Hi,
For those of you that aren't aware, there are currently some really serious problems going on with digital rights in the UK. These are things that directly affect you, the use of your mobile phone, the use of your Internet connection and your ability to get insurance, loans and jobs in the future if this goes really badly.
Please read through the forwarded email below and consider joining Open Rights Group if you haven't done so already.
If you have any ideas for something we can do here in Aberdeen against these moves by the government, do speak up on the mailing list. I have just drafted a letter to the editor of the Press and Journal which I will be posting out shortly and I am attempting to arrange a meeting with Frank Doran MP to discuss these issues. If you'd like to come along to this meeting too, let me know.
Iain.
----- Forwarded message from Ruth Coustick-Deal -ORG ruth@openrightsgroup.org -----
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 10:31:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Ruth Coustick-Deal -ORG ruth@openrightsgroup.org To: irl@sdf.org Subject: The fight is on.
Dear Iain Learmonth,
We're facing some tough fights for digital freedom at ORG.
When the Data Retention “emergency” legislation was announced ORG staff worked together as fast as possible to stop the Government's attempt to push the ECJ's ruling and the right to privacy under the rug.
You help us fight this now by joining ORG: https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join/
With 9 years of expertise on Data Retention law we were ready and able to make a stand.
Our Campaigner and Supporter Officer emailed thousands of you to let you know what was happening and created the action to let you contact your MP. We wrote blog posts and tweets to spread the word around the world. Our Policy team drafted a briefing to MPs on the issue. Our Legal Director was able to speak about a Judicial Review of Data Retention to the press. Our Executive Director was on the BBC and Sky debating the need for this legislation.
Between us we made sure that #DRIP was not going to gently trickle through Parliament.
*That's what we do.*
The rushed through Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill is a deliberate attempt to ignore the courts, and violate human rights.
What makes it particularly galling is that all three parties have backed this in the face of public outrage over mass surveillance. But the fact is they are breaking the law. So if the Bill is passed, we'll be there taking the UK Government to court. We will fight Data Retention again and again until they get it right.
*Joining ORG means that we can challenge this politically and legally.* These campaigns are vital to defend human rights.
Please consider choosing this moment to join ORG and become part of our incredible community. https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join/
With your support we can do more successful work like this. Joining ORG for just £5/month supports our staff to represent you and ensures we have the resources to enable us to be a fierce force for change.
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join/
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes, Ruth
P.S. To read more about the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill and our past work on Data Retention we have a series of blog posts and briefings on the issue. https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/
_______________ Ruth Coustick-Deal Supporter Officer Open Rights Group
Follow ORG on: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/OpenRightsGroup Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/openrightsgroup Google+ - https://plus.google.com/116543318055985390327
ORG relies on supporter donations to run campaigns like this. Please join us to support ORG's work: https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join
----- End forwarded message -----