Also there are protests in SF, NYC, Boston, Chicago today: http://saveaccess.org/ I'm planning to stop by the SF one by the SBC stadium at noon. -Declan -------- Original Message -------- Subject: ACLU Launches "Don't Spy on Me" Campaign Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:15:25 -0400 From: Barry Steinhardt <BSTEINHARDT@aclu.org> To: <declan@well.com> Declan, Politechers may be interested to know that the ACLU is launching a nationwide consumer campaign today to respond to the recent revelations about the telecoms and NSA spying. We are: A) asking the FCC to fulfill its regulatory obligation and investigate (Chairman Martin's lame argument that they cannot do so notwithstanding) B) ACLU offices around the country are filing demands with Public Utility Commissions, which often have considerable power to enforce state privacy laws, asking for investigations and cease-and-desist actions. C) Inviting citizens to add their names to these actions, and making it easy to do so via www.aclu.org/dontspy Our appeal is below. Thanks, Barry ------ Barry Steinhardt Director, Technology and Liberty Project, ACLU Dear Friend, It's illegal and un-American for your phone company to hand over your phone records to the government without a legal order. But it looks like that's just what they're doing: violating the privacy and rights of millions of innocent Americans in the process. The phone companies have no right to forfeit your privacy. And just last night we learned that the FCC has refused to investigate these illegal actions, using the same "state secrets" excuse used by the very phone companies it's supposed to hold accountable. Today, the ACLU is launching a nationwide consumer campaign demanding that regulators do their jobs and protect our privacy. We need your help. <Act now to stop phone companies from abusing your privacy.> <www.aclu.org/dontspy> It's outrageous that the agency created to guard the people's interest is burying its head in the sand during what may be the most massive abuse of customer privacy in American history. We can't stand idly by while corporations, federal regulators and even our elected leaders fail to champion our rights or uphold our basic system of checks and balances. The power to right these wrongs ultimately resides in the hands of the American people. The ACLU is filing formal documents with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) insisting that they fulfill their regulatory obligation and investigate this breach of consumer trust. At the same time, ACLU offices across the country are filing similar demands with regulatory authorities in dozens of states. Regulators need to hear that the public demands action. The longer the list of names, the more powerful our message. Federal and state officials must use their authority to investigate and fine the phone companies, and your voice will make a difference. Act now to stop phone companies from abusing your privacy. We must not allow the government and the phone companies to collude in this massive illegal attack on our privacy and our trust. And we certainly can't wait for Congress to act, or for the phone companies to reverse course. Join us in telling the FCC that we won't take no for an answer -- they must investigate. And don't let the states follow the FCC's wrong-headed example. We are simultaneously filing 20 actions across the nation TODAY. Please add your name and your voice. All you have to do is use our online form. We'll add your name to our demand for FCC action and to local filings in applicable states. After you sign on, you can also send an email directly to each of the four FCC commissioners letting them know Americans want answers and action. Act now to stop phone companies from abusing your privacy. As always, thank you for standing with us. Every voice in this fight is going to matter, so please take action today. Sincerely, Anthony D. Romero Executive Director ACLU _______________________________________________ Politech mailing list Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/) ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org ______________________________________________________________ ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820 http://www.ativel.com 8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A 7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/pgp-signature which had a name of signature.asc]