Wanted: an Internet defence squad
Wednesday, 8 February, 2012 6:47
Alex Wilks - Avaaz.org" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Dear Friends
Governments are launching an all-out assault on the Internet, with new laws being quietly introduced across the world.
With 12.6 million people in every nation, Avaaz is the only movement that can meet this threat everywhere. If 20,000 of us donate now, we can support a rapid reaction network of campaigners to mobilize massive public opposition anytime and everywhere the net is threatened:
It's a showdown across the world. Almost everywhere, governments are launching an all-out assault on the freedom and promise of the Internet. But people are responding like lightning, and we can win.
An unholy alliance of freedom-curbing governments and profit-hungry corporations is bringing a flood of new legislation to censor and control everything we do and see online. New laws are being quietly tabled right now from Canada to Brazil to India. A whopping 3 million of us helped face down the threat from the US government 3 weeks ago, and almost 2 million of us have opposed the global ACTA treaty, but to really save our Internet, we need to go to the next level.
12.6 million of us are receiving this email, and we are the only global, rapid response, mass-citizen based movement that can meet the threat to the net instantly and massively wherever it rears its ugly head. If enough of us chip in, we can maintain a powerful watch system with rapid response campaigning, while also proactively pressing a few countries to become safe zones for the free Internet. The threat is immediate, but if 20,000 of us donate a small amount each right now, we can help save the net for good. It's our Internet, let's fight for it:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/an_internet_defence_squad_c/?vl
The Internet is proving to be the most empowering democratic tool since, well, democracy. It's helping us to take democracy to a new level of engagement and accountability and active citizenship, and it's having a powerful effect on our economies as well -- allowing small businesses to break the strangleholds of larger ones. And that's exactly why so many vested interests are seeking to curtail it. With members in every country on earth, our community has a unique potential to win this fight -- donations will support:
•a powerful network of campaigners that can watch for threats and respond quickly
•rapid, well-resourced campaigns that use the full range of media and advocacy tactics to safeguard the net
•proactive efforts to persuade key countries to offer protection to companies and sites, and eventually pass legislation that establishes safe zones for the free Internet
A threat anywhere can be a threat everywhere, because the whole idea of the net is that it is an open, borderless public domain. These national laws will carve up the net and erect chinese-style firewalls and censorship systems around national borders -- but they will also threaten all of us because any website with staff or assets in the country concerned will be forced to comply, affecting the entire global net.
These laws are being drafted in backrooms and quietly tabled in legislatures right now. The US law that 3 million of us fought was suddenly tabled on a Friday with a vote on a Tuesday. We can't afford to be slow if we want to win this. So we need to maintain a global network of campaigners that are watching and ready at a moment's notice to counter this threat. Click below to make it happen:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/an_internet_defence_squad_c/?vl
In the past few months we've helped beat back threats to Internet freedom in Italy, India, Brazil, India and the US. We’ve also provided the technology that’s enabled unbelievably brave Syrians to punch a hole in their communications blackout and show the world the atrocities their government is committing. The hope and enthusiasm of citizens rising to these challenges is beautiful to watch, and be part of. The momentum is with us, let's keep it up.
With hope and determination,
Alex, Ricken, Dalia, Benj, Emma, Diego and the whole Avaaz team
SOURCES
Can Avaaz change the world in a click? (The Times):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48808533/The-Times-profile-of-Avaaz-and-Ricken-Patel-Feb-9-2011
From the web to the streets (The Guardian):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60655424/From-the-Web-to-the-Streets-The-Guardian-s-Patrick-Kingsley-on-the-power-of-clicktivism
Success stories from the Avaaz movement worldwide:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/highlights--media-and-internet.php
A town crier in the global village (The Economist):
http://www.economist.com/node/16943875?story_id=16943875
