CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, is back from the dead, and lawmakers in Washington are debating it right now.
CISPA would allow private companies and the government to share our data with no accountability or liability. Last year, 50,000 members of the Access community¹ called on companies to drop their support of CISPA v1. After pressure last year from groups like Access, EFF, Demand Progress, and the ACLU, major internet companies like Facebook² and Microsoft have declined to support CISPA 2.0, citing major privacy concerns.
We're starting to see companies back away from the bill, so now's the time to act -- if the major telcos withdraw, the controversial bill will loose the momentum it needs to pass through Congress.
That's why we're targeting telecom giants AT&T and Verizon. Click here to demand they drop support for CISPA!
https://www.accessnow.org/notocispa
If CISPA passes, every time you make a phonecall, your privacy will be at risk. Just think: AT&T and Verizon have access to nearly everyone’s data in the US. Imagine, then, if they could turn that over to authorities without any warrants or oversight.
With 70% of the US market, AT&T and Verizon have outsized influence on whether this bill goes through. We helped bring down CISPA last year by eroding company support for this bill--and we can do it again.
Access and other organizations are coming together for a week of action. Join the movement against CISPA by clicking here:
https://www.accessnow.org/notocispa
Why is CISPA so bad?
- You have no control over how your data is shared;
- You have no control over what purpose your data is shared for;
- There’s no government or corporate accountability for how your data is used; and
- Companies are immune from their contractual obligation and can break your contract without any recourse.
Fresh off of being voted the two worst carriers in our Telco Hall of Shame³, AT&T and Verizon should know that they can’t support bills like CISPA without customers speaking out. We are the users of their services, and have a right to know how our data is used.
And while guarding against cyber threats is important, CISPA is clearly not the way to go. That’s why even cybersecurity experts and the Secretary of Homeland Security4 are questioning its efficacy.
As the people who use their services every day, we have an immense amount of power if we speak out. It worked with Facebook and Microsoft. Let's make AT&T and Verizon the next companies to back away from CISPA.
Click the link below to sign the petition and we’ll deliver it to AT&T and Verizon. Together, we can say no to CISPA, and get telcos to stand up for the rights of their users:
https://www.accessnow.org/notocispa
For an open internet,
Mike Rispoli
Access Campaign Team
1 Tell Tech Companies: Protect our Privacy
2 Facebook unfriends CISPA cybersecurity bill over 'privacy'
3 The Telco Hall of Shame
4 Senators vow action on cybersecurity, but divisions remain
Access defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. By combining tech-driven policy, user engagement, and direct technical support, we fight for open and secure communications for all. To help protect the internet around the world, you can donate to Access.
