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
Showing posts with label sopa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sopa. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2016
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
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
Sunday, August 9, 2015
TPP vote going down to the wire
From Fight For The Future:
Here’s the deal: last month, Congress passed “Fast Track” for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
That means the TPP is now just one vote away from becoming law.
When Fast Track passed, it was heartbreaking. Over the last two years Fight for the Future built a totally unprecedented coalition of advocacy groups, tech companies, and activists fighting Fast Track, and together we were able to successfully defeat or delay Fast Track FIVE TIMES.
But in the end, pressure from the White House and an army of entrenched industry lobbyists was too much for Congress to resist, despite the overwhelming public outcry.
Now, we have a choice. We can just give up, and accept that democracy is over and the TPP is inevitable, or we can take matters into our own hands.
Here at Fight for the Future, we don’t believe in giving up.
If you're the same way and want to fight the TPP to the end.
I can speak for myself and say that I personally can’t sleep at night unless I know I’m doing everything in my power to protect our most basic rights online and off.
Together, we have fought against insurmountable odds before and won — we killed SOPA, stopped CISPA, and just this year we won Net Neutrality. Now, we’re planning to win big again. We don’t care what the DC pundits say – we are going to stop the TPP. But we can’t do it alone.
Just last week, representatives from all 13 of the nations involved in the TPP met in Hawaii to finalize the deal — and they couldn’t do it. The sticking point? The intellectual property rights chapter where copyright and all of the worst provisions for the Internet are housed.
That means if anyone can stop the TPP, it’s us. But, to be frank, we are dangerously low on funds to continue fighting the TPP, and we need to do more than just continue. If we’re going to win, we need to take it to the next level.
Can you chip in to help make sure we have the resources to keep fighting and win?
In emails like this, it’s common for groups to spread either doom and gloom or unsubstantiated optimism. I have neither of those for you today, just real talk.
The TPP is bad. Really bad. It’s arguably one of the worst things that could happen to the Internet, to our economy, and to the planet.
I can’t promise that we’re going to stop it. But I can promise that if we don’t try, it will certainly pass.
Can you chip in $5 to help us keep up the fight?
Yes, I’ll chip in $5 to help stop the TPP.
We plan to fight until the last breath, and we’re honored to have you fighting alongside us.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. Whether we win or lose on the TPP, the battle for the future of the Internet will rage on. To win these fights in the long run, we need to have consistent, ongoing support from people like you. The best way to do that is to chip in a small amount every single month.
Here’s the deal: last month, Congress passed “Fast Track” for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
That means the TPP is now just one vote away from becoming law.
When Fast Track passed, it was heartbreaking. Over the last two years Fight for the Future built a totally unprecedented coalition of advocacy groups, tech companies, and activists fighting Fast Track, and together we were able to successfully defeat or delay Fast Track FIVE TIMES.
But in the end, pressure from the White House and an army of entrenched industry lobbyists was too much for Congress to resist, despite the overwhelming public outcry.
Now, we have a choice. We can just give up, and accept that democracy is over and the TPP is inevitable, or we can take matters into our own hands.
Here at Fight for the Future, we don’t believe in giving up.
If you're the same way and want to fight the TPP to the end.
I can speak for myself and say that I personally can’t sleep at night unless I know I’m doing everything in my power to protect our most basic rights online and off.
Together, we have fought against insurmountable odds before and won — we killed SOPA, stopped CISPA, and just this year we won Net Neutrality. Now, we’re planning to win big again. We don’t care what the DC pundits say – we are going to stop the TPP. But we can’t do it alone.
Just last week, representatives from all 13 of the nations involved in the TPP met in Hawaii to finalize the deal — and they couldn’t do it. The sticking point? The intellectual property rights chapter where copyright and all of the worst provisions for the Internet are housed.
That means if anyone can stop the TPP, it’s us. But, to be frank, we are dangerously low on funds to continue fighting the TPP, and we need to do more than just continue. If we’re going to win, we need to take it to the next level.
Can you chip in to help make sure we have the resources to keep fighting and win?
In emails like this, it’s common for groups to spread either doom and gloom or unsubstantiated optimism. I have neither of those for you today, just real talk.
The TPP is bad. Really bad. It’s arguably one of the worst things that could happen to the Internet, to our economy, and to the planet.
I can’t promise that we’re going to stop it. But I can promise that if we don’t try, it will certainly pass.
Can you chip in $5 to help us keep up the fight?
Yes, I’ll chip in $5 to help stop the TPP.
We plan to fight until the last breath, and we’re honored to have you fighting alongside us.
For the Internet,
-Evan at Fight for the Future
P.S. Whether we win or lose on the TPP, the battle for the future of the Internet will rage on. To win these fights in the long run, we need to have consistent, ongoing support from people like you. The best way to do that is to chip in a small amount every single month.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Every bad internet bill in one:TPP has it all...and none of it good
From Fight For The Future:
We need to be as big and visible as possible to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership — that’s the only way we can win this fight. We all need to get as many people in our audiences, readerships, and communities motivated to do something. We can make this powerfully epic, but only if you help. Companies need to be the frontrunners, leaders, and heroes on this because we’ve seen time and time again with SOPA, Reset The Net, and net neutrality that it’s the key ingredient to raising the bar and making sure everyone goes big.
Time is short — Congress is introducing a bill to Fast Track the TPP in the coming weeks, so we need to act now.
We realize it’s a big ask, but this is the kind of bad legislation that only comes along once every 10 or 20 years. The TPP has pieces of every bad Internet policy we’ve fought against, and if it passes now we’ll be kicking ourselves for decades, fighting uphill battle after uphill battle on copyright reform, whistleblower protections, and so much more. Doing the most we can right now is the only rational step to protecting the open Internet.
Join with us
This goes down tomorrow so sign up today. This is your internet protect it.
So how bad is TPP? This bad:
The biggest problem with the Trans-Pacific Partnership is that there’s absolutely no public oversight. The only way we know what’s in the TPP right now is from leaks of specific chapters -- and if Fast Track passes, not only won’t we get more details about the TPP, Congress will have to give a single thumbs up or down to the entire thing.
That means we won’t be able to push for specific items to be removed from the deal -- we’ll be stuck with the whole thing, so as of right now the Trans-Pacific Partnership will do all of the following:
Force sites to remove allegedly infringing content from the web without a court order - scarily similar to SOPA.
Create harsh criminal penalties for journalists and whistleblowers. Any disclosure of information with "commercial value" would be criminalized -- and there would be absolutely no public interest of free speech exemption.
Punish Internet users who share copyrighted material, even without any personal gain. Here's the proposed punishment from the leaked text: "sentences of imprisonment as well as monetary fines sufficiently high to provide a deterrent to future acts of infringement." Again, that's potential prison time for sharing something without any personal gain.
Limit Fair Use to make copyright even more restrictive on creative innovation. Last week, WikiLeaks revealed a series of emails surrounding the TPP where the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) explicitly argued against including any fair use provisions. And it looks pretty clear that if the TPP passes, they'll have their way. That means remixes, sampling, and quoting of copyrighted material could become illegal outside the US.
Allow foreign corporations to sue the United States government if they think that our laws infringe on their profits. This is, quite simply, the most devastating part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It opens the door to undermining every good law we've ever passed to protect the Internet -- the only thing corporations have to do is prove they could make more money if those laws didn't exist.
In short, the TPP isn’t just bad — it’s zombie bad. It has parts of every misguided Internet policy we’ve killed over the last decade trying to become law by completely bypassing every part of our democratic process.
To oppose TPP click here
We need to be as big and visible as possible to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership — that’s the only way we can win this fight. We all need to get as many people in our audiences, readerships, and communities motivated to do something. We can make this powerfully epic, but only if you help. Companies need to be the frontrunners, leaders, and heroes on this because we’ve seen time and time again with SOPA, Reset The Net, and net neutrality that it’s the key ingredient to raising the bar and making sure everyone goes big.
Time is short — Congress is introducing a bill to Fast Track the TPP in the coming weeks, so we need to act now.
We realize it’s a big ask, but this is the kind of bad legislation that only comes along once every 10 or 20 years. The TPP has pieces of every bad Internet policy we’ve fought against, and if it passes now we’ll be kicking ourselves for decades, fighting uphill battle after uphill battle on copyright reform, whistleblower protections, and so much more. Doing the most we can right now is the only rational step to protecting the open Internet.
Join with us
This goes down tomorrow so sign up today. This is your internet protect it.
So how bad is TPP? This bad:
The biggest problem with the Trans-Pacific Partnership is that there’s absolutely no public oversight. The only way we know what’s in the TPP right now is from leaks of specific chapters -- and if Fast Track passes, not only won’t we get more details about the TPP, Congress will have to give a single thumbs up or down to the entire thing.
That means we won’t be able to push for specific items to be removed from the deal -- we’ll be stuck with the whole thing, so as of right now the Trans-Pacific Partnership will do all of the following:
Force sites to remove allegedly infringing content from the web without a court order - scarily similar to SOPA.
Create harsh criminal penalties for journalists and whistleblowers. Any disclosure of information with "commercial value" would be criminalized -- and there would be absolutely no public interest of free speech exemption.
Punish Internet users who share copyrighted material, even without any personal gain. Here's the proposed punishment from the leaked text: "sentences of imprisonment as well as monetary fines sufficiently high to provide a deterrent to future acts of infringement." Again, that's potential prison time for sharing something without any personal gain.
Limit Fair Use to make copyright even more restrictive on creative innovation. Last week, WikiLeaks revealed a series of emails surrounding the TPP where the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) explicitly argued against including any fair use provisions. And it looks pretty clear that if the TPP passes, they'll have their way. That means remixes, sampling, and quoting of copyrighted material could become illegal outside the US.
Allow foreign corporations to sue the United States government if they think that our laws infringe on their profits. This is, quite simply, the most devastating part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It opens the door to undermining every good law we've ever passed to protect the Internet -- the only thing corporations have to do is prove they could make more money if those laws didn't exist.
In short, the TPP isn’t just bad — it’s zombie bad. It has parts of every misguided Internet policy we’ve killed over the last decade trying to become law by completely bypassing every part of our democratic process.
To oppose TPP click here
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Keep up the presure to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership
From Fight For The Future:
In this email I’m going to tell you something awesome and then ask you to do something important. Ready?
Last night, we helped organize a protest outside an upscale restaurant in Washington, DC where Senator Ron Wyden had planned to hold a fundraising dinner. We had two dozen people there ready to hold a giant illuminated “Save the Internet / Stop the TPP” sign right outside the windows where his funders would be dining, but the Senator and his donors were nowhere to be seen. It turns out he decided to CANCEL his fundraising dinner rather than have his donors walk past our protest!
This is good news. It means Senator Wyden is really feeling the heat. But we need to keep the pressure on. He is literally making his decision about whether to support Fast Track legislation right now.
Call Senator Ron Wyden right now and ask his staff if they told his donors the truth about why they cancelled his fundraising dinner last night? Then tell him to oppose Fast Track for the TPP. Here are his numbers: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525 (go ahead and call both!)
We’ve been staying laser-focused on Senator Ron Wyden in recent weeks, because right now he literally holds the keys to the future of the Internet. Senator Wyden has been engaged in backroom negotiations with key Republicans over so-called “Fast Track” / Trade Promotion Authority legislation, a bill that would give the Executive Branch massive new powers to negotiate trade pacts like the TPP in secret and then ram them through Congress with no meaningful debate or amendments, just a simple up or down vote.
Just yesterday, Senator Orinn Hatch told media outlets that he was submitting his “final deal” Fast Track proposal to Senator Wyden by the end of the day. The Senator is thinking long and hard right now about what he is going to do. We need to make sure he hears from as many Internet users as possible TODAY calling for him to do the right thing, stand up for REAL transparency, and oppose Fast Track for the TPP.
Please pick up the phone and call Senator Wyden right now: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525
Speak from your heart, but be polite. Not sure what to say? Try this: “I’m calling to ask Senator Wyden to oppose Fast Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and I’d like to know whether the Senator told his donors the truth about why he cancelled his fundraising dinner in Washington, DC last night.”
Can’t call? Click here to chip in $10 to help keep the pressure on and stop the TPP.
Senator Wyden cancelled his fundraising dinner last night because he didn’t want to face protesters calling for him to protect Internet freedom. Let’s show him that he can run, but he can’t hide. If we can get him to do the right thing and walk away from this deal, we’ll be closer than ever to stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership completely. If Fast Track fails, the whole TPP trade deal could come crashing down.
And that brings us one step closer to *ending* trade agreements as a backdoor route for lobbyists pushing bad Internet policy. The Internet’s greatest foes at the RIAA and MPAA have been using these secretive trade agreements to force bad Internet policy on the entire world for decades. We've finally figured out how to stop them; it just takes one last push.
We are low on funds to fight Fast Track and the TPP, but we’re still kicking butt. Please chip in $10 to stop the next SOPA from being passed in secret.
Thanks for all you’ve done! More soon,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t call or donate right now, that’s cool! Click here to tweet or email Senator Wyden today!
It doesn't matter when you call you can leave a voicemail if the office is closed. So if internet freedom means anything to you then put the pressure on Senator Wyden to do the right thing and oppose TPP.
In this email I’m going to tell you something awesome and then ask you to do something important. Ready?
Last night, we helped organize a protest outside an upscale restaurant in Washington, DC where Senator Ron Wyden had planned to hold a fundraising dinner. We had two dozen people there ready to hold a giant illuminated “Save the Internet / Stop the TPP” sign right outside the windows where his funders would be dining, but the Senator and his donors were nowhere to be seen. It turns out he decided to CANCEL his fundraising dinner rather than have his donors walk past our protest!
This is good news. It means Senator Wyden is really feeling the heat. But we need to keep the pressure on. He is literally making his decision about whether to support Fast Track legislation right now.
Call Senator Ron Wyden right now and ask his staff if they told his donors the truth about why they cancelled his fundraising dinner last night? Then tell him to oppose Fast Track for the TPP. Here are his numbers: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525 (go ahead and call both!)
We’ve been staying laser-focused on Senator Ron Wyden in recent weeks, because right now he literally holds the keys to the future of the Internet. Senator Wyden has been engaged in backroom negotiations with key Republicans over so-called “Fast Track” / Trade Promotion Authority legislation, a bill that would give the Executive Branch massive new powers to negotiate trade pacts like the TPP in secret and then ram them through Congress with no meaningful debate or amendments, just a simple up or down vote.
Just yesterday, Senator Orinn Hatch told media outlets that he was submitting his “final deal” Fast Track proposal to Senator Wyden by the end of the day. The Senator is thinking long and hard right now about what he is going to do. We need to make sure he hears from as many Internet users as possible TODAY calling for him to do the right thing, stand up for REAL transparency, and oppose Fast Track for the TPP.
Please pick up the phone and call Senator Wyden right now: (202) 224-5244 and (503) 326-7525
Speak from your heart, but be polite. Not sure what to say? Try this: “I’m calling to ask Senator Wyden to oppose Fast Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and I’d like to know whether the Senator told his donors the truth about why he cancelled his fundraising dinner in Washington, DC last night.”
Can’t call? Click here to chip in $10 to help keep the pressure on and stop the TPP.
Senator Wyden cancelled his fundraising dinner last night because he didn’t want to face protesters calling for him to protect Internet freedom. Let’s show him that he can run, but he can’t hide. If we can get him to do the right thing and walk away from this deal, we’ll be closer than ever to stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership completely. If Fast Track fails, the whole TPP trade deal could come crashing down.
And that brings us one step closer to *ending* trade agreements as a backdoor route for lobbyists pushing bad Internet policy. The Internet’s greatest foes at the RIAA and MPAA have been using these secretive trade agreements to force bad Internet policy on the entire world for decades. We've finally figured out how to stop them; it just takes one last push.
We are low on funds to fight Fast Track and the TPP, but we’re still kicking butt. Please chip in $10 to stop the next SOPA from being passed in secret.
Thanks for all you’ve done! More soon,
-Evan at FFTF
P.S. If you can’t call or donate right now, that’s cool! Click here to tweet or email Senator Wyden today!
It doesn't matter when you call you can leave a voicemail if the office is closed. So if internet freedom means anything to you then put the pressure on Senator Wyden to do the right thing and oppose TPP.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
One more push for Title II Net Neutrality
From Fight For The Future:
The first thing I read this morning gave me chills.
The New York Times ran a front page story about how enemies of net neutrality are on the retreat, and that tomorrow, we could see the biggest open Internet victory of our lives. [1]
Bottom line: together, we are on the cusp of an absolutely unbelievably epic victory for net neutrality. Do you want to savor it? Watch this video we made!
We whipped up this fun little video to mark the “final” moments of the Internet Countdown, and to look back on how we got here, together. It’s so mind blowing to think how all these online protests, real life camp-outs, calls, emails and epic stunts snowballed into what could be the biggest win of our lives. It could be even bigger than defeating SOPA. [2][3]
Keep an eye on the news tomorrow, and remember: activism works. When tons of people come together with a clear vision, nothing’s impossible. Really! Getting to where we are right now was supposed to be impossible!!
Can’t watch a video right now? Would you rather be scolding some politicians on the phone? Then click here to start making phone calls!
The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee just had a hearing today whose sole purpose was to kill net neutrality with partisan confusion. That’s what we’re up against now, and we need to smack it down hard if we want to defend any victory. Click here to call these committee members, and stay on the line for as long as you like; we’ll keep connecting you with more of them… until you hang up or your phone runs out of batteries :)
Thanks for everything you do,
Holmes Wilson, Tiffiniy Cheng, Evan Greer, Vasjen Katro, Jeff Lyons, Laila Murad, and the whole Fight for the Future team.
1. New York Times
2. Forbes
3. Wetmachine
Friday, December 19, 2014
SOPA makes a return
From Fight For The Future:
Creepy news: MPAA is on the march, again.
What is the MPAA? They’re the lobby that brought us SOPA. What do they want? The power to censor any website if its users post anything copyrighted (pictures, songs, videos–even links).
Now, leaked emails show they’re getting a corrupt clique of Attorney Generals to do their dirty work and bring back SOPA the sneaky way. The plan is lead by Mississippi AG Jim Hood. Can you help us bury Hood's office in calls & emails?
What’s the problem with censoring whole websites? Well, apart from huge problems with copyright itself, and some serious technical issues, nearly every important website gives its visitors freedom to post stuff. The power to censor entire sites based on users’ behavi or is essentially the power to destroy communities like Reddit, Tumblr, Youtube, Pinterest, or pretty much any place where people express themselves.
Do you want random media companies to have the power to destroy websites? We sure don’t.
Tell Jim Hood that Internet censorship is out of the question. Contact him
In responses to the Huffington Post, Hood called for a list of sites that search engines and ISPs would be legally required to block . Who makes the list? Hood’s friends at the MPAA.
We’ve been through this before. At the behest of MPAA and old media giants, Congress tried to pass SOPA & PIPA. We organized an epic protest, the Internet rose up in magical unison, and the rest is history: Congress shelved the bill.
But unlike Congress, these Attorney Generals never got thousands of angry emails and phone calls. That’s got to change. Tell Jim Hood that you won’t let Internet censorship happen in America.
We only know about these plans thanks to leaked emails from the (itself Hollywood-esque) Sony Pictures hack, and heroic reporting by The Verge (which Sony tried to censor).
The story is too long and crazy to tell here, but if North Korean hackers didn’t hack Sony Pictures while trying to censor a dumb movie mocking their dictatorship, the public might never have discovered these plans to censor America's Internet.
If there was an Oscar for “best ironic blowback", this would win it.
It’s a crazy world. Stand up for what you believe in!
Sincerely,
Holmes Wilson, Tiffiniy Cheng, Evan Greer, Kevin Huang, Jeff Lyon & Vasjen Katro (aka Fight for the Future)
Bullies. That's the only word I can come up with to describe Sony. They have no problem getting in the faces of the American people but if someone bigger than them fucks with them like North Korea they act like the pansies they are. Fucking libtard bullies. That's all Sony is.
Creepy news: MPAA is on the march, again.
What is the MPAA? They’re the lobby that brought us SOPA. What do they want? The power to censor any website if its users post anything copyrighted (pictures, songs, videos–even links).
Now, leaked emails show they’re getting a corrupt clique of Attorney Generals to do their dirty work and bring back SOPA the sneaky way. The plan is lead by Mississippi AG Jim Hood. Can you help us bury Hood's office in calls & emails?
What’s the problem with censoring whole websites? Well, apart from huge problems with copyright itself, and some serious technical issues, nearly every important website gives its visitors freedom to post stuff. The power to censor entire sites based on users’ behavi or is essentially the power to destroy communities like Reddit, Tumblr, Youtube, Pinterest, or pretty much any place where people express themselves.
Do you want random media companies to have the power to destroy websites? We sure don’t.
Tell Jim Hood that Internet censorship is out of the question. Contact him
In responses to the Huffington Post, Hood called for a list of sites that search engines and ISPs would be legally required to block . Who makes the list? Hood’s friends at the MPAA.
We’ve been through this before. At the behest of MPAA and old media giants, Congress tried to pass SOPA & PIPA. We organized an epic protest, the Internet rose up in magical unison, and the rest is history: Congress shelved the bill.
But unlike Congress, these Attorney Generals never got thousands of angry emails and phone calls. That’s got to change. Tell Jim Hood that you won’t let Internet censorship happen in America.
We only know about these plans thanks to leaked emails from the (itself Hollywood-esque) Sony Pictures hack, and heroic reporting by The Verge (which Sony tried to censor).
The story is too long and crazy to tell here, but if North Korean hackers didn’t hack Sony Pictures while trying to censor a dumb movie mocking their dictatorship, the public might never have discovered these plans to censor America's Internet.
If there was an Oscar for “best ironic blowback", this would win it.
It’s a crazy world. Stand up for what you believe in!
Sincerely,
Holmes Wilson, Tiffiniy Cheng, Evan Greer, Kevin Huang, Jeff Lyon & Vasjen Katro (aka Fight for the Future)
Bullies. That's the only word I can come up with to describe Sony. They have no problem getting in the faces of the American people but if someone bigger than them fucks with them like North Korea they act like the pansies they are. Fucking libtard bullies. That's all Sony is.
Friday, March 14, 2014
When it comes to TPP Obama wants to put the fox in charge of the henhouse
From Demand Progress:
The Obama administration wants a former SOPA lobbyist to negotiate the TPP. We can't let that happen.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a secretive international treaty that lets the world's most powerful corporations make a power grab for our resources at the cost of our civil liberties. And now President Obama has nominated Robert Holleyman, a former lobbyist for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), to help lead the TPP negotiations for the U.S.
Help us tell the US Senate not to let the salesman for an awful bill become the architect of a monstrous treaty.
The TPP will have ruinous consequences for free speech on the Internet by expanding already ridiculous copyright protections and laying the groundwork for internet censorship. If confirmed by the Senate, Holleyman would be working to ensure that these anti-free speech provisions are enshrined in the TPP for good.
Click here and urge the Senate to block this disastrous nomination.
We've done a good job slowing down the progress of the TPP, but we can't let up. By blocking Holleyman, we'll not only keep this dangerous lobbyist away from this trade agreement, we'll also send a message to the architects of the TPP that they are in for a fight.
Let's send that message and continue that fight.
Sign on and tell your Senator: No to Holleyman.
Thank you.
- Demand Progress
The Obama administration wants a former SOPA lobbyist to negotiate the TPP. We can't let that happen.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a secretive international treaty that lets the world's most powerful corporations make a power grab for our resources at the cost of our civil liberties. And now President Obama has nominated Robert Holleyman, a former lobbyist for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), to help lead the TPP negotiations for the U.S.
Help us tell the US Senate not to let the salesman for an awful bill become the architect of a monstrous treaty.
The TPP will have ruinous consequences for free speech on the Internet by expanding already ridiculous copyright protections and laying the groundwork for internet censorship. If confirmed by the Senate, Holleyman would be working to ensure that these anti-free speech provisions are enshrined in the TPP for good.
Click here and urge the Senate to block this disastrous nomination.
We've done a good job slowing down the progress of the TPP, but we can't let up. By blocking Holleyman, we'll not only keep this dangerous lobbyist away from this trade agreement, we'll also send a message to the architects of the TPP that they are in for a fight.
Let's send that message and continue that fight.
Sign on and tell your Senator: No to Holleyman.
Thank you.
- Demand Progress
Friday, January 10, 2014
We take back the internet
From Demand Progress:
In January 2012 we defeated the SOPA and PIPA censorship legislation with the largest Internet protest in history. A year ago this Saturday one of that movement's leaders, Demand Progress's cofounder Aaron Swartz, tragically passed away.
Today we face a different threat, one that undermines the Internet, and the notion that any of us live in a genuinely free society: mass surveillance.
We miss Aaron dearly. If he were alive, he'd be on the front lines, fighting against a world in which governments observe, collect, and analyze our every digital action.
Now, in honor of Aaron on the eve of the anniversary of his passing, and in celebration of the win against SOPA and PIPA that he helped make possible, we are announcing a day of protest against mass surveillance, to take place this February 11th.
We can think of no way that he'd rather be honored than one that might have such a positive impact on the world.
We're calling it, simply, The Day We Fight Back.
You can visit the hub website we're building to support this effort at TheDayWeFightBack.org. It'll let you know how to help.
Meanwhile, right now: Aaron's friend Cory Doctorow, the filmmaker Brian Knappenberger -- whose film about Aaron will premiere at Sundance this month -- and representatives from Demand Progress and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are on reddit to talk about Aaron and the work we will do to honor him -- and push back against the NSA -- over the next month.
Click here to join the chat, and vote it up to make sure it's seen by as many people as possible.
As was often the case, Aaron said it best: “[We defeated SOPA] because everyone made themselves the hero of their own story. Everyone took it as their job to save this crucial freedom. They threw themselves into it. They did whatever they could think of to do.”
In the last 6 months we’ve seen that government agencies, namely the NSA and GCHQ and others, have broken laws and twisted legal interpretations to create an infrastructure of mass surveillance of all of us online.
This creates a dark form of censorship, of course, as people become afraid to speak freely-- and it’s one that undermines our security and our right to privacy as well. As users of the Internet, we have a responsibility to defend its freedom.
With SOPA, we had a clear goal: defeat a specific bill. In this case, we have to take a first step. We have some promising bills (like the USA Freedom Act) and terrible ones (the FISA Improvements Act). But we need our legislators to hear from people who love the Internet that we won’t stand by and let it be turned into a giant tool for mass surveillance. We need to push them to have the courage to support comprehensive reform. The kind of courage Aaron showed us all.
So today, on the eve of the anniversary of Aaron’s passing, we’d like to ask you to join us in stepping up to the plate once again in defense of a free, open and secure internet, where no one has to watch over their shoulder for big brother.
In memory of Aaron, and looking back to the successes of the SOPA campaign, we’d like to ask you to join us in a month of action, culminating in a day of action on February 11th. Here's what we need you to do today:
1) Visit TheDayWeFightBack.org to join in the activism.
2) And click here to join us, Cory Doctorow, Brian Knappenberger, and EFF to talk about Aaron and the activism we're going to undertake to honor him.
In solidarity,
Demand Progress
In January 2012 we defeated the SOPA and PIPA censorship legislation with the largest Internet protest in history. A year ago this Saturday one of that movement's leaders, Demand Progress's cofounder Aaron Swartz, tragically passed away.
Today we face a different threat, one that undermines the Internet, and the notion that any of us live in a genuinely free society: mass surveillance.
We miss Aaron dearly. If he were alive, he'd be on the front lines, fighting against a world in which governments observe, collect, and analyze our every digital action.
Now, in honor of Aaron on the eve of the anniversary of his passing, and in celebration of the win against SOPA and PIPA that he helped make possible, we are announcing a day of protest against mass surveillance, to take place this February 11th.
We can think of no way that he'd rather be honored than one that might have such a positive impact on the world.
We're calling it, simply, The Day We Fight Back.
You can visit the hub website we're building to support this effort at TheDayWeFightBack.org. It'll let you know how to help.
Meanwhile, right now: Aaron's friend Cory Doctorow, the filmmaker Brian Knappenberger -- whose film about Aaron will premiere at Sundance this month -- and representatives from Demand Progress and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are on reddit to talk about Aaron and the work we will do to honor him -- and push back against the NSA -- over the next month.
Click here to join the chat, and vote it up to make sure it's seen by as many people as possible.
As was often the case, Aaron said it best: “[We defeated SOPA] because everyone made themselves the hero of their own story. Everyone took it as their job to save this crucial freedom. They threw themselves into it. They did whatever they could think of to do.”
In the last 6 months we’ve seen that government agencies, namely the NSA and GCHQ and others, have broken laws and twisted legal interpretations to create an infrastructure of mass surveillance of all of us online.
This creates a dark form of censorship, of course, as people become afraid to speak freely-- and it’s one that undermines our security and our right to privacy as well. As users of the Internet, we have a responsibility to defend its freedom.
With SOPA, we had a clear goal: defeat a specific bill. In this case, we have to take a first step. We have some promising bills (like the USA Freedom Act) and terrible ones (the FISA Improvements Act). But we need our legislators to hear from people who love the Internet that we won’t stand by and let it be turned into a giant tool for mass surveillance. We need to push them to have the courage to support comprehensive reform. The kind of courage Aaron showed us all.
So today, on the eve of the anniversary of Aaron’s passing, we’d like to ask you to join us in stepping up to the plate once again in defense of a free, open and secure internet, where no one has to watch over their shoulder for big brother.
In memory of Aaron, and looking back to the successes of the SOPA campaign, we’d like to ask you to join us in a month of action, culminating in a day of action on February 11th. Here's what we need you to do today:
1) Visit TheDayWeFightBack.org to join in the activism.
2) And click here to join us, Cory Doctorow, Brian Knappenberger, and EFF to talk about Aaron and the activism we're going to undertake to honor him.
In solidarity,
Demand Progress
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Tell Nancy Pelosi to get more Democrats to oppose TPP
From Demand Progress:
It's about to happen: the greatest attack on internet freedom -- and on our rights as consumers -- in recent memory.
It's called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. Branded as a "trade" agreement, the TPP is nothing more than a wish list of pro-corporate policies that hurt the rest of us -- including the worst provisions in SOPA. And they're trying to circumvent democracy to pass it!
President Obama wants to railroad TPP through Congress using a Nixon-era scheme called “Fast Track.” It transfers Congress’ constitutional trade authority to the president, allowing him to sign a deal before Congress votes and then speed it through with no amendments and limited debate.
But we can stop it.
House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi, has been quiet so far about Obama’s demand. But if she speaks out against Fast Track, we can derail it and stop the TPP. Click here to call Pelosi's office and tell her to tale a public stand against Fast Track.
Obama trade officials have been negotiating the TPP for more than three years. They wants to finalize the deal this year.
If Obama Fast Tracks the TPP into law, ISPs and governments would be empowered to censor web content, prosecute supposed copyright infringers without due process, share your private data with copyright holders, and even block your internet connection altogether for minor infractions.
We would see millions more U.S. jobs offshored, higher medicine prices, the gutting of Fair Use standards, and longer copyright terms worldwide. It would also empower international corporations to attack environmental and health lsed that undermine their bottom-lines.
We cannot allow corporations to destroy internet freedom and undermine the laws that safeguard us against their greed. Please make a quick call and ask Pelosi to speak out against Fast Track.
Corporate lobbyists want Fast Track to tie legislators’ hands on trade deals. They know that is the only way a deal as dangerous as TPP could get through Congress. But they can’t Fast Track the TPP unless Congress explicitly votes in advance to give up its constitutional authority over trade.
151 House Democrats have committed to vote “no” on Fast Track. But, to stop it – and derail TPP – we need all of the Democrats unified. That’s why Leader Pelosi speaking out now will make the big difference!
It will only take a couple of minutes – please click here for the number for Leader Pelosi’s office in the Capitol and our talking points - and make the call.
Thank you,
Demand Progress Team
For more information
It's about to happen: the greatest attack on internet freedom -- and on our rights as consumers -- in recent memory.
It's called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. Branded as a "trade" agreement, the TPP is nothing more than a wish list of pro-corporate policies that hurt the rest of us -- including the worst provisions in SOPA. And they're trying to circumvent democracy to pass it!
President Obama wants to railroad TPP through Congress using a Nixon-era scheme called “Fast Track.” It transfers Congress’ constitutional trade authority to the president, allowing him to sign a deal before Congress votes and then speed it through with no amendments and limited debate.
But we can stop it.
House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi, has been quiet so far about Obama’s demand. But if she speaks out against Fast Track, we can derail it and stop the TPP. Click here to call Pelosi's office and tell her to tale a public stand against Fast Track.
Obama trade officials have been negotiating the TPP for more than three years. They wants to finalize the deal this year.
If Obama Fast Tracks the TPP into law, ISPs and governments would be empowered to censor web content, prosecute supposed copyright infringers without due process, share your private data with copyright holders, and even block your internet connection altogether for minor infractions.
We would see millions more U.S. jobs offshored, higher medicine prices, the gutting of Fair Use standards, and longer copyright terms worldwide. It would also empower international corporations to attack environmental and health lsed that undermine their bottom-lines.
We cannot allow corporations to destroy internet freedom and undermine the laws that safeguard us against their greed. Please make a quick call and ask Pelosi to speak out against Fast Track.
Corporate lobbyists want Fast Track to tie legislators’ hands on trade deals. They know that is the only way a deal as dangerous as TPP could get through Congress. But they can’t Fast Track the TPP unless Congress explicitly votes in advance to give up its constitutional authority over trade.
151 House Democrats have committed to vote “no” on Fast Track. But, to stop it – and derail TPP – we need all of the Democrats unified. That’s why Leader Pelosi speaking out now will make the big difference!
It will only take a couple of minutes – please click here for the number for Leader Pelosi’s office in the Capitol and our talking points - and make the call.
Thank you,
Demand Progress Team
For more information
Friday, November 22, 2013
Fight TPP aka SOPA
It's official: the Trans-Pacific Partnership is SOPA on steroids. Thanks to a leaked chapter of the secret international treaty, we now know that the TPP would grant unprecedented snooping and censorship powers to ISPs, copyright holders, and governments.
The TPP would impose SOPA-style censorship on internet users everywhere. Click here to tell your lawmakers to stop it.
The TPP -- a trade agreement between 12 of the world's most powerful nations -- would encourage ISPs to censor web content, prosecute supposed copyright infringers without due process, spy on your web activity, share your private data with copyright holders, and even block your internet connection altogether.
The intellectual property provisions in the TPP -- leaked by WikiLeaks last week -- amount to a wish-list for Hollywood and Big Pharma: criminalizing small-scale downloading, destroying Fair Use standards, and undermining access to medicine for million of people worldwide.
We still have time to stop this corporate coup d'etat -- tell your lawmakers stand against censorship and corporate protectionism.
Put simply, the TPP sacrifices our rights to serve the interests of giant companies. Lax food safety rules, unregulated fracking, overseas job shifts, rocketing drug prices, internet monopolies, slashes to public services to profit Wall Street robbers -- are just some of the projected effects of the TPP.
And if the President has his way, this thing will be "fast-tracked" through Congress -- which means lawmakers' won't get a chance to debate or modify the trade law.
Click here to tell your lawmakers to reject fast-track trade authority, and stop the TPP -- before it's too late.
Thank you,
Demand Progress Team
The TPP would impose SOPA-style censorship on internet users everywhere. Click here to tell your lawmakers to stop it.
The TPP -- a trade agreement between 12 of the world's most powerful nations -- would encourage ISPs to censor web content, prosecute supposed copyright infringers without due process, spy on your web activity, share your private data with copyright holders, and even block your internet connection altogether.
The intellectual property provisions in the TPP -- leaked by WikiLeaks last week -- amount to a wish-list for Hollywood and Big Pharma: criminalizing small-scale downloading, destroying Fair Use standards, and undermining access to medicine for million of people worldwide.
We still have time to stop this corporate coup d'etat -- tell your lawmakers stand against censorship and corporate protectionism.
Put simply, the TPP sacrifices our rights to serve the interests of giant companies. Lax food safety rules, unregulated fracking, overseas job shifts, rocketing drug prices, internet monopolies, slashes to public services to profit Wall Street robbers -- are just some of the projected effects of the TPP.
And if the President has his way, this thing will be "fast-tracked" through Congress -- which means lawmakers' won't get a chance to debate or modify the trade law.
Click here to tell your lawmakers to reject fast-track trade authority, and stop the TPP -- before it's too late.
Thank you,
Demand Progress Team
Thursday, November 14, 2013
SOPA is back
From Fight For The Future:
Yesterday, WikiLeaks published a previously secret chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The document confirms our worst fears: the TPP would force extreme SOPA-like censorship onto the world’s Internet users.
Tell your leaders to say NO to Internet censorship and oppose the TPP
Now we know why the U.S. government worked so hard to keep the TPP negotiations secret: the Obama administration claims to champion Internet freedom and openness, but they’ve been quietly pushing for draconian copyright provisions that benefit Hollywood and giant pharmaceutical companies at the expense of our basic rights and freedoms.
We told the world once that SOPA was a deal breaker. But, now monopolists have found a backdoor to pass it -- the TPP. They’re doing everything in their power to make sure it gets signed. Our time to fight this is short, but there is still hope. Experts say that the TPP negotiations could still fall apart if we keep the pressure on.
The first thing we all need to do is speak out against censorship before it’s too late.
The TPP doesn’t just affect the Internet. It’s bad for the economy, jobs, the environment, food, and even access to medicine. The worst part is that it’s being debated behind closed doors, with no input from human rights advocates or technical experts, but plenty of influence from Industry lobbyists and government bureaucrats.
World leaders are meeting NEXT WEEK to continue negotiations on the TPP. Now that we know what’s in it, it’s clear we have no choice but to stop it completely. And we don’t have much time.
Click here sign the petition to stop the TPP
We spent yesterday combing through the WikiLeaks release, and we hate to say it, but the TPP is even worse than we thought. Here’s a glance of what it contains, read the full documents for yourself here:
* Shutting off our Internet connection and blocking entire websites over claims to copyright infringement -- check.
* Encouraging our ISPs to spy on everything we do on the web and sharing our private data with copyright holders - check.
* Accusing people of copyright infringement without due process -- check.
* Making medicine and medical care harder to get -- check.
* Circumventing protections for workers and the environment -- check.
* Undermining democracy and national sovereignty -- check.
Yesterday, WikiLeaks published a previously secret chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The document confirms our worst fears: the TPP would force extreme SOPA-like censorship onto the world’s Internet users.
Tell your leaders to say NO to Internet censorship and oppose the TPP
Now we know why the U.S. government worked so hard to keep the TPP negotiations secret: the Obama administration claims to champion Internet freedom and openness, but they’ve been quietly pushing for draconian copyright provisions that benefit Hollywood and giant pharmaceutical companies at the expense of our basic rights and freedoms.
We told the world once that SOPA was a deal breaker. But, now monopolists have found a backdoor to pass it -- the TPP. They’re doing everything in their power to make sure it gets signed. Our time to fight this is short, but there is still hope. Experts say that the TPP negotiations could still fall apart if we keep the pressure on.
The first thing we all need to do is speak out against censorship before it’s too late.
The TPP doesn’t just affect the Internet. It’s bad for the economy, jobs, the environment, food, and even access to medicine. The worst part is that it’s being debated behind closed doors, with no input from human rights advocates or technical experts, but plenty of influence from Industry lobbyists and government bureaucrats.
World leaders are meeting NEXT WEEK to continue negotiations on the TPP. Now that we know what’s in it, it’s clear we have no choice but to stop it completely. And we don’t have much time.
Click here sign the petition to stop the TPP
We spent yesterday combing through the WikiLeaks release, and we hate to say it, but the TPP is even worse than we thought. Here’s a glance of what it contains, read the full documents for yourself here:
* Shutting off our Internet connection and blocking entire websites over claims to copyright infringement -- check.
* Encouraging our ISPs to spy on everything we do on the web and sharing our private data with copyright holders - check.
* Accusing people of copyright infringement without due process -- check.
* Making medicine and medical care harder to get -- check.
* Circumventing protections for workers and the environment -- check.
* Undermining democracy and national sovereignty -- check.
Friday, August 30, 2013
SOPA is back
From Fight For The Future:
SOPA is back. Well, one of the harshest and most ridiculous parts of it, anyway. The Obama Administration wants to make unauthorized streaming a felony -- with years of jail time.
If this passes, sharing a video of yourself singing karaoke could land you in prison. Singing “Happy Birthday” with your family and videotaping it would be a felony.
This latest push to crack down on everyday internet activity comes from the Commerce Department’s Internet Policy Task Force1. They want to make it so that any streaming or sharing of copyrighted content could be punishable by years in jail. Just imagine. If these recommendations become law, kids could be locked up for singing pop songs on Youtube.
Tell Obama: No SOPA-style censorship. Ever.
The prospect of teenagers going to jail for uploading their bands’ cover songs is terrifying, but the good news is that Congress is still pretty shaken up from the SOPA strike last year 2. We’ve got a good chance of stopping this toxic legislation before it gets anywhere, but we need to let everyone know, right now. So far the mainstream media hasn’t paid much attention to this, and there’s a danger that this censorship bill could fly under the radar and pass if we don’t act now.
Even better, forward this email to 10 people, or to any email lists that you’re on. We can’t waste any time in getting the word out. We fought tooth and nail last year to keep the internet free from SOPA-style censorship, we can’t let this bill sneak through and kill the open web.
People shouldn’t go to prison for sharing a video. Click here to fight censorship.
We’re counting on you,
-Tiffiniy, Holmes, and Evan
Fight for the Future
P.S. this latest attempt at SOPA-style legislation is a reminder that the fight for internet freedom will be long and hard. Can you chip in $10 today to keep us fighting for the long haul? Click here to donate.
SOURCES:
1) Washington Post, “SOPA died in 2012 but the Obama Administration wants to revive part of it.”
2) Techdirt, “Don’t get SOPA’d is the new mantra on Captiol Hill”
Sign petition here
SOPA is back. Well, one of the harshest and most ridiculous parts of it, anyway. The Obama Administration wants to make unauthorized streaming a felony -- with years of jail time.
If this passes, sharing a video of yourself singing karaoke could land you in prison. Singing “Happy Birthday” with your family and videotaping it would be a felony.
This latest push to crack down on everyday internet activity comes from the Commerce Department’s Internet Policy Task Force1. They want to make it so that any streaming or sharing of copyrighted content could be punishable by years in jail. Just imagine. If these recommendations become law, kids could be locked up for singing pop songs on Youtube.
Tell Obama: No SOPA-style censorship. Ever.
The prospect of teenagers going to jail for uploading their bands’ cover songs is terrifying, but the good news is that Congress is still pretty shaken up from the SOPA strike last year 2. We’ve got a good chance of stopping this toxic legislation before it gets anywhere, but we need to let everyone know, right now. So far the mainstream media hasn’t paid much attention to this, and there’s a danger that this censorship bill could fly under the radar and pass if we don’t act now.
Even better, forward this email to 10 people, or to any email lists that you’re on. We can’t waste any time in getting the word out. We fought tooth and nail last year to keep the internet free from SOPA-style censorship, we can’t let this bill sneak through and kill the open web.
People shouldn’t go to prison for sharing a video. Click here to fight censorship.
We’re counting on you,
-Tiffiniy, Holmes, and Evan
Fight for the Future
P.S. this latest attempt at SOPA-style legislation is a reminder that the fight for internet freedom will be long and hard. Can you chip in $10 today to keep us fighting for the long haul? Click here to donate.
SOURCES:
1) Washington Post, “SOPA died in 2012 but the Obama Administration wants to revive part of it.”
2) Techdirt, “Don’t get SOPA’d is the new mantra on Captiol Hill”
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Monday, February 11, 2013
Deliever the knockout blow that will knockout SOPA
After doing a little digging, you find out that Campaign for Liberty's web domain was seized by the government because a Federal Reserve official claimed content we had posted violated copyright - with no more than the accusation serving as cause and C4L receiving no chance to defend itself against the charge.
Hoping this is a temporary mistake - a fluke move by a bored bureaucrat that will soon be corrected - you head to another favorite site to get the latest on the freedom movement...
...only to have the same image assault your eyes.
And it doesn't stop there.
Time and again that morning you encounter the same notice - seeing it over and over as you try to access any alternative to the establishment echo chamber that claims to be "news."
In only the time it takes to stroke a few keys, the federal government has muzzled its opposition.
And they did it while you were sleeping.
Ray, this isn't an exaggeration or desperate fear mongering.
This is exactly what statists are working to make happen at this very minute.
But together, you and I can turn this Big Government-lover's dream into a nightmare for the political class.
We've done it before.
In just a moment, I'll show you how you can fight back.
But first let me provide a little background on the threat you and I are facing.
Last year, thanks to the quick action of C4L members and millions of other Americans, the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) was thrown out the window right when it seemed to be fast-tracked to pass.
Proposed under the cloak of "protecting copyright," SOPA would have allowed the federal government to shut down websites for minor copyright violations or even a private allegation of a violation.
Without due process, entire websites could have been shuttered for inadvertent violations, malicious attacks, or a made-up claim.
To illustrate SOPA's potentially devastating impact, CampaignForLiberty.org and many other websites, including Wikipedia, "went dark" for 24 hours.
Activists rose up with such a backlash that legislators couldn't trample each other fast enough in a mad scramble to backpedal from the bill.
Many believed SOPA gone for good.
As it turns out, it was just on the ropes.
Now you and I must deliver the knockout blow.
In recent weeks, stories have surfaced reporting that pro-SOPA forces are gearing up to resurrect the legislation with a vengeance.
Some in Hollywood even believe President Obama's reelection gives him a mandate to pass bills like SOPA, and you better believe attacks on our freedoms from highly connected lobbyists will be well-funded.
So today, I'm asking you to take 30 seconds to exercise your right to free speech on the Internet by signing our "Hands Off the Internet" fax form to your representative and senators.
Our "Hands Off the Internet" statement clearly puts politicians on notice that if they thought the first backlash over SOPA was intense, they haven't seen anything yet.
The establishment uses pro-SOPA rhetoric to distract from the real agenda - shoving government's foot further in the door to rein in the area where our movement is growing the fastest.
The Internet is a refuge for liberty-minded Americans looking to get educated about the issues, equipped with the knowledge to be effective activists, and connected with other concerned citizens.
The web fuels pro-liberty efforts all across the globe.
And the elites can't stand it.
There's still time to act before SOPA's supporters gain momentum, so please sign our "Hands Off the Internet" fax form to your representative and senators right away.
Don't let the hypothetical situation from the beginning of this email turn into your cold, hard reality one future morning.
Take action today.
In Liberty,
Matt Hawes
Vice President of Programs
P.S. After its crushing defeat in 2012, many believed SOPA gone for good.
But recent reports indicate it is just on the ropes - waiting for us to deliver the knockout blow.
Help preserve Americans' freedoms online and safeguard the liberty message by signing our "Hands Off the Internet" fax form to your representative and senators today.
Sign fax form here
If the idea of the government censoring the news and deciding what you can watch and what you can't appeals to you then you are in the wrong part of the web. On the other hand,if all those things sound repugnant to you then please fill out this fax form and let those we elect know we will not tolerate them stepping on our liberties. The civil liberties you save may be your own,sign that fax form today.
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