Pro-Privacy Canadians Launch Viral Video To Say They Don’t Want To Pay For Online Spying Bill

“It’s amazing that despite unprecedented public outcry, Toews is pushing forward with the government’s costly and invasive online spying plan. Canadians will not be satisfied until the Minister commits to removing warrantless access to private information or to pulling the legislation altogether,” says OpenMedia.ca Executive Director, Steve Anderson.

Over 135,000 people have signed OpenMedia’s StopSpying.ca petition and tens of thousands have joined the conversation through the Twitter hashtag #TellVicEverything.

Micheal Vonn, Policy Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association says: “Canadians know that the fight is on for a free Internet and citizens have drawn a line in the sand at the proposal to turn our everyday systems of communication into a giant surveillance dragnet.”

OpenMedia.ca invites Canadians to share the video at: http://openmedia.ca/stand

Media outlets and citizens are free to download and use the video as they wish. The video can be downloaded at: http://openmedia.ca/sites/openmedia.ca/files/SOS-Stand_PSA.mp4

About OpenMedia.ca

OpenMedia.ca is a grassroots organization that safeguards the possibilities of the open and affordable Internet. The group works towards informed and participatory digital policy.

About the StopSpying.ca Campaign

The StopSpying.ca campaign is supported by a group of public interest organizations, civil liberties groups, businesses, and concerned academics that have come together to encourage the government to reconsider "Lawful Access" legislation. The group points out that this type of legislation enables warrantless surveillance that is invasive, excessive and costly. Over 135,000 Canadians have signed the StopSpying.ca petition at http://StopSpying.ca

Contact

Lindsey Pinto
Communications Manager, OpenMedia.ca
778-238-7710
[email protected]

More Information

The StopSpying.ca Campaign
http://StopSpying.ca
http://openmedia.ca/screening

OpenMedia.ca infographic showing how authorites will be able to use subscriber information without a warrant
https://openmedia.ca/sites/openmedia.ca/files/SOS_CNAInfographic_120420.jpg

Internet surveillance bill not dead, Toews says
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/16/pol-toews-c-30-internet...

Law professor Michael Geist recently reported that “the Public Safety Report on Plans and Priorities for the coming year include a commitment to advance lawful access legislation and an allocation of $2.1 million specifically earmarked for the issue.”

When Vic Toews tabled the C-30 earlier this year it led to a massive public outcry:
http://openmedia.ca/blog/stop-online-spying-hits-100k-canadians-are-insp...

OpenMedia.ca summary of expert Christopher Parsons: $80 Million dollars for Lawful Access Bill C-30 is a tall guesstimate. Find the original article here.

Survey indicates vast majority of Canadians oppose warrantless online spying
http://www.openmedia.ca/blog/survey-indicates-vast-majority-canadians-op...

Lawful Access Legislation: Police Misusing Funds Lobbying For Spying Powers
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/18/lawful-access-legislation-police...

Joint letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper from academics and public interest organizations
http://openmedia.ca/letter-prime-minister-stephen-harper-response-lawful...

Letter to Public Safety Canada from Canada's Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons on the current 'Lawful Access' proposals
http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm

OpenMedia.ca Blog: Battle of the online spying op-eds: Ontario Privacy Commish fires back after MP Toews' weak defense
http://openmedia.ca/blog/battle-online-spying-op-eds-ontario-privacy-com...

NDP MPs Angus & Sandhu write to Toews: Online spying bills are "disturbing"
http://openmedia.ca/blog/ndp-mps-angus-sandhu-write-toews-online-spying-...

Full text of the online spying bill
http://parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&D...

More links: http://openmedia.ca/stopspying/resources#links