected of anything.[2,3] Source Source
This is the law that lets the government collect your communications from companies like Google, Facebook, and Apple, and intercept private information straight from the cables and switches that make up the backbone of the Internet, without a warrant.[4]
The programs conducted under Section 702 are so broad that the NSA says they can't even count how many people are having their communications swept up. They’re so broad that even members of Congress feel violated by them.
It’s perfect timing for members of Congress to be thinking about their personal risks under mass surveillance because Section 702 is scheduled to sunset at the end of the year and congressional committees are working out a strategy to renew it as we speak.[5]
Both Democrats and Republicans have been raising concerns about having their information leaked, so there is real, bipartisan momentum building against 702. If we make our voices heard now, that could put them over the edge and solidify the sentiment that 702 has to go.
The New York Times recently reported that the committees deciding what to do about the expiration of Section 702 are close to a deal that would reauthorize it without fixing some of its biggest problems.[6] Congress needs to hear from us now, or we will miss this opportunity to score a victory that limits mass surveillance in a major way.
Private contractors like Booz Allen, Lockheed Martin, and Leidos have been getting rich from mass surveillance, and they are lobbying hard to make sure Section 702 is renewed. With these special interests involved, ending surveillance under Section 702 won’t be easy, even with members of Congress afraid of getting caught up in it.
This whole system of mass surveillance has been built and supported by corruption, and the only way to break the cycle of corruption is for regular people to speak out loudly. The intelligence contractors may have money and insider connections, but they don’t have the most important thing that politicians need—popular public support.
With Congress thinking about their own privacy under mass surveillance, this is the perfect moment for us to speak out and break the cycle of corruption.
Sign our petition to send Congress a message: Mass surveillance makes intelligence contractors rich without making us safer. It’s time to end this corruption.
Showing posts with label fight for the future. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fight for the future. Show all posts
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tell Congress to protect your internet privacy
From Fight For The Future:
Hi, this is our last chance.
The House of Representatives will vote in a matter of hours on a resolution to gut broadband privacy rules that prevent Internet Service Providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon from selling your personal information -- like browsing history and real-time location -- to advertisers without your consent.
Telecom lobbyists have been using their influence to convince lawmakers that this is a partisan issue, but that’s just not true. People from across the political spectrum can agree we don’t want the government or giant corporations monitoring everything we do on the Internet.
Many members of the House Freedom Caucus have taken strong previous stands for American’s right to privacy. They are the most likely to break party ranks on this and help defeat the measure. We need to blast them with tweets and phone calls RIGHT NOW.
Can you help? Click here to retweet our tweet to @FreedomCaucus to tell them to defend our privacy!
Not on Twitter? You can still take action. I’m pasting below the names and phone numbers of each individual member of the caucus. Contact them now!
Here’s a sample script of what you can say if you call:
“Hi, I’m calling to ask REP NAME to protect my Internet privacy and vote against the Congressional Review Act bill coming before the House today to gut the FCC’s broadband privacy rules. Please pass my message along to the Representative. Thank you.”
The vote is coming up in a matter of hours. It’s now or never.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
Hi, this is our last chance.
The House of Representatives will vote in a matter of hours on a resolution to gut broadband privacy rules that prevent Internet Service Providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon from selling your personal information -- like browsing history and real-time location -- to advertisers without your consent.
Telecom lobbyists have been using their influence to convince lawmakers that this is a partisan issue, but that’s just not true. People from across the political spectrum can agree we don’t want the government or giant corporations monitoring everything we do on the Internet.
Many members of the House Freedom Caucus have taken strong previous stands for American’s right to privacy. They are the most likely to break party ranks on this and help defeat the measure. We need to blast them with tweets and phone calls RIGHT NOW.
Can you help? Click here to retweet our tweet to @FreedomCaucus to tell them to defend our privacy!
Not on Twitter? You can still take action. I’m pasting below the names and phone numbers of each individual member of the caucus. Contact them now!
Here’s a sample script of what you can say if you call:
“Hi, I’m calling to ask REP NAME to protect my Internet privacy and vote against the Congressional Review Act bill coming before the House today to gut the FCC’s broadband privacy rules. Please pass my message along to the Representative. Thank you.”
The vote is coming up in a matter of hours. It’s now or never.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
Monday, March 27, 2017
Don't let ISP's invade your privacy
From Fight For The Future:
BREAKING: Congress has scheduled a vote TOMORROW to eliminate Internet privacy rules and allow ISPs to sell your data to advertisers without your permission. It already passed the Senate. This is our last chance to stop it.
Just last week, the Senate voted to gut internet privacy rules that prevent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from selling your sensitive personal information to advertisers without your consent. [1]
The measure passed the Senate by only two votes. It was close, and there was significant public outcry which means we still have a chance to stop it.
Now the bill moves to the House of Representatives, and we just got word that they scheduled a vote on it TOMORROW. [2] They’re trying to ram it through quickly without discussion or debate. We need to stop them.
Call Congress right now. Tell them to vote NO on repealing the FCC broadband privacy rules.
We’ll connect you with your lawmakers and give you a simple script of what you can say. Here’s the number: (415) 360-0555
Can’t call right now? Help us sound the alarm and get out the word about this urgent assault on all of our Internet privacy rights.
Even creepier, they’ll be able to install software on your phone to track you, and inject undetectable “cookies” into your Internet traffic to record everything you’re doing online. [3]
If this bill passes the House, companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T will be able to constantly (and secretly) collect our online activity and sell our browsing history, financial information, and real-time location, and sell it to advertisers without our permission.
We have less than 24 hours to create enough outcry to delay the vote or stop this bill entirely. There’s so much at stake. Will you call right now?
Call this number and we’ll connect you directly to your representatives: (415) 360-0555
We’ll keep you posted. Thanks for all you do,
-Laila and Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. We just announced we’re going to put up billboards with the names of every member of Congress who votes for this attack on our privacy. Help us put them up in more districts by chipping in!
Or you can email your representative by clicking here.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Net neutrality is not partisan so protect it right away
From Fight For The Future:
The Internet is awesome. It lets us access more information than ever before, find alternatives to mainstream news, keep in touch with our friends, find new music and videos, and more.
Why is it so awesome? Because unlike television and print, what you see and do online is up to *you*—not some corporation or bureaucrat.
But politicians and lobbyists from the cable companies keep trying to mess with that fundamental structure. They want to allow the government and corporate monopolies to slow down or censor certain websites in order to squeeze us for more money, or because they don’t like their politics.
One of the biggest problems is that politicians in Washington, DC have decided to turn the Internet into a political football. They’ve made net neutrality a partisan issue, which is silly because it’s not -- it’s a basic technological principle that has made the Internet what it is today. Now the former lobbyist for Big Cable who's been put in charge of internet regulation, Ajit Pai, says he’s planning to “take a weed whacker” to the basic principle upholding the open web.
We need to show Congress and the FCC that people from all across the political spectrum love the Internet and don’t want politicians to screw it up by getting rid of net neutrality. Sign the petition, and check one of the boxes to show decision makers that people want the Internet to stay awesome, regardless of their political ideology.
When you sign the petition, back it up by indicating where you fall on the political map, and share with everyone you know who feels the same!
The Internet is awesome. It lets us access more information than ever before, find alternatives to mainstream news, keep in touch with our friends, find new music and videos, and more.
Why is it so awesome? Because unlike television and print, what you see and do online is up to *you*—not some corporation or bureaucrat.
But politicians and lobbyists from the cable companies keep trying to mess with that fundamental structure. They want to allow the government and corporate monopolies to slow down or censor certain websites in order to squeeze us for more money, or because they don’t like their politics.
One of the biggest problems is that politicians in Washington, DC have decided to turn the Internet into a political football. They’ve made net neutrality a partisan issue, which is silly because it’s not -- it’s a basic technological principle that has made the Internet what it is today. Now the former lobbyist for Big Cable who's been put in charge of internet regulation, Ajit Pai, says he’s planning to “take a weed whacker” to the basic principle upholding the open web.
We need to show Congress and the FCC that people from all across the political spectrum love the Internet and don’t want politicians to screw it up by getting rid of net neutrality. Sign the petition, and check one of the boxes to show decision makers that people want the Internet to stay awesome, regardless of their political ideology.
When you sign the petition, back it up by indicating where you fall on the political map, and share with everyone you know who feels the same!
Friday, November 25, 2016
Protect Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
BREAKING: The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump transition team is preparing to “dismantle Net Neutrality.” Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
No matter what you think about the election, one thing is clear: Net Neutrality is in the cross hairs.
Donald Trump has called Net Neutrality an "attack on the internet" and a "top down power grab," even though neither of those things is true.[1] Many members of Congress are already making plans to gut the rules we worked so hard to win.
And now Trump has has put Jeffrey Eisenach, an anti-Net Neutrality crusader funded by Verizon, AT&T, and Clear Channel, in charge of the FCC transition.
That's why The Washington Post is reporting that Trump is on the verge of "all but erasing” Net Neutrality.[2]
But this isn't the first time telecommunications lobbyists thought Net Neutrality was dead--and every time the public backlash has been enormous. Now we need to fight again.
Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
The FCC's Net Neutrality rule is the only thing stopping Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner from blocking, throttling, and censoring the Internet either for political reasons or for profit.
Trump will definitely have the power to go after Net Neutrality if he wants to. He'll soon pick a new FCC chairman and shortly after will get to replace the swing vote on Net Neutrality at the FCC.
That's why one top industry analyst this week said that under Trump, "Net neutrality has a big target on its back."[3] And Breitbart News, the alt-right news website run by Trump strategic advisor Steve Bannon said last week that "Net Neutrality is dead."[4]
But we heard the same predictions of doom for Net Neutrality when George W. Bush and Barack Obama were in office too. Every time, we used the collective power of the internet to defend freedom of expression and openness online. And we still haven’t been beaten.
When Barack Obama proposed bad policies on Net Neutrality, we stood up to him, and won. Now we'll do the same with with the new president. And all the evidence so far says that under President Trump, Net Neutrality is in deep, deep trouble.
But we've fought too long and too hard to win Net Neutrality to let it all get erased now. Will you chip in to help save it?
Yes, I'll chip in to help save Net Neutrality.
[1] Twitter
[2] The Washington Post
[3] The Denver Post
[4] Breitbart News
BREAKING: The Washington Post is reporting that the Trump transition team is preparing to “dismantle Net Neutrality.” Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
No matter what you think about the election, one thing is clear: Net Neutrality is in the cross hairs.
Donald Trump has called Net Neutrality an "attack on the internet" and a "top down power grab," even though neither of those things is true.[1] Many members of Congress are already making plans to gut the rules we worked so hard to win.
And now Trump has has put Jeffrey Eisenach, an anti-Net Neutrality crusader funded by Verizon, AT&T, and Clear Channel, in charge of the FCC transition.
That's why The Washington Post is reporting that Trump is on the verge of "all but erasing” Net Neutrality.[2]
But this isn't the first time telecommunications lobbyists thought Net Neutrality was dead--and every time the public backlash has been enormous. Now we need to fight again.
Will you chip in to help save Net Neutrality?
The FCC's Net Neutrality rule is the only thing stopping Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner from blocking, throttling, and censoring the Internet either for political reasons or for profit.
Trump will definitely have the power to go after Net Neutrality if he wants to. He'll soon pick a new FCC chairman and shortly after will get to replace the swing vote on Net Neutrality at the FCC.
That's why one top industry analyst this week said that under Trump, "Net neutrality has a big target on its back."[3] And Breitbart News, the alt-right news website run by Trump strategic advisor Steve Bannon said last week that "Net Neutrality is dead."[4]
But we heard the same predictions of doom for Net Neutrality when George W. Bush and Barack Obama were in office too. Every time, we used the collective power of the internet to defend freedom of expression and openness online. And we still haven’t been beaten.
When Barack Obama proposed bad policies on Net Neutrality, we stood up to him, and won. Now we'll do the same with with the new president. And all the evidence so far says that under President Trump, Net Neutrality is in deep, deep trouble.
But we've fought too long and too hard to win Net Neutrality to let it all get erased now. Will you chip in to help save it?
Yes, I'll chip in to help save Net Neutrality.
[1] Twitter
[2] The Washington Post
[3] The Denver Post
[4] Breitbart News
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
The TPP is not dead yet
From Fight For The Future:
Hi, several media outlets have reported that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is now dead. [1]
Unfortunately, these reports are greatly exaggerated. [2] While some top officials have made comments suggesting that the anti-democratic, censorship spreading TPP deal is on its death bed, the reality is that the White House and multinational corporations are more determined than ever to ram the TPP through right after the election in November. [3]
People watching this closely on Capitol Hill say that many of the politicians currently staying silent on the TPP or criticizing it will change their tune the day after the election.
This is an incredibly dangerous moment. Misleading media articles have many people thinking that the fight is already over, and we have just a matter of weeks to make the TPP so politically toxic that Congress can’t approve it.
This is such an urgent threat that we’re scaling up our plans for a massive anti-TPP mobilization in Washington, DC. It needs to be even bigger than we had planned for, which means we need to raise the funds to make it possible.
Will you chip in $5 to hold our elected officials accountable and stop the TPP?
We’ve been exposing the TPP’s corruption day after day with our Rock Against the TPP tour featuring well known musicians and celebrities helping sound the alarm and educate the public about how the TPP threatens our basic rights.
Together, we’ve already made this the largest mobilization against the TPP in U.S. history.
Now it’s time to bring our message directly to decision-makers in Washington, DC and put them on notice that if they vote to approve this toxic deal, they’ll have an uprising on their hands.
We planned for a huge protest. But now we need to make it even bigger. Will you chip in to help make it possible?
The TPP is not dead yet, but we have a very real chance of stopping it. Without all of your support, it would have become law months ago. The stakes are high, but we can win.
To sign the petition
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
Hi, several media outlets have reported that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is now dead. [1]
Unfortunately, these reports are greatly exaggerated. [2] While some top officials have made comments suggesting that the anti-democratic, censorship spreading TPP deal is on its death bed, the reality is that the White House and multinational corporations are more determined than ever to ram the TPP through right after the election in November. [3]
People watching this closely on Capitol Hill say that many of the politicians currently staying silent on the TPP or criticizing it will change their tune the day after the election.
This is an incredibly dangerous moment. Misleading media articles have many people thinking that the fight is already over, and we have just a matter of weeks to make the TPP so politically toxic that Congress can’t approve it.
This is such an urgent threat that we’re scaling up our plans for a massive anti-TPP mobilization in Washington, DC. It needs to be even bigger than we had planned for, which means we need to raise the funds to make it possible.
Will you chip in $5 to hold our elected officials accountable and stop the TPP?
We’ve been exposing the TPP’s corruption day after day with our Rock Against the TPP tour featuring well known musicians and celebrities helping sound the alarm and educate the public about how the TPP threatens our basic rights.
Together, we’ve already made this the largest mobilization against the TPP in U.S. history.
Now it’s time to bring our message directly to decision-makers in Washington, DC and put them on notice that if they vote to approve this toxic deal, they’ll have an uprising on their hands.
We planned for a huge protest. But now we need to make it even bigger. Will you chip in to help make it possible?
The TPP is not dead yet, but we have a very real chance of stopping it. Without all of your support, it would have become law months ago. The stakes are high, but we can win.
To sign the petition
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
Monday, August 22, 2016
Obama wants to ram TPP through Congress while you're not looking
From Fight For The Future:
I’m calling it. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the most corrupt trade deal in history.
Do you agree? Join me in calling out the TPP.
Politicians have gotten away with serving special interests in this massive trade deal for too long. But if we expose TPP for what it is, we can stop these kinds of deals and never let another corrupt trade deal like this happen again.
The TPP is so corrupt it’s a stretch to even call it a trade deal.
Only 5 of its 29 chapters deal with trade issues, things like tariffs and quotas. The rest is about delivering on the wish lists of multinational corporations.
Pharmaceutical monopolies would be protected.[1] Environmental protections would be slashed.[2] SOPA-like censorship would threaten free expression on the Internet.[3] Good-paying jobs would be sent overseas.[4]
And then there’s the international shadow court that would be set up to force TPP countries to pay multinational corporations when they pass laws or regulations that may limit corporate profits.[5]
This wouldn’t only screw over taxpayers, it would also hurt small and medium-sized companies by making it harder for them to compete with the multinationals that would get this special benefit.
We need to expose the corruption in the TPP or it will soon become law.
Just last week President Obama notified Congress that he would be sending them the final version of the TPP shortly.[6] And all reports indicate that he plans to do everything in his power to make sure it passes by then end of the year.
The White House and the lobbyists behind the TPP are desperate to get this finished before the public fully understands how dangerous and corrupt it is.
With everyone’s attention on the elections, they are working behind the scenes to set this up for quick passage. That’s why it’s so important that we get loud and call out the TPP for corruption now.
The TPP is the biggest trade deal ever. Its special-interest giveaways run more than 5,000 pages, and it would affect over 40% of the global economy. We need to sound the alarm right now before it’s too late…
Click here to fight to TPP, the most corrupt trade deal in history.
Thank you,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
[1] Source
[2] Source
[3] Source
[4] Source
[5] Source
[6] Source
I’m calling it. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the most corrupt trade deal in history.
Do you agree? Join me in calling out the TPP.
Politicians have gotten away with serving special interests in this massive trade deal for too long. But if we expose TPP for what it is, we can stop these kinds of deals and never let another corrupt trade deal like this happen again.
The TPP is so corrupt it’s a stretch to even call it a trade deal.
Only 5 of its 29 chapters deal with trade issues, things like tariffs and quotas. The rest is about delivering on the wish lists of multinational corporations.
Pharmaceutical monopolies would be protected.[1] Environmental protections would be slashed.[2] SOPA-like censorship would threaten free expression on the Internet.[3] Good-paying jobs would be sent overseas.[4]
And then there’s the international shadow court that would be set up to force TPP countries to pay multinational corporations when they pass laws or regulations that may limit corporate profits.[5]
This wouldn’t only screw over taxpayers, it would also hurt small and medium-sized companies by making it harder for them to compete with the multinationals that would get this special benefit.
We need to expose the corruption in the TPP or it will soon become law.
Just last week President Obama notified Congress that he would be sending them the final version of the TPP shortly.[6] And all reports indicate that he plans to do everything in his power to make sure it passes by then end of the year.
The White House and the lobbyists behind the TPP are desperate to get this finished before the public fully understands how dangerous and corrupt it is.
With everyone’s attention on the elections, they are working behind the scenes to set this up for quick passage. That’s why it’s so important that we get loud and call out the TPP for corruption now.
The TPP is the biggest trade deal ever. Its special-interest giveaways run more than 5,000 pages, and it would affect over 40% of the global economy. We need to sound the alarm right now before it’s too late…
Click here to fight to TPP, the most corrupt trade deal in history.
Thank you,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
[1] Source
[2] Source
[3] Source
[4] Source
[5] Source
[6] Source
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Support Rock Against The TPP
From Fight For The Future:
I’m really worried. Our Rock Against the TPP tour has been generating widespread public outcry, but President Obama just said that he’s still planning to try to ram the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through Congress after the election.
We’re plotting with some major celebrities for a final showdown, a huge educational concert / protest in Washington, DC that will generate massive media attention and help make the TPP too politically toxic to pass. Right now we’re less than $20,000 short of the budget we need to make this happen. If everyone reading this chips in, we’ll have the funds we need, and can start reserving a venue and making this huge.
Can you help us make history and stop the TPP?
Pro-TPP corporations and politicians are kicking their lobbying efforts into high gear. Big cable companies, Hollywood, the pharmaceutical industry, and Wall Street banks are all pushing to get this toxic deal approved.
We need to expand our campaign right now or the TPP could become law in a matter of months. Will you chip in $5 toward the biggest mobilization yet to stop it?
The TPP would pave the way for Internet censorship, give multinational corporations and unaccountable government officials more control of our lives, and devastate our economy.
The extreme secrecy around the TPP makes it so that way too many people still have no idea what it is. Our Rock Against the TPP celebrity roadshow has been helping sound the alarm, educating thousands of people and dragging this anti-democratic backroom deal out into the sunlight.
But given the President’s latest remarks, I’m terrified that unless we step up our efforts, we’re going to lose and they’re going to sneak the TPP through before the end of this year.
We can’t let that happen. Will you chip in $5 to fight the TPP?
We still have a very real chance of stopping this. But only if we all come together right now.
Thanks for all that you’re doing,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. Check out this awesome video from our Rock Against the TPP kick-off, featuring interviews with Tom Morello and Evangeline Lilly! And don’t forget to chip in $5 to help us stop the TPP.
Monday, June 20, 2016
Corporate lobbyists want to rush TPP through Congress
xFrom Fight For The Future:
The biggest challenge we’re facing in the fight to stop the anti-democratic Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement is that too many people still don’t know what it is.
That’s a real problem. And corporate lobbyists from companies that hate the open Internet are hoping to exploit it to quietly rush the TPP through Congress this Fall.
Fortunately, we’ve got a secret weapon to help sound the alarm: the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
We’re teaming up with legendary guitarist Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine, Prophets of Rage, and Audioslave) to organize Rock Against the TPP––a nationwide roadshow featuring high profile speakers and performers coming together to educate the public about the grave threat that the TPP poses to our most basic rights.
Through a series of large-scale educational concert events, protests, and teach-ins, we’ll reach huge numbers of people who have never heard of the TPP before, and ignite a mass movement to stop it in its tracks.
We just announced the tour to the public last week, and already we got amazing mainstream press coverage from Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Billboard, and more! [1]
Are you down to Rock Against the TPP?
The TPP is a legally binding deal between 12 governments, including the U.S., that was negotiated in total secrecy with hundreds of corporate lobbyists helping draft the text. If ratified, it would be the largest backroom deal of its kind in history. The TPP contains extreme provisions that would expand global internet censorship, threaten our basic right to privacy, further criminalize whistleblowers, and make a mockery of the democratic process. [2]
But the good news is we have a very real chance of stopping it, if we mobilize right now.
The Rock Against the TPP tour is kicking off in Denver, CO on Saturday, July 23rd, with an all-star lineup including Golden Globe nominated actress Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man), popular punk band Anti-Flag, and Denver hip-hop legends the Flobots. Stay tuned as we announce more dates soon, and forward this email far and wide!
Thanks for all you do,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. All the info about the tour is here (go here to sign petition)
1. Washington Post,Rolling Stone,Billboard
2. Electronic Frontier Foundation
The biggest challenge we’re facing in the fight to stop the anti-democratic Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement is that too many people still don’t know what it is.
That’s a real problem. And corporate lobbyists from companies that hate the open Internet are hoping to exploit it to quietly rush the TPP through Congress this Fall.
Fortunately, we’ve got a secret weapon to help sound the alarm: the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
We’re teaming up with legendary guitarist Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine, Prophets of Rage, and Audioslave) to organize Rock Against the TPP––a nationwide roadshow featuring high profile speakers and performers coming together to educate the public about the grave threat that the TPP poses to our most basic rights.
Through a series of large-scale educational concert events, protests, and teach-ins, we’ll reach huge numbers of people who have never heard of the TPP before, and ignite a mass movement to stop it in its tracks.
We just announced the tour to the public last week, and already we got amazing mainstream press coverage from Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Billboard, and more! [1]
Are you down to Rock Against the TPP?
The TPP is a legally binding deal between 12 governments, including the U.S., that was negotiated in total secrecy with hundreds of corporate lobbyists helping draft the text. If ratified, it would be the largest backroom deal of its kind in history. The TPP contains extreme provisions that would expand global internet censorship, threaten our basic right to privacy, further criminalize whistleblowers, and make a mockery of the democratic process. [2]
But the good news is we have a very real chance of stopping it, if we mobilize right now.
The Rock Against the TPP tour is kicking off in Denver, CO on Saturday, July 23rd, with an all-star lineup including Golden Globe nominated actress Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man), popular punk band Anti-Flag, and Denver hip-hop legends the Flobots. Stay tuned as we announce more dates soon, and forward this email far and wide!
Thanks for all you do,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. All the info about the tour is here (go here to sign petition)
1. Washington Post,Rolling Stone,Billboard
2. Electronic Frontier Foundation
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Big IPS's are going to fight court's ruling in favor of Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
The top appeals court in the US just decided in favor of the net neutrality rules we fought so hard to win. Net neutrality is the law of the land and one of the cable industry’s best shots at overturning the rules has come up empty.
Net neutrality, or the open Internet, says that no company can slow down or block websites as a basic first amendment rule of the Internet. Now, the courts just decided that the strongest possible way to protect that rule—the worst-case scenario envisioned by Comcast—is completely and fully legal!
Being told this win was impossible is a sting we can still feel today. But after we worked together to submit a record breaking 4 million comments to the FCC, camped out at their headquarters, called for Title II when we had little political cover, and brought together thousands of companies to take action with us, we got the largest win against entrenched interests this decade.
But this isn’t over. Partisan and heavily-funded attacks have been piling up. Make a monthly donation so we can build the campaigns that reach millions more people and definitively undermine their plans.
Can’t donate right now?
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't allow new ISP schemes that can undermine net neutrality.
Fight for the Future signed on as intervenors in the USTelecom vs FCC case, so it's especially nice to win this one. This watershed victory reminds us we can break down the status quo and win big if we stay tenacious. (Here's a little refresher on how we won.)
But—surprise!—this fight is not over.
There is still a giant loophole in the net neutrality rules that we need the FCC to fix. If we don’t, net neutrality could be undermined by “sponsored data” programs and the Internet could become less open than if we never won the rules in the first place.
Then there’s Congress. Earlier today, House Speaker Paul Ryan released his legislative blueprint that includes plans to weaken the FCC’s authority to enforce net neutrality.
And last but not least, the broadband industry has already said they are going to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.
Clearly, we need to keep fighting. But we need your help.
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't create fast lanes by allowing “sponsored data” programs.
Or...
Donate today so we can keep this fight alive until net neutrality is secured for good.
Want to see how this fight was won—we made this timeline of the fight so you can do that!
Thanks for all you have done to make this net neutrality win possible so far!
More information:
1. Wired
2. New York Times
3. Arstechnica
4. Techdirt
The top appeals court in the US just decided in favor of the net neutrality rules we fought so hard to win. Net neutrality is the law of the land and one of the cable industry’s best shots at overturning the rules has come up empty.
Net neutrality, or the open Internet, says that no company can slow down or block websites as a basic first amendment rule of the Internet. Now, the courts just decided that the strongest possible way to protect that rule—the worst-case scenario envisioned by Comcast—is completely and fully legal!
Being told this win was impossible is a sting we can still feel today. But after we worked together to submit a record breaking 4 million comments to the FCC, camped out at their headquarters, called for Title II when we had little political cover, and brought together thousands of companies to take action with us, we got the largest win against entrenched interests this decade.
But this isn’t over. Partisan and heavily-funded attacks have been piling up. Make a monthly donation so we can build the campaigns that reach millions more people and definitively undermine their plans.
Can’t donate right now?
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't allow new ISP schemes that can undermine net neutrality.
Fight for the Future signed on as intervenors in the USTelecom vs FCC case, so it's especially nice to win this one. This watershed victory reminds us we can break down the status quo and win big if we stay tenacious. (Here's a little refresher on how we won.)
But—surprise!—this fight is not over.
There is still a giant loophole in the net neutrality rules that we need the FCC to fix. If we don’t, net neutrality could be undermined by “sponsored data” programs and the Internet could become less open than if we never won the rules in the first place.
Then there’s Congress. Earlier today, House Speaker Paul Ryan released his legislative blueprint that includes plans to weaken the FCC’s authority to enforce net neutrality.
And last but not least, the broadband industry has already said they are going to take this all the way to the Supreme Court.
Clearly, we need to keep fighting. But we need your help.
Take action to make sure the FCC doesn't create fast lanes by allowing “sponsored data” programs.
Or...
Donate today so we can keep this fight alive until net neutrality is secured for good.
Want to see how this fight was won—we made this timeline of the fight so you can do that!
Thanks for all you have done to make this net neutrality win possible so far!
More information:
1. Wired
2. New York Times
3. Arstechnica
4. Techdirt
Thursday, June 2, 2016
The establishment is trying to ram TPP through Congress
From Fight For The Future:
BREAKING: The New York Times is reporting that pro-TPP politicians plan to sneak the Trans-Pacific Partnership––and Internet censorship––through Congress during the lame duck session. [1]
Our Rock Against the TPP roadshow could play a big role in stopping it, but we’re still $44,000 short of our goal.
We’ve suspected this was coming, but now it’s confirmed. Corporate-backed lawmakers want to buck democratic process and rush the TPP to a vote this Fall.
The TPP is the largest deal of its kind in history. Although it's called a "free trade" deal, only six of the 30 chapters deal with traditional trade issues.
The TPP was negotiated behind closed doors in complete secrecy, with the same lobbyists who wrote bills like SOPA sitting at the table [2], so it’s no surprise that it’s full of unbalanced provisions that will lead to more censorship and DMCA takedowns, less online privacy, and more corporate and government control of the Internet. [3]
So many people have been speaking out against it that we’ve delayed the TPP for years already. Our tireless campaigning has made it politically impossible for any of the leading Presidential candidates to openly support it.
But now corrupt members of Congress are making a last ditch effort to ram the unpopular agreement through during the “lame duck session,” when many elected officials vote without meaningful accountability, since they’ve already either been re-elected or unseated for the coming year.
The New York Times rightly called their plan “perverse,” noting that backroom trade deals like the TPP haven’t “faced such political toxicity in decades.”
Fortunately, as you may have heard, we’re working with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and his new record label, Firebrand Records, to announce the largest mobilization against the TPP ever: the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
We’ve been working on this for months and now we’re almost ready to unveil the incredible lineup and list of dates for a series of large-scale events in strategically selected cities featuring high profile musicians, speakers, and celebrities who can help us reach huge numbers of people who haven’t yet heard about the dangers of the TPP.
These events will have a massive impact, and the headlining artists are generously donating their time, but there are still a lot of major costs we have to cover, like venue rentals, sound and lighting equipment, posters and advertising, and transportation costs.
We’ve already raised more than $240,000 to make this epic endeavor possible, but we’re still $44,000 short of our goal for the first 6 events. We’re so close!
Please chip in $5 (or more!) to make the Rock Against the TPP tour possible!
If we fall short of our goal, we’ll have to scale back the plan, which will lessen its potential impact at a crucial time. On the other hand, if we surpass our goal, we’ll be able to add even more stops to the tour, putting the pressure on key members of Congress and helping educate massive numbers of people about this critical issue.
We CAN stop the TPP, and this is the single most effective way to do it. Will you chip in to make sure we can make it as big as it needs to be to ensure victory?
Yes! I’ll chip in to support the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
Regardless of whether or not you can donate, stay tuned! In the coming days we’ll be making major announcements about this tour, and all the other ways you can get involved. It’s really exciting stuff!
Yours for the future,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If everyone on our list donated just $1, we’d be way past our goal already. But not everyone can chip in, so if you can, please click here to make sure we have the resources we need to stop the TPP.
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
BREAKING: The New York Times is reporting that pro-TPP politicians plan to sneak the Trans-Pacific Partnership––and Internet censorship––through Congress during the lame duck session. [1]
Our Rock Against the TPP roadshow could play a big role in stopping it, but we’re still $44,000 short of our goal.
We’ve suspected this was coming, but now it’s confirmed. Corporate-backed lawmakers want to buck democratic process and rush the TPP to a vote this Fall.
The TPP is the largest deal of its kind in history. Although it's called a "free trade" deal, only six of the 30 chapters deal with traditional trade issues.
The TPP was negotiated behind closed doors in complete secrecy, with the same lobbyists who wrote bills like SOPA sitting at the table [2], so it’s no surprise that it’s full of unbalanced provisions that will lead to more censorship and DMCA takedowns, less online privacy, and more corporate and government control of the Internet. [3]
So many people have been speaking out against it that we’ve delayed the TPP for years already. Our tireless campaigning has made it politically impossible for any of the leading Presidential candidates to openly support it.
But now corrupt members of Congress are making a last ditch effort to ram the unpopular agreement through during the “lame duck session,” when many elected officials vote without meaningful accountability, since they’ve already either been re-elected or unseated for the coming year.
The New York Times rightly called their plan “perverse,” noting that backroom trade deals like the TPP haven’t “faced such political toxicity in decades.”
Fortunately, as you may have heard, we’re working with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and his new record label, Firebrand Records, to announce the largest mobilization against the TPP ever: the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
We’ve been working on this for months and now we’re almost ready to unveil the incredible lineup and list of dates for a series of large-scale events in strategically selected cities featuring high profile musicians, speakers, and celebrities who can help us reach huge numbers of people who haven’t yet heard about the dangers of the TPP.
These events will have a massive impact, and the headlining artists are generously donating their time, but there are still a lot of major costs we have to cover, like venue rentals, sound and lighting equipment, posters and advertising, and transportation costs.
We’ve already raised more than $240,000 to make this epic endeavor possible, but we’re still $44,000 short of our goal for the first 6 events. We’re so close!
Please chip in $5 (or more!) to make the Rock Against the TPP tour possible!
If we fall short of our goal, we’ll have to scale back the plan, which will lessen its potential impact at a crucial time. On the other hand, if we surpass our goal, we’ll be able to add even more stops to the tour, putting the pressure on key members of Congress and helping educate massive numbers of people about this critical issue.
We CAN stop the TPP, and this is the single most effective way to do it. Will you chip in to make sure we can make it as big as it needs to be to ensure victory?
Yes! I’ll chip in to support the Rock Against the TPP roadshow.
Regardless of whether or not you can donate, stay tuned! In the coming days we’ll be making major announcements about this tour, and all the other ways you can get involved. It’s really exciting stuff!
Yours for the future,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If everyone on our list donated just $1, we’d be way past our goal already. But not everyone can chip in, so if you can, please click here to make sure we have the resources we need to stop the TPP.
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Tell Congress to Vote against TPP
From Fight For The Future
We already know the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not about trade, it’s about corruption and corporate control. And now we know more about its economic impact.
The TPP could be even more devastating than we thought. Tell Congress to vote no on this secret deal that opens the floodgates for Internet censorship!
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), an obscure Federal agency that enthusiastically rubber-stamps destructive trade deals like NAFTA [1], just released its report projecting the economic effects of the TPP in the US. These bureaucrats almost always gives trade deals a 5 star review, but even they are not convinced by the TPP.
That shows just how bad the TPP really is. Even the government admits it. But corporations are pouring millions into lobbying. if we don’t speak out Congress will pass it anyway.
Email Congress to vote NO on TPP
So what did the USITC say about TPP?
The study indicates that in the TPP’s first fifteen years:
•The United States’ global trade deficit would actually increase by $21.7 billion;
•That there would be a decline in output for U.S. manufacturing, natural resources and energy of $10.8 billion [2]
TPP supporters have already started spinning pieces of this report to their advantage. Let’s make sure Congress isn’t fooled.
Through digital and intellectual property policies, the TPP would globalize the worst of US copyright law, limit freedom of expression, threaten internet security and privacy, and adopt harsh criminal sanctions that could be used against journalists and whistleblowers. [3]
Tell Congress: Bad for the internet, bad for the economy. Vote NO on TPP.
[1] Source
[2] Citizens Trade Campaign (no link included)
[3] Source
Want to support our work? Fight for the Future is powered by people like you who care about keeping the Internet open and free.
We already know the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not about trade, it’s about corruption and corporate control. And now we know more about its economic impact.
The TPP could be even more devastating than we thought. Tell Congress to vote no on this secret deal that opens the floodgates for Internet censorship!
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), an obscure Federal agency that enthusiastically rubber-stamps destructive trade deals like NAFTA [1], just released its report projecting the economic effects of the TPP in the US. These bureaucrats almost always gives trade deals a 5 star review, but even they are not convinced by the TPP.
That shows just how bad the TPP really is. Even the government admits it. But corporations are pouring millions into lobbying. if we don’t speak out Congress will pass it anyway.
Email Congress to vote NO on TPP
So what did the USITC say about TPP?
The study indicates that in the TPP’s first fifteen years:
•The United States’ global trade deficit would actually increase by $21.7 billion;
•That there would be a decline in output for U.S. manufacturing, natural resources and energy of $10.8 billion [2]
TPP supporters have already started spinning pieces of this report to their advantage. Let’s make sure Congress isn’t fooled.
Through digital and intellectual property policies, the TPP would globalize the worst of US copyright law, limit freedom of expression, threaten internet security and privacy, and adopt harsh criminal sanctions that could be used against journalists and whistleblowers. [3]
Tell Congress: Bad for the internet, bad for the economy. Vote NO on TPP.
[1] Source
[2] Citizens Trade Campaign (no link included)
[3] Source
Want to support our work? Fight for the Future is powered by people like you who care about keeping the Internet open and free.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Fire the FBI Director
From Fight For The Future:
Comey’s recent crusade against Apple is just the latest of many attempts to curtail our civil rights and invade our privacy in the name of national security - he has been endangering communities and security technology for decades.
He was instrumental in creating the vast domestic spy program that exists today. After 9/11, he authorized Bush’s massive, illegal domestic surveillance program and approved torture techniques like waterboarding. [1]
The FBI should protect the people: sign our open letter and tell Comey he’s out of control.
The government has access to more information and people now than ever. And yet, Comey insists he needs more. After lying to Congress about the need to sue Apple to build a backdoor into the iPhone, the FBI paid hackers over $1.3 million to access the San Bernadino iPhone. He’s since admitted that the lawsuit would have set a legal precedent that we know is dangerous, and we’re not alone.
Even the NSA thinks Comey is spying too hard.
Current and former NSA directors have spoken out against him. NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers has called the FBI’s campaign against encryption a “waste of time.”[2] Rogers believes that end-to-end encryption is foundational to national security.
FBI Director Comey’s obsession with other people’s secrets could seriously harm our national security. Sign our petition telling him to resign.
1. Source
2. Source
Comey’s recent crusade against Apple is just the latest of many attempts to curtail our civil rights and invade our privacy in the name of national security - he has been endangering communities and security technology for decades.
He was instrumental in creating the vast domestic spy program that exists today. After 9/11, he authorized Bush’s massive, illegal domestic surveillance program and approved torture techniques like waterboarding. [1]
The FBI should protect the people: sign our open letter and tell Comey he’s out of control.
The government has access to more information and people now than ever. And yet, Comey insists he needs more. After lying to Congress about the need to sue Apple to build a backdoor into the iPhone, the FBI paid hackers over $1.3 million to access the San Bernadino iPhone. He’s since admitted that the lawsuit would have set a legal precedent that we know is dangerous, and we’re not alone.
Even the NSA thinks Comey is spying too hard.
Current and former NSA directors have spoken out against him. NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers has called the FBI’s campaign against encryption a “waste of time.”[2] Rogers believes that end-to-end encryption is foundational to national security.
FBI Director Comey’s obsession with other people’s secrets could seriously harm our national security. Sign our petition telling him to resign.
1. Source
2. Source
Friday, May 6, 2016
ISP's use "zero rating" get around Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
The “zero-rating” threat to Net Neutrality and the Open Internet is still very real. I’m writing today because there’s one thing we need everyone to do: file a complaint to the FCC, and demand that they do not make a decision on zero-rating behind closed doors.
First, a recap: Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have a new way to get around the Open Internet rules we fought for, called zero rating.[1] They're imposing data caps and fees on their customers, and then exempting certain apps and websites (e.g. the ones that they own, or that pay them big $$$) giving those sites a huge unfair advantage––and manipulating what we see and do online.
For example, in Massachusetts, Comcast is now limiting how many shows you can watch on Netflix, but exempting its own crummy Netflix clone, "XFinity Stream TV". And they’re rolling this out nationwide. [2]
Their plan was to sneak this zero-rating scam through the FCC. But we've been working to stop it, and we need your help.
Don't want to give Comcast the power to decide what sites you visit? Click here to file a complaint to the FCC!
Fight for the Future has been working behind the scenes to mobilize net neutrality allies, we've already collected 80,000 complaints, and we're planning a petition delivery outside the FCC.
When we deliver these comments to the FCC, we want to have 100,000 complaints against fast lanes ready to submit. 100,000 is the number that'll be a huge wake-up call to the FCC and the DC press.
Can you submit your complaint right now, to help us hit our goal of 100,000?
Even if you filed a complaint before, it's worth doing again, as we've made some improvements. Now, you can submit complaints against each company individually, which means the FCC can *legally require* that company to respond. This new approach means more pressure on the companies, and (in our view) more influence on the FCC's decision as well.
You don't have to be a customer of these companies to file complaints, but if you are, say so! And the more you can personalize the complaint, in your own words, the better.
File your complaint right now to defend the Open Internet.
What's at stake? Well, here's a breakdown.
1. Comcast is rolling out data caps that punish Netflix and Youtube viewers, while exempting its own jaw-droppingly terrible streaming TV service “Xfinity Stream TV” to force people to watch *that* instead. File a complaint against Comcast.
2. T-Mobile is throttling nearly every website that uses HD video, and forcing small sites to make an expensive technical arrangement with T-Mobile to get their videos working again. File a complaint against T-Mobile.
3. AT&T and Verizon are imposing data caps and charges, and then charging sites to escape them. If this takes off, small sites that can't pay will be put out of business, and big sites will start passing the costs on to you. File a complaint against AT&T and Verizon.
The worst part of all of this is, we’re hearing that the FCC could decide on this soon without consulting anyone except Comcast, AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile themselves! That’s why we’ve included in each new complaint the demand that the FCC open up an open process, and we’ve added a way to call the FCC and demand this after you take action.
1.Source
2.Source
The “zero-rating” threat to Net Neutrality and the Open Internet is still very real. I’m writing today because there’s one thing we need everyone to do: file a complaint to the FCC, and demand that they do not make a decision on zero-rating behind closed doors.
First, a recap: Comcast, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon have a new way to get around the Open Internet rules we fought for, called zero rating.[1] They're imposing data caps and fees on their customers, and then exempting certain apps and websites (e.g. the ones that they own, or that pay them big $$$) giving those sites a huge unfair advantage––and manipulating what we see and do online.
For example, in Massachusetts, Comcast is now limiting how many shows you can watch on Netflix, but exempting its own crummy Netflix clone, "XFinity Stream TV". And they’re rolling this out nationwide. [2]
Their plan was to sneak this zero-rating scam through the FCC. But we've been working to stop it, and we need your help.
Don't want to give Comcast the power to decide what sites you visit? Click here to file a complaint to the FCC!
Fight for the Future has been working behind the scenes to mobilize net neutrality allies, we've already collected 80,000 complaints, and we're planning a petition delivery outside the FCC.
When we deliver these comments to the FCC, we want to have 100,000 complaints against fast lanes ready to submit. 100,000 is the number that'll be a huge wake-up call to the FCC and the DC press.
Can you submit your complaint right now, to help us hit our goal of 100,000?
Even if you filed a complaint before, it's worth doing again, as we've made some improvements. Now, you can submit complaints against each company individually, which means the FCC can *legally require* that company to respond. This new approach means more pressure on the companies, and (in our view) more influence on the FCC's decision as well.
You don't have to be a customer of these companies to file complaints, but if you are, say so! And the more you can personalize the complaint, in your own words, the better.
File your complaint right now to defend the Open Internet.
What's at stake? Well, here's a breakdown.
1. Comcast is rolling out data caps that punish Netflix and Youtube viewers, while exempting its own jaw-droppingly terrible streaming TV service “Xfinity Stream TV” to force people to watch *that* instead. File a complaint against Comcast.
2. T-Mobile is throttling nearly every website that uses HD video, and forcing small sites to make an expensive technical arrangement with T-Mobile to get their videos working again. File a complaint against T-Mobile.
3. AT&T and Verizon are imposing data caps and charges, and then charging sites to escape them. If this takes off, small sites that can't pay will be put out of business, and big sites will start passing the costs on to you. File a complaint against AT&T and Verizon.
The worst part of all of this is, we’re hearing that the FCC could decide on this soon without consulting anyone except Comcast, AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile themselves! That’s why we’ve included in each new complaint the demand that the FCC open up an open process, and we’ve added a way to call the FCC and demand this after you take action.
1.Source
2.Source
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Make the internet giants oppose the TPP,the most repressive legislation yet
Fight For The Future:
A trade association that represents the world’s largest Web companies, like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and Uber just endorsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP.)
It’s hard to see this as anything but betrayal. Tech experts from every major advocacy group working to defend Internet users’ rights vehemently oppose the TPP, because it poses a dire threat to freedom of expression online.
The good news is that one of the Internet Association’s biggest members, Reddit, has already come out against the TPP and distanced itself from the Internet Association’s stance. [1]
If we can get other tech companies to follow suit, it would be a major victory in our fight to stop the TPP. But they’ll only do it if we push them.
Take action now: tell members of the Internet Association to disavow the Internet Association’s endorsement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement because the TPP lacks transparency, undermines our basic rights, and harms free speech.
The Internet Association’s stance is particularly flooring because the TPP is the antithesis everything the Internet stands for. Instead of being built in the open, it was negotiated in complete secrecy by government bureaucrats and corporate lobbyists.
If we allow the TPP to pass, it will open the floodgates for special interests––like the ones who brought us SOPA, ACTA, and the DMCA––who want to use these types of secretive negotiations to push for terrible Internet policies
We can’t let that happen. But if pro-TPP forces can claim that the “tech community” supports this deal, it will make it much easier for them to get it passed in Congress.
Take action now: tell tech companies not to support the TPP.
While the TPP is overflowing with threats to our democracy, some of its worst provisions are aimed straight at curtailing the power of the Internet. The TPP would: [2]
Expand draconian copyright enforcement, undermining our privacy and the public domain without ensuring protections for free speech;
Criminalize common practices like tinkering with or modifying devices, even for fair use purposes;
Enable multi-national corporations to skirt the democratic process and use shadowy international tribunals to undermine Web users’ rights;
Set a precedent that will encourage anti-Internet lobbyists like the ones who wrote SOPA to use trade agreements to push for bad Internet policy.
There are powerful interests pushing to get the TPP passed through U.S. Congress, and it seems like they managed to pull a fast one on these Internet companies and get them to take a position that goes directly against their own interests and the interests of their users.
Congress could vote on the TPP within a matter of weeks, and they’ll be watching closely how the public reacts to these companies’ statements.
If enough of us speak out, we can get these companies to drop their support for this dangerous agreement, and stand up for the rights of their users and the future of the Internet we all love.
Take action now and tell members of the Internet Association to oppose the TPP.
1. Source
2. Source
A trade association that represents the world’s largest Web companies, like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and Uber just endorsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP.)
It’s hard to see this as anything but betrayal. Tech experts from every major advocacy group working to defend Internet users’ rights vehemently oppose the TPP, because it poses a dire threat to freedom of expression online.
The good news is that one of the Internet Association’s biggest members, Reddit, has already come out against the TPP and distanced itself from the Internet Association’s stance. [1]
If we can get other tech companies to follow suit, it would be a major victory in our fight to stop the TPP. But they’ll only do it if we push them.
Take action now: tell members of the Internet Association to disavow the Internet Association’s endorsement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement because the TPP lacks transparency, undermines our basic rights, and harms free speech.
The Internet Association’s stance is particularly flooring because the TPP is the antithesis everything the Internet stands for. Instead of being built in the open, it was negotiated in complete secrecy by government bureaucrats and corporate lobbyists.
If we allow the TPP to pass, it will open the floodgates for special interests––like the ones who brought us SOPA, ACTA, and the DMCA––who want to use these types of secretive negotiations to push for terrible Internet policies
We can’t let that happen. But if pro-TPP forces can claim that the “tech community” supports this deal, it will make it much easier for them to get it passed in Congress.
Take action now: tell tech companies not to support the TPP.
While the TPP is overflowing with threats to our democracy, some of its worst provisions are aimed straight at curtailing the power of the Internet. The TPP would: [2]
Expand draconian copyright enforcement, undermining our privacy and the public domain without ensuring protections for free speech;
Criminalize common practices like tinkering with or modifying devices, even for fair use purposes;
Enable multi-national corporations to skirt the democratic process and use shadowy international tribunals to undermine Web users’ rights;
Set a precedent that will encourage anti-Internet lobbyists like the ones who wrote SOPA to use trade agreements to push for bad Internet policy.
There are powerful interests pushing to get the TPP passed through U.S. Congress, and it seems like they managed to pull a fast one on these Internet companies and get them to take a position that goes directly against their own interests and the interests of their users.
Congress could vote on the TPP within a matter of weeks, and they’ll be watching closely how the public reacts to these companies’ statements.
If enough of us speak out, we can get these companies to drop their support for this dangerous agreement, and stand up for the rights of their users and the future of the Internet we all love.
Take action now and tell members of the Internet Association to oppose the TPP.
1. Source
2. Source
Monday, April 18, 2016
White House bribes private companies not to oppose TPP
From Fight For The Future:
A major corporation just revealed that the U.S. government literally offered them a bribe if they’d stop opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP.) [1]
This type of corruption is what we’re up against in the fight to stop the TPP. We’re battling the most powerful and politically entrenched forces in the world.
They have billions to spend on lobbying and influence. But we have real people like you who understand what’s at stake. We know people power can win, but we still need resources to make our campaigns possible. Will you stand up to the bribes and corruption and chip in?
Yes! I’ll chip in $5 to fight corruption and stop the TPP!
New Balance, a U.S.-based shoe company, opposed the TPP for years, echoing the concerns of experts who say it will hurt jobs and the economy.
But last year, the company suddenly went silent on the TPP. And now we know why––the U.S. government bribed them to shut them up. [2]
The Boston Globe reports that the White House straight up promised New Balance a big money contract supplying shoes to the Department of Defense, as long as they either supported or remained neutral on the massive trade deal.
This latest scandal has more to do with the TPP’s economic impact, but as Internet and free speech advocates, we have deep concerns with this agreement’s impact on our digital rights.
The TPP was negotiated in complete secrecy by lobbyists and government bureaucrats––including some of the same ones that were behind SOPA and the DMCA––and it contains extreme copyright provisions that threaten to expand Internet censorship worldwide. [2]
It reads like a wish list for monopolistic corporations and like a death sentence for the future of innovation, our Internet freedom, and our basic democratic process.
The giant corporations pushing the TPP have billions of dollars in potential profits on the line. They’re fighting dirty and there’s nothing they won’t do to get this deal passed.
We’ve still got a chance to stop this deal. But we can’t do it without your help.
We’ve already been successful in delaying the TPP for years. But now we need to crush this terrible idea once and for all. Here’s what we’ll use your donations for:
The TPP Roadshow! We’re partnering with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine’s record label to organize a series of large-scale events featuring high profile artists and celebrities who will help us reach tens of thousands of people who don’t know about the TPP yet, and get them engaged in fighting it.
An online campaign to stop the TPP. We’ve already launched an action site at FightTheTPP.org, but we need to update it and add educational materials to help new people understand the dangers of the TPP.
A coordinated media strategy. We’ve been working hard to cut through the media blackout around the TPP. With more funds we’ll be able to spend more time reaching out to journalists and creating actions and campaigns that get mainstream media attention.
This fight is not going to be easy. It’s hard to imagine that New Balance is the only corporation that the U.S. government has attempted to bribe into supporting the TPP.
But if we come together, we can overcome entrenched political corruption and stop the TPP before it becomes law. Can you help make it possible?
Yes! I’ll chip in $5 to stop the TPP.
I’m so proud of all the work we’ve done so far. Thanks for being part of this movement.
For the Internet,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t donate right now, please click here to TAKE ACTION right now by telling major tech companies to drop their misguided support for the TPP! But we can only run these campaigns with your support, so if you can spare a even just few dollars, please click here to chip in!
1.Source
2.Source
3.Source
A major corporation just revealed that the U.S. government literally offered them a bribe if they’d stop opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP.) [1]
This type of corruption is what we’re up against in the fight to stop the TPP. We’re battling the most powerful and politically entrenched forces in the world.
They have billions to spend on lobbying and influence. But we have real people like you who understand what’s at stake. We know people power can win, but we still need resources to make our campaigns possible. Will you stand up to the bribes and corruption and chip in?
Yes! I’ll chip in $5 to fight corruption and stop the TPP!
New Balance, a U.S.-based shoe company, opposed the TPP for years, echoing the concerns of experts who say it will hurt jobs and the economy.
But last year, the company suddenly went silent on the TPP. And now we know why––the U.S. government bribed them to shut them up. [2]
The Boston Globe reports that the White House straight up promised New Balance a big money contract supplying shoes to the Department of Defense, as long as they either supported or remained neutral on the massive trade deal.
This latest scandal has more to do with the TPP’s economic impact, but as Internet and free speech advocates, we have deep concerns with this agreement’s impact on our digital rights.
The TPP was negotiated in complete secrecy by lobbyists and government bureaucrats––including some of the same ones that were behind SOPA and the DMCA––and it contains extreme copyright provisions that threaten to expand Internet censorship worldwide. [2]
It reads like a wish list for monopolistic corporations and like a death sentence for the future of innovation, our Internet freedom, and our basic democratic process.
The giant corporations pushing the TPP have billions of dollars in potential profits on the line. They’re fighting dirty and there’s nothing they won’t do to get this deal passed.
We’ve still got a chance to stop this deal. But we can’t do it without your help.
We’ve already been successful in delaying the TPP for years. But now we need to crush this terrible idea once and for all. Here’s what we’ll use your donations for:
The TPP Roadshow! We’re partnering with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine’s record label to organize a series of large-scale events featuring high profile artists and celebrities who will help us reach tens of thousands of people who don’t know about the TPP yet, and get them engaged in fighting it.
An online campaign to stop the TPP. We’ve already launched an action site at FightTheTPP.org, but we need to update it and add educational materials to help new people understand the dangers of the TPP.
A coordinated media strategy. We’ve been working hard to cut through the media blackout around the TPP. With more funds we’ll be able to spend more time reaching out to journalists and creating actions and campaigns that get mainstream media attention.
This fight is not going to be easy. It’s hard to imagine that New Balance is the only corporation that the U.S. government has attempted to bribe into supporting the TPP.
But if we come together, we can overcome entrenched political corruption and stop the TPP before it becomes law. Can you help make it possible?
Yes! I’ll chip in $5 to stop the TPP.
I’m so proud of all the work we’ve done so far. Thanks for being part of this movement.
For the Internet,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t donate right now, please click here to TAKE ACTION right now by telling major tech companies to drop their misguided support for the TPP! But we can only run these campaigns with your support, so if you can spare a even just few dollars, please click here to chip in!
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Monday, March 14, 2016
Tell the FCC to enforce Net Neutrality no matter what the ISP's say about it
Fight For The Future:
The FCC is deciding right now whether or not to let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality with total impunity.
These companies are trying to see if they can break the law in plain sight and get away with it. If they win, it will endanger the open Internet forever. But the FCC won’t act unless they see an overwhelming public response — help us submit 100,000 comments to the FCC in the next week.
Tell the FCC: Zero-Rating schemes violate Net Neutrality and threaten the open Internet. Don't let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile get away with breaking the law.
Net neutrality is the basic guiding principle that has made the Internet what it is today. It keeps powerful interests from slowing down or censoring content, and it’s what guarantees us access to the expanse of knowledge that makes the Internet revolutionary.
Last year, the FCC passed the strongest-ever protections for the open Internet, and it happened with such overwhelming public support that companies like Comcast and Verizon can’t publicly oppose net neutrality the way they used to.
Now, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are trying to work around the rules by doing something called Zero-Rating, even though last year’s net neutrality rules already ban it as a discriminatory pricing model.
The problem is the FCC decided to deal with zero rating on a, "case by case basis," which so far has meant that the FCC hasn’t done a thing. [1]
Companies are using the FCC’s slow response to their advantage, hoping to spread enough propaganda about the programs that the FCC won't ban them. The reality is, though, the FCC will only act quickly if enough of us speak out and demand that they do the right thing.
Tell the FCC: protect net neutrality and stop Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile from undermining the open Internet.
While each company’s Zero-Rating scheme is a little different, they all functionally work the same way. They all claim to offer consumers something for free, when in reality they use arbitrary data caps to gouge customers for more money while striking special deals that let them manipulate the way we all use the Internet.
Internet experts, academics, and free speech advocates agree that these types of practices are harmful to Internet users and undermine our rights. Wired put it pretty succinctly: Net Neutrality is in More Danger than Ever. [2]
The good news is that asking the FCC to stop this is not unprecedented. Not only is Zero-Rating already against the new rules, just last month, India’s telecom regulator banned Zero-Rating schemes based on the danger they pose to free speech and equal access to information.
But that victory in India only came after millions of people spoke out. We need to do the same thing here, and fast.
Tell the FCC: protect the open Internet and ban Zero-Rating. Don’t let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality.
1.Source
2.Source
The FCC is deciding right now whether or not to let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality with total impunity.
These companies are trying to see if they can break the law in plain sight and get away with it. If they win, it will endanger the open Internet forever. But the FCC won’t act unless they see an overwhelming public response — help us submit 100,000 comments to the FCC in the next week.
Tell the FCC: Zero-Rating schemes violate Net Neutrality and threaten the open Internet. Don't let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile get away with breaking the law.
Net neutrality is the basic guiding principle that has made the Internet what it is today. It keeps powerful interests from slowing down or censoring content, and it’s what guarantees us access to the expanse of knowledge that makes the Internet revolutionary.
Last year, the FCC passed the strongest-ever protections for the open Internet, and it happened with such overwhelming public support that companies like Comcast and Verizon can’t publicly oppose net neutrality the way they used to.
Now, Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are trying to work around the rules by doing something called Zero-Rating, even though last year’s net neutrality rules already ban it as a discriminatory pricing model.
The problem is the FCC decided to deal with zero rating on a, "case by case basis," which so far has meant that the FCC hasn’t done a thing. [1]
Companies are using the FCC’s slow response to their advantage, hoping to spread enough propaganda about the programs that the FCC won't ban them. The reality is, though, the FCC will only act quickly if enough of us speak out and demand that they do the right thing.
Tell the FCC: protect net neutrality and stop Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile from undermining the open Internet.
While each company’s Zero-Rating scheme is a little different, they all functionally work the same way. They all claim to offer consumers something for free, when in reality they use arbitrary data caps to gouge customers for more money while striking special deals that let them manipulate the way we all use the Internet.
Internet experts, academics, and free speech advocates agree that these types of practices are harmful to Internet users and undermine our rights. Wired put it pretty succinctly: Net Neutrality is in More Danger than Ever. [2]
The good news is that asking the FCC to stop this is not unprecedented. Not only is Zero-Rating already against the new rules, just last month, India’s telecom regulator banned Zero-Rating schemes based on the danger they pose to free speech and equal access to information.
But that victory in India only came after millions of people spoke out. We need to do the same thing here, and fast.
Tell the FCC: protect the open Internet and ban Zero-Rating. Don’t let Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile undermine net neutrality.
1.Source
2.Source
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
New York wants to ban full disk encryption
From Fight For The Future:
This is ridiculous — New York wants to ban iPhones and the latest Androids because they're too hard to break into.
Take action now to protect privacy everywhere and tell New York to keep their hands off our phones.
Phones get stolen all the time. Buying a new one is expensive enough. But your data falling into the wrong hands can cost much, much more.
Think about it. Whoever stole your phone has a copy of your digital life. They could empty your savings, ruin your credit, or steal workplace files and cost you your job. Just one risque photo could become a life-altering nightmare... especially for teachers, young people or public figures. This happens, and it’s awful.
Thankfully, engineers have a solution to this problem: “full disk encryption". It gives strong protection and it’s easy. You pick a good password, and your phone uses some epic math to protect your data every day. That’s it.
Full disk encryption is so great, we even ran a campaign for it: Reset the Net. And it's winning! The iPhone–and the latest version of Android–make full phone encryption standard for everyone. Data will be safe, even when phones get stolen.
But the same encryption that keeps you safe makes the FBI furious. When they seize a phone, encryption makes it much harder for them to break in. In some rare cases, it’s impossible, but most of the time it’s just more work.
The FBI is pushing states to make “full disk encryption” illegal because they want to make it easier to break into someone's phone.
The problem is that making it easier for the FBI to access the data on a phone means it's WAY easier for anyone with malicious intent to access your data, too. Their "solution" to keeping you safe and cracking down on crime actually puts you at risk.
Take action now to protect encryption and make sure hundreds of millions of innocent people are never exposed to thieves and stalkers, just to speed up a miniscule number of FBI investigations.
The FBI is losing this battle at the federal level, because experts agree that banning encryption would be terrible for public safety, since it would make phones easier for anyone to hack into. So the FBI is being sneaky. They know that just one big state could possibly tip the scales.
If New York bans encryption, Apple, Google, and other companies will have to decide to either make a special phone to sell just in New York and swallow that logistical nightmare, or they'll lower their encryption standards on the devices they sell everywhere to match New York's standard. We can't let that happen — especially because if the FBI wins this case, there's no reason they won't come for our computers next.
We need to stop this now, before it goes any further.
Tell New York State that encryption keeps our data safe, and that banning full disk encryption is a threat to public safety.
Full disk encryption is one of the security steps we use at Fight for the Future to keep our data safe–and yours too. I’m using it right now. We see it as our responsibility to you, and really it’s common sense. Many companies and organizations have this policy, and if they don’t yet, they should!
This New York bill would make us, and millions of other organizations much more vulnerable to attacks.
We have some great follow-up planned for this petition, and will be working to stop similar legislation that's already being proposed in California. So please, let’s kick this off right, and bury the politicians behind this law in petition signatures, from people who understand just how important encryption is to privacy and public safety.
If you want to do more, share the page (or this email) with as many people as possible, or support our work by becoming a member. We can win this, but only if we really try.
Sincerely,
Holmes Wilson
P.S. We’re also planning on-the-ground protests against these laws in New York, San Francisco, and possibly London as well. If you’d like to help with those in any way, or if you have any special skills to contribute, email holmes@fightforthefuture.org and let us know a bit about your skills and experience. (And thanks!)
To sign petition
This is ridiculous — New York wants to ban iPhones and the latest Androids because they're too hard to break into.
Take action now to protect privacy everywhere and tell New York to keep their hands off our phones.
Phones get stolen all the time. Buying a new one is expensive enough. But your data falling into the wrong hands can cost much, much more.
Think about it. Whoever stole your phone has a copy of your digital life. They could empty your savings, ruin your credit, or steal workplace files and cost you your job. Just one risque photo could become a life-altering nightmare... especially for teachers, young people or public figures. This happens, and it’s awful.
Thankfully, engineers have a solution to this problem: “full disk encryption". It gives strong protection and it’s easy. You pick a good password, and your phone uses some epic math to protect your data every day. That’s it.
Full disk encryption is so great, we even ran a campaign for it: Reset the Net. And it's winning! The iPhone–and the latest version of Android–make full phone encryption standard for everyone. Data will be safe, even when phones get stolen.
But the same encryption that keeps you safe makes the FBI furious. When they seize a phone, encryption makes it much harder for them to break in. In some rare cases, it’s impossible, but most of the time it’s just more work.
The FBI is pushing states to make “full disk encryption” illegal because they want to make it easier to break into someone's phone.
The problem is that making it easier for the FBI to access the data on a phone means it's WAY easier for anyone with malicious intent to access your data, too. Their "solution" to keeping you safe and cracking down on crime actually puts you at risk.
Take action now to protect encryption and make sure hundreds of millions of innocent people are never exposed to thieves and stalkers, just to speed up a miniscule number of FBI investigations.
The FBI is losing this battle at the federal level, because experts agree that banning encryption would be terrible for public safety, since it would make phones easier for anyone to hack into. So the FBI is being sneaky. They know that just one big state could possibly tip the scales.
If New York bans encryption, Apple, Google, and other companies will have to decide to either make a special phone to sell just in New York and swallow that logistical nightmare, or they'll lower their encryption standards on the devices they sell everywhere to match New York's standard. We can't let that happen — especially because if the FBI wins this case, there's no reason they won't come for our computers next.
We need to stop this now, before it goes any further.
Tell New York State that encryption keeps our data safe, and that banning full disk encryption is a threat to public safety.
Full disk encryption is one of the security steps we use at Fight for the Future to keep our data safe–and yours too. I’m using it right now. We see it as our responsibility to you, and really it’s common sense. Many companies and organizations have this policy, and if they don’t yet, they should!
This New York bill would make us, and millions of other organizations much more vulnerable to attacks.
We have some great follow-up planned for this petition, and will be working to stop similar legislation that's already being proposed in California. So please, let’s kick this off right, and bury the politicians behind this law in petition signatures, from people who understand just how important encryption is to privacy and public safety.
If you want to do more, share the page (or this email) with as many people as possible, or support our work by becoming a member. We can win this, but only if we really try.
Sincerely,
Holmes Wilson
P.S. We’re also planning on-the-ground protests against these laws in New York, San Francisco, and possibly London as well. If you’d like to help with those in any way, or if you have any special skills to contribute, email holmes@fightforthefuture.org and let us know a bit about your skills and experience. (And thanks!)
To sign petition
Friday, November 20, 2015
The government wants backdoor access to your computer
From Fight For The Future:
I wish we didn’t have to send this email. I wish we could take this week to reflect and grieve. But some politicians are wasting no time exploiting tragedy and manipulating our emotions to push their political agendas. (1) We can't remain silent.
Sign the petition: more mass surveillance will not make us safer.
The attacks in Paris and Beirut have all of us looking for answers. What can we do to stop this violence?
But while people around the world are grappling with that question, government officials are instead seizing the opportunity to renew their attacks on our most basic freedoms, even though they know it won’t make us safer from attacks.
Specifically, officials in the U.S. and Europe are pushing to ban strong encryption technology. (2) They want every type of Internet security to have a “backdoor” so that governments can access literally everything. Here’s the problem: weakening encryption will actually make us all less safe. Even if you trust governments to never abuse this system and only use it in the most extreme circumstances, once a backdoor exists, it can be used by anyone who can find it, including criminals, other governments, and yes, even terrorists. (3)
Fortunately, we’ve done a mountain of work over the last year educating the public and fighting this kind of misinformation, so more people than ever before know what’s really going on. Security experts agree that putting backdoors in encryption technology and letting the government collect even more of our personal information won’t prevent attacks like the ones we saw last week.
The battle lines are being drawn, but some powerful voices have been listening and are weighing in on the side of freedom and logic. The influential New York Times editorial board just came out swinging with the headline: “Mass surveillance is not the answer to fighting terrorism.” This is exactly the message leaders need to hear right now.
If you agree, don’t be silent and let them take our freedom away. Send the NYT editorial to your lawmakers and tell them that more surveillance won’t make us safer.
The details from Paris and Beirut are still emerging. The latest evidence suggests that the attackers were using totally unencrypted SMS messages. (4) The facts haven’t stopped politicians and pundits from demonizing encryption, but the reality is that it’s still not clear exactly how this happened, or how it could have been prevented.
What is clear is that now is not the time to make hasty decisions and rush to pass laws we’ve barely read. That path has failed us time and again. (5) Now is the time for informed, thoughtful, discussion about the causes of this violence and the real solutions to address it.
Weakening the encryption that protects our hospitals, power plants, airports, and personal information isn’t going to make us safer.
Collecting a giant haystack of data about hundreds of millions of innocent people is not going to stop the next attack.
We need real answers and solutions, not politicians scrambling spin this terrible situation to grab more power.
Do you agree? Click here to take one small action to make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes.
These decisions about encryption and mass surveillance will determine the type of world our children and our children’s children will live in. We shouldn’t let them be made for us by opportunistic politicians or violent attackers.
Yours for freedom and a better world,
~ Fight for the Future
P.S. Here’s a link directly to the New York Times editorial. Please share it widely! P.P.S. This is probably the only time you’ll see us rallying behind an NYT editorial. Savor the strangeness.
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2. Source
3. Source
4. Source
5. Source
I wish we didn’t have to send this email. I wish we could take this week to reflect and grieve. But some politicians are wasting no time exploiting tragedy and manipulating our emotions to push their political agendas. (1) We can't remain silent.
Sign the petition: more mass surveillance will not make us safer.
The attacks in Paris and Beirut have all of us looking for answers. What can we do to stop this violence?
But while people around the world are grappling with that question, government officials are instead seizing the opportunity to renew their attacks on our most basic freedoms, even though they know it won’t make us safer from attacks.
Specifically, officials in the U.S. and Europe are pushing to ban strong encryption technology. (2) They want every type of Internet security to have a “backdoor” so that governments can access literally everything. Here’s the problem: weakening encryption will actually make us all less safe. Even if you trust governments to never abuse this system and only use it in the most extreme circumstances, once a backdoor exists, it can be used by anyone who can find it, including criminals, other governments, and yes, even terrorists. (3)
Fortunately, we’ve done a mountain of work over the last year educating the public and fighting this kind of misinformation, so more people than ever before know what’s really going on. Security experts agree that putting backdoors in encryption technology and letting the government collect even more of our personal information won’t prevent attacks like the ones we saw last week.
The battle lines are being drawn, but some powerful voices have been listening and are weighing in on the side of freedom and logic. The influential New York Times editorial board just came out swinging with the headline: “Mass surveillance is not the answer to fighting terrorism.” This is exactly the message leaders need to hear right now.
If you agree, don’t be silent and let them take our freedom away. Send the NYT editorial to your lawmakers and tell them that more surveillance won’t make us safer.
The details from Paris and Beirut are still emerging. The latest evidence suggests that the attackers were using totally unencrypted SMS messages. (4) The facts haven’t stopped politicians and pundits from demonizing encryption, but the reality is that it’s still not clear exactly how this happened, or how it could have been prevented.
What is clear is that now is not the time to make hasty decisions and rush to pass laws we’ve barely read. That path has failed us time and again. (5) Now is the time for informed, thoughtful, discussion about the causes of this violence and the real solutions to address it.
Weakening the encryption that protects our hospitals, power plants, airports, and personal information isn’t going to make us safer.
Collecting a giant haystack of data about hundreds of millions of innocent people is not going to stop the next attack.
We need real answers and solutions, not politicians scrambling spin this terrible situation to grab more power.
Do you agree? Click here to take one small action to make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes.
These decisions about encryption and mass surveillance will determine the type of world our children and our children’s children will live in. We shouldn’t let them be made for us by opportunistic politicians or violent attackers.
Yours for freedom and a better world,
~ Fight for the Future
P.S. Here’s a link directly to the New York Times editorial. Please share it widely! P.P.S. This is probably the only time you’ll see us rallying behind an NYT editorial. Savor the strangeness.
1. Source
2. Source
3. Source
4. Source
5. Source
Thursday, October 22, 2015
CISA could come to a vote at any minute in the Senate
From Fight For The Future:
Bad news.
Despite the fact that nearly every major tech company and security expert has come out against it, Congress is still rushing toward a vote on CISA, and the numbers are not looking good. The House Intelligence chief is claiming that CISA will pass “overwhelmingly,” despite the massive public outcry.
It pains me to say this, but CISA is going to become law unless we go all out right now and every single person getting this does everything in their power to stop it and their phones ring off the hook.
There’s just hours left to have an impact,tell your lawmakers to vote NO on CISA right now.
If you’re still catching up, CISA is the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which is one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation in the Internet’s history. It sets the precedent for what the Internet is used for into the future. It would effectively give the government full access to all of our information to use as they wish, end privacy policies, and make all of us more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
CISA would allow spy agencies like the NSA to collect even more of your personal data and then share it with dozens of other government agencies, all the way down to local police, authorizing them to use it for an absurdly wide range of purposes that have nothing to do with “cybersecurity,” including investigating "fake" id's.
Worse, it will literally do nothing to stop the types of high profile cyber attacks that Congress is using to justify it. So we get less privacy AND less security, while giant companies like Target, Experian, and Sony will get legal immunity that lets them on the hook when they fail to protect our data.
There’s still a chance. We’ve won against these types of odds before. But everyone getting this needs to take action TODAY.
No matter what happens, we’ve put up a hell of a fight. Together we put the fear of the Internet into the largest tech companies in the U.S. and got them to take a stand against this bill. Now we need to bring it home.
We at Fight for the Future are working around the clock on this right now. Several of us are en route to Washington, DC as I write this and we’ll be participating in an awesome protest outside Congress TONIGHT at 6:30pm EST with giant light up signs.
Beyond making calls, if you’re in the DC area or know someone who is, go here to get the details and RSVP or spread the word by clicking here
Congress is hoping that they can sneak this bill through without a fight. We need to prove them wrong.
The final vote is days away. Click here to take action against CISA right now.
We can’t thank you enough for all you do. This is the free speech fight of our generation, and we’re proud to be with you on the frontlines.
For the Internet,
~ Evan, Tiffiniy, Holmes, Charlie, Jeff, Aki, Jessica, Vasjen, and Sarah
Fight for the Future
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