Stop Online Spying heroes

The pro-Internet community has won some key battles in pushing for a more open, affordable, and surveillance-free Internet because of thousands of unsung hereos like Connie Fournier and Quincy Lam. Just 100 days after the Conservative Government took office and announced that it would pass an invasive, warrantless, and costly online spying legislation, aka "Lawful Access," Connie and Quincy decided to fight back the best way they knew how—they started coding. The result was the development of a cutting-edge engagement tool: an online letter-to-the-editor tool that allows supporters from the pro-Internet community to easily write and submit letters to their local newspaper editors.

Help us fight Bill C-30 by using this volunteer developed Stop Online Spying letter writing tool: www.openmedia.ca/letter

We know from experience that educating Canadians about the dangers of online spying is the most effective way to raise awareness and force decision makers to listen to the will of their consistuents.

In the last two weeks alone, over 650 individual Stop Online Spying letters have been sent to newspaper editors across Canada! The pick-up has been significant—with letters appearing in small community papers, i.e. The South Delta Leader (B.C.), Caledon Citizen (ON), The Duncan Citizen (BC), Thunder Bay Daily (ON), as well as Canada's largest daily newspaper, the Toronto Star. All told over 65 individual letters have been published in newspapers in the past two weeks alone.

These letter-writing efforts are being widely recognized as a great force in the mounting opposition to the online spying plan, Bill C-30: ‎ "By the end of the week, several of the country's editorial pages that are normally pretty sympathetic to the Conservatives' agenda had swung against them on this issue." Either Stand With Us or With Those Internet Geeks, by Rob Cuttingham

From the comfort of coffee shops, libraries, offices, and bedrooms, Internet aficionados have come together to create awareness and engage their elected officials. Connie Fournier and Quincy Lam are two of Canada's unsung open-Internet heroes who have gone above and beyond in strengthening our capacity to move Canadian politics.

OpenMedia.ca has and will continue to play a supporting role to this growing, dynamic, and and engaged community.

We're winning important battles because of your support.

Help take the next step by sending your local newspaper a message: www.openmedia.ca/letter

Thank you for everything you do,

Glyn, Digital Action Coordinator