My evenings this week have been very busy with #stopkillingtheinternet we have about 12 organisations from EU, Canada, US, UK and India involved so far.

Defend the open Internet 🌐

Digital ID checks behind the social media ban and beyond blow a hole in free expression and privacy.

VPN restrictions and encryption-busting device scanning are due to follow.

As a UK grassroots organisation, we need you to help fight for our human rights.

Donate ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/build-our-grassroots-power-defend-open-internet

#StopKillingTheInternet #socialmediaban #vpn #encryption #e2ee #privacy #freeexpression #digitalrights #humanrights

Build our grassroots power to defend the open Internet

Fight back with grassroots power Open Rights Group was founded by members of the public who decided the UK needed an organisation that would fight for their digital rights. Ever since, this grassroots support has been fundamental to who we are and how we win. ORG doesn’t accept money from the government or big tech. We need your support to help us build a solid grassroots base that will resist these latest attacks and save the open Internet. Every donation will make a real difference. £25 could help produce campaign materials for a local action.

Open Rights Group

The UK government could announce restrictions on VPNs next month.

This would threaten our privacy and security.

VPNs keep young people safe from harassment. Businesses secure. Journalists, activists and whistleblowers protected.

Here's why we must #ProtectVPNs 🧵

Sign the petition if you agree ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-government-protect-vpn-use-uk

#vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

Tell the Government: Protect VPN use in the UK

Take action! Protect VPN use in the UK VPNs help people to stay private and safe online. Young people use them to avoid harassment, or protect location data. Companies use them to make sure remote log-in to their networks are secure. Journalists, campaigners and whistle blowers use them to protect their work and themselves. But the Government wants to force people to verify their age when they buy a VPN. This will deter people from using VPNs to stay safe and secure online. Why are the government proposing restrictions to accessing VPNs?

Open Rights Group

VPNs can help protect children's security online too. They aren’t just used to avoid content blocks.

Restrictions will deter people from using a core cybersecurity tool and create greater risks.

Privacy is online safety ✊️

Sign the petition to #ProtectVPNs in the UK ➡️ https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-government-protect-vpn-use-uk

#vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

The only way to create an ironclad age verification system in the UK is extreme digital authoritarianism.

Restrictions on VPNs are an attack on the open Internet and our ability to be secure online – the antithesis of online safety.

Read our briefing ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

Aside from restrictions, it's been suggested that sites should detect VPN use and bounce users into age verification.

This would be technically flawed, privacy-invasive and would exclude lawful Internet users because VPN traffic can look identical to ordinary encrypted web traffic.

Read our briefing ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

VPNs aren’t a meaningful threat to age verification measures.

⚫ 6-12 year olds are very unlikely to use them due to technological and economic barriers.

⚫ Older teens already know other workarounds.

Banning or restricting VPNs in the UK is overreach. The price is our privacy and security.

Read our briefing ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

Treating VPNs as a 'problem' is foolish.

They help parents manage online risks, support secure remote working, protect people in abusive situations, and provide a lifeline to people in repressive States.

UK MPs themselves use them!

Attacking VPNs throws the baby out with the bath water.

Read our briefing ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

An adult using a VPN doesn't impact the safety of a child online.

Adults use VPNs because they don’t trust age verification providers with their personal data.

Something the UK government has refused to deal with by regulating the industry to ensure high standards of data protection.

Read more ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/regulating-age-verification/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

Banning or blocking VPNs in the UK will shatter cybersecurity in a self-defeating attempt to make the unworkable workable.

Creating uncertainty around core Internet infrastructure could undermine the UK’s credibility as a stable place for digital businesses and security innovation.

Read our briefing ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/

#ProtectVPNs #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol