[Politech] ACLU launches "Don't Spy on Me" campaign; protests [priv]

Declan McCullagh declan at well.com
Wed May 24 10:24:46 PDT 2006


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 at aclu.org>
To: <declan at 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
_______________________________________________
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Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)

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