Net neutrality. Telecom immunity. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act. If you don’t know what these words mean, it’s time for some schooling: These are some of the issues that are currently being fought by public interests groups who have focused on technology.
These public interest groups are in a constant battle to fight against laws that restrict our freedom or threaten our privacy, or to alter aged laws and policies that don’t keep current with rapidly evolving technology. Their victories—and there are many—have improved the lives of everyone who’s ever owned a tech toy.
Meet four important public interest groups who are dedicated to fighting for our digital rights: Public Knowledge; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; TechFreedom; and the Center for Democracy and Technology. While some of them are focused on slightly different aspects of technology and law, each of them is actively engaged in changing laws to protect us (for example, all were involved in the battle against SOPA).
Oh, and for your edification:
“Net neutrality” concerns keeping the Internet “neutral,” that is, no special services for high-paying customers—and no slowdown of services for those who cannot pay. For more information, click here.
“Telecom immunity” is about the immunity from prosecution that President Bush gave to AT&T for providing their customers’ communications to the National Security Agency without a warrant. For more information, click here.
“The Electronic Communications Privacy Act” is a federal statute that protects electronic communication…but it was written in 1986 and has not kept up with the times. For more information, click here.