On Wednesday, 60 organizations involved in cryptocurrency, free and open source software, and privacy preservation and human rights projects launched a new campaign calling on the 118th US Congress to protect privacy. The groups, including Fight for the Future, Electric Coin Co. and the Tor Project, insist that Congress must create policies dedicated to defending privacy.
Campaign Urges Lawmakers to Take a Bold Stand on Pro-Privacy Policy
a new Campaign, launched by 60 organizations, carries the slogan “Tell Congress to protect privacy.” The groups are calling on the legislature of the United States federal government to uphold privacy both online and offline. Supporting entities include Fight for the Future, Blockchain Association, Proton, Tor Project, Mobilecoin, Protocol Labs, Filecoin Foundation, Electric Coin Co., Defi Education Fund, and Tutanota. The campaign follows Fight for the Future’s open letter to Congress, in which they stated that privacy is a fundamental human right.
“Protecting the privacy of ordinary people is key to guaranteeing security, self-determination, press freedom and other rights that make up the core of democracy,” the letter details. “We applaud the recent interest in strong federal data privacy legislation to reinforce such rights. The technologies and software tools we build to preserve user privacy by design are equally essential. Such tools help users protect themselves against a wide range of harm, including discrimination, bullying, and abuse by authoritarian regimes.”
the bell website allows people to communicate with Congress and express their support for privacy and privacy-enhancing technologies. “Contact Congress now to demand that they uphold our right to privacy,” the website says. The site also displays a full list of organizations involved in the campaign. “The mission of the Tor Project is to advance human rights through the creation and deployment of free and open source privacy and anonymity technologies,” said Isabela Fernandes, executive director of the Tor Project, in a statement. “We are co-signing on this effort because we believe that everyone, especially elected representatives, should stand up for privacy.”
Paul Brigner, head of US policy and strategic advocacy at Electric Coin Co., said: “Electric Coin Co. has fully joined this global call for incoming US lawmakers to stand up for privacy.” Electric Coin Co. is the company and developers behind the privacy-focused crypto project Zcash. “We urge lawmakers to take a strong stance in favor of pro-privacy policies, including end-to-end encryption, and reject any attempt to hinder the use or development of privacy-preserving tools. Only by defending the privacy of all individuals can we hope to build a truly democratic and free society.”
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