Dear users of the internet,
In January 2012 we defeated the SOPA and PIPA censorship legislation with the largest Internet protest in history. A year ago this month one of that movement's leaders, Aaron Swartz, tragically passed away.
Today we face a different threat, one that undermines the Internet, and the notion that any of us live in a genuinely free society: mass surveillance.
If Aaron were alive, he'd be on the front lines, fighting against a world in which governments observe, collect, and analyze our every digital action.
Now, on the the anniversary of Aaron's passing, and in celebration of the win against SOPA and PIPA that he helped make possible, we are planning a day of protest against mass surveillance, to take place this February 11th.
This is the opening message on The Day We Fight Back's website. While SOPA and PIPA, as I understand them, were intended to fight against piracy, their encompassing measures were too strong and does not foster an open online community (which the internet should be). I am putting this on my blog because I support this movement, in this little way I can, all the way here from Cebu City, Philippines. While I admit I committed acts of piracy, I am not accepting a nuke solution by limiting our internet access to fight against it.
This is also a clear example of the power of rallying people on the web. It's quite a powerful tool to start a revolution if you think about it thoroughly. No wonder some countries censor their internet. We don't want that, do we? Do you? Oh, you don't? So take part in this fight in as small a way as posting on your feed. It'll be something.
So, hello world. See you on the virtual rally grounds on February 11!