[rohrpost] US Congress debating power to censor the world's internet

[Antye Greie]

off topic ? maybe not
please distribute!

> Dear friends,
> 
> Right now, the US Congress is debating a law that would give them the power to
> censor the world's internet -- creating a blacklist that could target YouTube,
> WikiLeaks and even groups like Avaaz! 
> 
> Under the new law, the US could force internet providers to block any website
> on suspicion of violating copyright or trademark legislation, or even failing to
> sufficiently police their users' activities. And, because so much of the
> internet's hosts and hardware are located in the US, their blacklist would clamp
> down on the free web for all of us. 
> 
> The vote could happen any day now, but we can help stop this -- champions in
> Congress want to preserve free speech and tell us that an international outcry
> would strengthen their hand. Let’s urgently raise our voices from every corner
> of the world and build an unprecedented global petition calling on US decision
> makers to reject the bill and stop internet censorship. Click below to sign and
> then forward as widely as possible - our message will be delivered directly to
> key members of the US Congress ahead of the crucial vote: 
> 
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?cl=1393071729&v=11162
> 
> For years, the US government has condemned countries like China and Iran for
> their clampdown on Internet use. But now, the impact of America's new censorship
> laws could be far worse - effectively blocking sites to every Internet user
> across the globe. 
> 
> Last year, a similar Internet censorship bill was killed before reaching the US
> Senate floor, but it's now back in a different form. Copyright laws already
> exist and are enforced by courts. But this new law goes much further -- granting
> the government and big corporations enormous powers to force service providers
> and search engines to block websites based just on allegations of violations -
> without a trial or being found guilty of any crime! 
> 
> US free speech advocates have already raised the alarm, and some key Senators
> are trying to gather enough support to stop this dangerous bill. We have no time
> to lose. Let's stand with them to ensure American lawmakers preserve the right
> to a free and open Internet as an essential way for people around the world to
> exchange ideas, share communication and work collectively to build the world we
> want. Sign below to stop US censorship, and save the internet as we know it: 
> 
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?cl=1393071729&v=11162 
> 
> In the past months, from the Arab Spring to the global Occupy Movement, we've
> seen first hand how the Internet can galvanize, unify and change the world. Now,
> if we stand together, we can stop this new attack on Internet freedom. We've
> done it before -- in Brazil and Italy, Avaaz members have won major victories in
> the fight for a free Internet. Let's take the fight global, and mobilize to
> defeat the most powerful censorship threat that the Internet has ever seen. 
> 
> With hope, 
> 
> Luis, Dalia, Diego, Emma, Ricken, Aaron, Antonia, Benjamin and the rest of the
> Avaaz team 
>