Target: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan
Goal: Applaud passage of legislation protecting personal information and private data.
The U.S. House scored a major victory for privacy and security as it unanimously approved legislation that requires authorities to obtain a court warrant before accessing personal e-mails and private data stored in the cloud. The move comes in light of intense public pressure, as seen in petitions such as this one on ForceChange, from American citizens wishing to keep their personal information secret.
The overwhelming success of the bill (the vote was 419-0 in favor of passing) demonstrates how dramatically the nation’s attitude has shifted in regards to surveillance. Older arguments such as “if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t be worried” are being phased out as more and more Americans come to appreciate how valuable their privacy is in the digital age. The American people have a right to privacy, and this bill is the first step in ensuring that they can keep it. Sign the petition below to thank the politicians responsible for this encouraging bill.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Ryan,
I am writing to congratulate you, as well as the other members of the House, on your recent passing of H.R. 699, which requires authorities to obtain a court warrant before accessing personal e-mails and private data stored in the cloud. This bill, which passed unanimously, represents a major step toward ensuring the privacy of America’s citizens.
Though electronic surveillance can be extremely useful in preventing crimes, government agencies and private corporations should not have free reign when it comes to accessing personal information and private data. The American people have a right to privacy, and this bill is the first step in ensuring that they can keep it. Thank you for your hard work in getting this bill passed.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Lawrence Jackson
357 Signatures