Truthout is an indispensable resource for activists, movement leaders and workers everywhere. Please make this work possible with a quick donation.
Internet freedom means different things to different people. But for most of us it boils down to this: the freedom to read, do and say what we want online — and in private.
This Thursday, that freedom could come under attack. The Senate Judiciary Committee wants to update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) — a bill passed in 1986, before most of us had even heard of the Internet — to bring it into the 21st century.
A good update to ECPA is in the works. It would ensure that our online activity is given the same privacy protections as snail mail and wired phone calls.
But a bad update is in the works, too. Sen. Chuck Grassley is pushing an amendment that would allow government agencies to snoop — without a warrant — on our email, our texts and any documents we have stored in the “cloud.”
The Judiciary Committee is voting this week on how to move forward with this important bill — either by strengthening privacy protections or getting rid of them. The Free Press Action Fund has joined a coalition of groups at VanishingRights.com to make sure the Senate moves to protect our right to online privacy.
Each day we communicate more and more online — where there’s little protection against government snooping. We can fix this. Take action now to protect our online privacy and stand up for our Internet freedom.
25 Years of Truthout: An important fundraising appeal
This September, Truthout is celebrating 25 years of publication. For over two decades, we have been a trusted source for fiercely independent journalism thanks to readers like you.
Looking to the next 25 years, we launched a special fundraising campaign. We still need to raise $16,000.
We are asking for your support at this juncture because we face greater threats than ever before in our organizational history. Trump and his MAGA allies are determined to control the information ecosystem, and movement-based organizations are subject to dangerous censorship and scrutiny.
If you can support Truthout with a one-time or monthly donation, you will make a significant impact on our work and our legacy. Anything you can do makes a difference!