This post is from OpenMedia and does not represent the Fair Deal Coalition.
On behalf of OpenMedia and our growing international community of supporters, I have been given a fantastic opportunity to deliver the voices of everyday Internet users to people in power. As you read this, I am sitting on a plane en route to Washington, D.C., where I will meet with some of the most important decision-makers in the world on digital rights issues, including negotiators from several participating Trans-Pacific Partnership countries.
At OpenMedia, we talk a lot about ādelivering voicesā of citizens to decision-makers. And thatās because itās integral to the way that we are able to help people be heard and make change in our society. Whether the issue is Big Telecomās Internet slow lane plan, the TPPās extreme Internet censorship, or out-of-control government spying, we make sure your voice gets as close to decision-makers as possible.
So, to give you a sense of what weāre up to this time around, letās quickly run through my itinerary. My day kicks off bright and early with an important rally to save the Internet outside the FCCās main headquarters. Our friends at Free Press, Popular Resistance, Fight for the Future and dozens of other groups are leading a huge rally outside their final meeting of 2014, to let the FCC know we need the strongest pro-Internet rules possible as soon as possible. If youāre in the area, be sure to join us at 9AM!
Then, over the next two days, Iāll be meeting with TPP negotiators from a range of participating countries, including Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. In my meetings, I will make sure they understand the priorities of Internet users everywhere by hand-delivering the crowdsourced recommendations outlined in the Our Digital Future report, and making a strong call for greater transparency in the TPPās secretive and anti-democratic process.
This call is especially important as President Obama says heās even willing to defy his party to push this agreement through. In response, OpenMedia supporter Dean Wilkins says:
“I give President Obama props for being intelligent and caring, but I DO NOT understand his support for TPP. How can he not see the dangers to life as we know it in the Americas in many of the provisions? Why so much secrecy? What’s the rush?”
Iāll also be meeting with representatives from the U.S. Senate Finance Committee — quite possibly the most powerful committee in Congress — to ensure that they understand the negative impact that fast-tracking the TPPās extreme Internet censorship plan could have on Internet users everywhere, and what copyright priorities are for artists, entrepreneurs and innovators around the world.
Then, after Iāve finished up with all my meetings, Iām off to RootsCamp to learn and share stories with people from around the world leading the fight for our right to communicate openly and freely online. Itās gonna be quite the tour!
Some of my friends and family have asked me, “So when you get in the room with these people, what are you going to say?” And, after a bit of thinking, I realized that my answer is pretty straightforward: Over 300,000 people from around the world took part in producing our crowdsourced plan — the Our Digital Future report. In contrast, the decision-makers Iām meeting with over the next couple days have overwhelmingly heard from big media lobbyists who want to increase their control over what we say and do online.
So, in light of this, my message is pretty simple: right now, weāre the ones representing real people and you arenāt. So listen up. And together, you, me and our gigantic community of digital rights advocates from around the world are gonna show these decision-makers that we āgon run this town.
Oh, and Iāll be sure to let you know how it went as soon as Iām back in my usual time zone.
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Nick Seebruch, editor
