Virr starved a brainslug!Jul 25, 2023
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Do you have five minutes to help us tell Congress not to ruin encryption, privacy, and free speech? We’ve made it clear that these #BadInternetBills are terrible ideas, but Congress is now considering packaging them together—possibly into must-pass legislation. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/07/you-can-help-stop-these-bad-internet-bills
You Can Help Stop These Bad Internet Bills

Red alert! For the last six months, EFF, our supporters, and dozens of other groups have been sounding the alarm about several #BadInternetBills that have been put forward in Congress. We’ve made it clear that these bills are terrible ideas, but Congress is now considering packaging them together—possibly into must-pass legislation.

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Jul 25, 2023 at 5:25pmWeb
Show threadElectronic Frontier FoundationJul 25, 2023
The Kids Online Safety Act (#KOSA) would increase surveillance and restrict access to information under the guise of protecting children online. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-kosa-will-censor-the-internet-but-won-t-help-kids
Tell the House: KOSA Will Censor the Internet But Won't Help Kids

The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) would censor the internet and would make government officials the arbiters of what young people can see online. It will likely lead to age verification, handing more power, and private data, to third-party identity verification companies like Clear or ID.me. The government should not have the power to decide what topics are "safe" online for young people, and to force services to remove and block access to anything that might be considered unsafe for children. This isn’t safety—it’s censorship.

Show threadElectronic Frontier FoundationJul 25, 2023
The STOP CSAM Act would put security and free speech at risk by potentially making it a crime to offer encryption. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-don-t-outlaw-encrypted-applications
Tell Congress: Don't Outlaw Encrypted Applications

It shouldn

Show threadElectronic Frontier FoundationJul 25, 2023
The RESTRICT Act would set the stage for a restriction on the use of TikTok, but could also criminalize common practices like using a VPN or side-loading to install a prohibited app. https://act.eff.org/action/stop-the-restrict-act-and-pass-real-privacy-legislation
Stop the Restrict Act and Pass Real Privacy Legislation

Under the guise of curbing data collection by foreign governments, the RESTRICT Act (Senate Bill 686) would set the stage for a restriction on the use of TikTok, but not do nearly enough to truly protect our private information. Due to undefined mitigation measures coupled with a vague enforcement provision, the bill could also criminalize common practices like using a VPN or side-loading to install a prohibited app.

Show threadElectronic Frontier FoundationJul 25, 2023
The EARN IT Act would likely mandate scanning of messages and other files similar to the plan that Apple wisely walked away from last year. https://act.eff.org/action/the-earn-it-act-is-back-seeking-to-scan-us-all/
The “Earn It” Act is Back, Seeking To Scan Us All

We all have the right to have private conversations. They’re vital for free and informed self-government. When we want to have private conversations online, encryption makes it possible. Yet Congress is debating, for a third time, the EARN IT Act (S. 1207)—a bill that would threaten encryption, and instead seek to impose universal scanning of our messages, photos, and files. The EARN IT Act invites all 50 states to regulate internet services, hoping state legislatures will follow a set of “best practices” set by a federal commission stacked with law enforcement agencies. The bill’s supporters want to wipe true end-to-end encryption from the internet, and replace it with scanning software that puts us all in a permanent criminal lineup.

Show threadElectronic Frontier FoundationJul 25, 2023
The Cooper Davis Act would turn messaging services, social media companies, and even cloud providers into Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informants. https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-don-t-turn-messaging-services-into-dea-informants
Tell Congress: Don't Turn Messaging Services Into DEA Informants

The Cooper Davis Act would turn some of the most popular online platforms into Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informants. The content-scanning tools that would likely be used have large error rates, and would sweep up innocent conversations, including discussions about past drug use or treatment. This bill contains no warrant requirement, no required notice, and limited user protections, and deserves to be defeated on the Senate floor.

Show threadMorgan ⚧️Jul 25, 2023
@eff they really love to name fascist laws "the obvious good thing that this absolutely does not do act"
Show threadleah & kittens & tails, oh my!Jul 26, 2023

@raphaelmorgan @eff because it's a bit harder to manufacture consent for the Let's Kill Everyone Not Like Us Bill

(plus, that's an awful acronym. not snappy at all)

Show threadPax Ahimsa GethenJul 27, 2023

@eff

I contacted my reps through this form, but wasn't happy that the prefix fields didn't offer a gender-neutral title like "Mx". I was forced to choose something in order to submit so I reluctantly chose "Mr."

ETA: I understand the menu choices are likely auto-populating from each rep's website, as the options were different for each of my reps. Sen. Feinstein didn't have a prefix menu at all though. So maybe better to have a fill-in-the-blank option?

#KOSA

Show threadKris SamselJul 25, 2023
@eff but the rich want to read our emails so we don’t overthrow them!
Show threadKimen 🏳️‍⚧️Jul 25, 2023
@eff they’re pushing legislation that’s the internet equivalent of legalizing opening all your mail, or tapping your phone, and they’ve been doing it for years. fuck congress
Show threadhansceesJul 25, 2023
@eff @lisamelton Is there a general term for the recurring stupidity of politics? We have the "garbage can" theory in administration theory on why bad ideas keep coming back. But that doesn't explain why ultimately stupid dumbfuck ideas keep coming back.
It's a desinformation campaign by government actors recurring over and over again.
Show threadhansceesJul 25, 2023
@eff @lisamelton I am inconsistent I see. Garbage can theory explains why ideas that are not approved come back over and over again. They can both be quality ideas or dumb ideas.
Show threadFrancis 🏴‍☠️ GulottaJul 26, 2023
@eff done and done