'The day we fight back’: 6,000 websites protest surveillance, honor Aaron Swartz

More than 6,000 websites, including Reddit, Tumblr, Mozilla, are taking part in an online protest against government surveillance. The action marks two years since website blackouts against SOPA and PIPA and commemorates Aaron Swartz’s death.

The February 11 online protest, going by the title ‘The Day We Fight Back’, is supposed to see around 6, 200 websites each host a large banner at the top reading “Dear internet, we’re sick of complaining about the NSA. We want new laws that curtail online surveillance.”

'The day we fight back’: 6,000 websites protest surveillance, honor Aaron Swartz

Pretty lengthy article but still a good read and something I support. I hope this really takes off. It should with big wesbites like Reddit taking part.

There's no question the NSA needs to stop their surveillance programs and let people have their privacy.

Government paranoia knows no bounds.

The day of online protest is “in celebration of the win against SOPA and PIPA two years ago.” Back then thousands of websites, including Wikipedia, Reddit and Flickr, went ‘dark’ to protest the bills, which were supposedly written to protect copyrighted material and which many believed would cripple the freedom of the internet.

For those that do not know Aaron.

Aaron Swartz drew the FBI’s attention in 2008, when he downloaded and released about 2.7 million federal court documents from a restricted service. The government did not press charges because the documents were, in fact, public.

He was arrested in 2011, for downloading academic articles from a subscription-based research website at his university – with the intention of making them available to the public. Although, none of what he downloaded was classified, prosecutors wanted to put him in jail for 35 years.

-SAP-

reply to post by SloAnPainful


Im sure they are quaking in their boots. I hope someone creates a really clever sign, that will show them.

Land of the free home of the brave is the second greatest lie ever told.

I hope it has an impact. It shouldn't be just a one day thing though. Hopefully they will keep this up until enough people catch on and sign petitions against it.

As far as using academic papers to share with the public - that one is actually not cool. Access to those is paid for by subscribers. What he could have done - wrote a paper or book refernencing those resources.

Everything else - glad to see some action.

reply to post by SloAnPainful


Alot of the big players are involved with this is ATS.........? I think it is worthy cause. You know you are screwed when they no longer want to hide in the shadows and want tyranny to be legal just ask an elderly German.



The rise of the Nazi took years and they did not seize power they were voted in. The people were brainwashed with fear of the communist and Jewish threat. Sound familiar. It is the exact same story line. Heck they even had a single terrible event they used to take liberties away........Sound familiar.



And YES it was the same progressive mindset the leaders of that time had as the leaders of today have. They believed in the rights of the masses over the rights of the individual. That is what all of this is about when you break it down to is filthy core.

reply to post by SloAnPainful


Hopefuly this will mean lots of awareness and petition signing going on as a result of this!

S&F

Excellent thread topic!

reply to post by OpinionatedB


Well it should be a sign and message to the elite that this kind of thing shouldn't be happening. We have a RIGHT to privacy. Which the NSA has clearly broken...

-SAP-

***ATTENTION***

The T&C states the following:

i) You will not use your membership in the Websites for any type of recruitment to any causes whatsoever. You will not Post, use the chat feature, use videos, or use the private message system to disseminate advertisements, chain letters, petitions, pyramid schemes, or any kind of solicitation for political action, social action, letter campaigns, or related online and/or offline coordinated actions of any kind.

However, discussion of an on going popular event, or movement is not. Soliciting ATS members to participate in any way shape or form is.

I see no T&C violation.

Please carry on and do not reply to this post.

Please discuss the topic.

~Tenth
ATS Supermod

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Thanks Tenth. I didn't think it was a violation.

Back to topic.

I wonder why Facebook hasn't joined this? My guess Facebook is too valuable to the super monster that is the NSA. I'm sure they watch it like crazy. I have a Facebook, but don't have really anything on it.

Social media is prolly one of their best assets...

-SAP-

The 'day they fight back', they won't have time to post about it on ATS. I imagine we'd hear about it here a few days later.. but yeah this web site is so small compared to any of the major ones it would take a good days at least, copying and posting from Twitter for anyone on ATS to even realise.

This is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

Wake me up when the fighting starts.

NthOther
This is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

How so? Anti SOPA campaigns were beneficial.

This may lead at least to more awareness, from those not studying up on it.
It's long over due, should be observed more frequently really.

Did any of those big sites actually do this? I checked them and they all look normal to me. Perhaps it ended at midnight EST and it's over. Anyone else actually check those sites?

Bless Aaron.

reply to post by SloAnPainful


I don't believe Google has joined either. This is telling I think, the ones who are not taking part in this.

OpinionatedB
reply to post by SloAnPainful

 

I don't believe Google has joined either. This is telling I think, the ones who are not taking part in this.

It seems to me like surveillance is part of Google's business model, with the justification that they want to know everything about you to deliver more targeted advertising customized to you. So it would be ironic for them to protest what they themselves do. Even Mozilla is a bit compromised since Google is the default search engine in Mozilla Firefox after installation, though you can change it.