A heartfelt thanks from your OpenMedia team

OpenMedia International launched just under two years ago, and we could never have made it this far without your crucial support. You’ve been part of this from the ground-up, and helped us grow the global movement for the open Internet. And we’re just getting started. Global problems require global solutions. When people from around the world and across the political spectrum collaborate and take action, our voices amplify into a force that no decision-maker can ignore – and we can directly change policies. So take a look below, let it all sink in, and don’t be afraid to give yourself a pat on the back. You earned it.

We want to take a moment and recognize all the progress we’ve made together over the past year.

We’ve signed petitions, wrote letters to our local newspapers, spread the word to family and friends, and sent stern warnings to world leaders who want to censor our Internet. We’d like to thank all of you – especially those of you who chose to make a monthly commitment to Internet freedom by becoming an ally.

OpenMedia International launched just under two years ago, and we could never have made it this far without your crucial support. You’ve been part of this from the ground-up, and helped us grow the global movement for the open Internet. And we’re just getting started.

Global problems require global solutions. When people from around the world and across the political spectrum collaborate and take action, our voices amplify into a force that no decision-maker can ignore – and we can directly change policies.

So take a look below, let it all sink in, and don’t be afraid to give yourself a pat on the back. You earned it.

Read on below. 

The Three Pillars of Internet Freedom

To track our progress we have broken down our work into three key pillars of Internet freedom: Free Expression, Access, and Privacy.

Pillar 1 - FREE EXPRESSION: Fighting the TPP’s Internet Censorship Plan

OurFairDeal.org: In May, we launched OurFairDeal.org, the world’s largest multi-nation coalition promoting a positive vision of balanced rules for sharing and collaborating online. Later, we sent Chief U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman a strong message that the Internet is watching, as well as a hard-hitting newspaper ad crowdfunded by our supporters.

Say No to Internet Censorship: Later, we launched the largest global campaign asking Internet users everywhere to Say No to Internet Censorship, and oppose the TPP’s extreme censorship plan. And, it worked! Over 137,000 people in 141 countries have signed on since its launch and the TPP has been stalled - for now.

Raising Our Voices for Fair Rules: In order to chart a positive path forward, we knew we needed to expose the lack of legitimacy of the secretive TPP process by modeling a citizen-led visioning process for rules that serve creativity and innovation. In July, we got the ball rolling with our Internet Voice tool, which aimed to crowdsource broad ideas for a fair digital future.

Based on these early findings, we launched our online drag-and-drop crowdsourcing tool to determine your priorities for sharing and collaborating online. Since the launch of both tools, we’ve seen nearly 20,000 people offer thoughts on what a positive vision for sharing online looks like.

Stop Fast Track: The next chapter in our history of collaborative international partnerships began in January. Working with our friends at Fight For The Future and nearly 100 other groups, we helped over 600,000 Americans tell Congress to stop legislation that would have rammed through the TPP’s Internet censorship plan without debate – stopping the bill dead in its tracks.

• Infographic: Check out this infographic showing our progress at blocking the TPP’s Internet Censorship Plan
• Take Action: Say No to Internet Censorship!
• Learn More: Life Under the TPP Infographic
• Press Coverage: CNet | Let’s talk about it (Radio)

We might be a small group going up against some really large, well funded opponents, but we know a few things about taking on big giants. Our monthly allies have played a critical role in helping us to achieve these important victories; please, considering signing up today.

Pillar 2 - PRIVACY: Who’s Watching You?

The Day We Fought Back Together: On February 11th, your OpenMedia team took the next step in our work with the StopWatchingUs coalition. We played a key role rallying hundreds of thousands of people around the world to speak out against government surveillance both in the U.S. and internationally for ‘The Day We Fight Back’.

In the U.S., we collaborated with over 4,000 organizations from across the political spectrum for ‘The Day We Fight Back’ against reckless and secretive NSA spying. Hundreds of thousands of Americans let their Members of Congress know where they stood on this wholesale surveillance.

Around the world, we joined forces with a new global effort called Necessary and Proportionate to ensure that privacy online is recognized as a human right. The organization draws on 13 principles for a surveillance-free Internet, inspired by a recent report from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion. The initiative has been supported by thousands of organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world.

• Take Action: In the U.S., Tell Your Member of Congress Where You Stand | Internationally, sign the Protect Internet Freedom petition and sign on to the Necessary & Proportionate campaign
• Learn More:OpenMedia calls upon decision-makers to protect privacy against unchecked Internet surveillance | Watch Our Own Steve Anderson Talk About U.S. and Canadian Spying on G20 Leaders

We all have a choice. We can either stand up to protect and expand our digital rights, or accept what secret spies have in store for us. We can’t let them win. Stand with us as a monthly contributor ally today.

Pillar 3 - ACCESS: Fighting for Free Speech Online

The Open Internet is Up Against The Ropes: In January, three Washington D.C. judges made a game-changing legal decision, that for the first time allows giant telecom conglomerates to block or slow to a crawl any online content they want. We know that this decision could have a ripple effect impacting Internet users around the world so we’re not backing down.

In response, we partnered with our friends over at FreePress to sound the alarm, and let decision makers at the FCC know that this cannot stand. Like elsewhere, U.S. telecom giants have spent years lobbying for rules that allow them to control the Internet while squeezing every possible cent out of Internet users. We’re working hard to make sure the voices of everyday Internet users are heard.

• Take Action:Sign the Declaration of Internet Freedom!
• Learn More: The Cost of Losing Net Neutrality | The Internet You Know is About to Look a Whole Lot Different… And You Might Not Like What You See

We’re In This Together

The rules we fight for to govern the Internet will have a major impact on the type of society we live in for generations to come. Right from the very beginning, the Internet has always promised to level the playing field – to improve access to knowledge, create economic opportunity, and challenge the media monopolies of the 20th century.

But these promises were never guarantees. This is why the fight for Internet freedom is central to the fight for an open society that allows each of us to reach our fullest potential. And, every single day, you remind us that these are promises worth fighting for.

Thank you for being a part of this and inspiring us to keep at it,

Steve, Reilly, Josh, Jes, David, and Ron on behalf of your OpenMedia team

P.S. If you believe in our work one of the most powerful things you can do to help us defend the Internet is to sign up to become a monthly ally. Monthly donations power our campaigns by giving us the long term stability we need to achieve lasting results. If you can, sign up to make a monthly gift today.