US Congress debating power to censor the world's internet

[BishopZ]

off topic ? maybe not

please distribute!

Dear friends,

Right now, the US Congress is debating a law that would give them the power to

censor the world's internet -- creating a blacklist that could target YouTube,

WikiLeaks and even groups like Avaaz! 

Under the new law, the US could force internet providers to block any website

on suspicion of violating copyright or trademark legislation, or even failing to

sufficiently police their users' activities. And, because so much of the

internet's hosts and hardware are located in the US, their blacklist would clamp

down on the free web for all of us. 

The vote could happen any day now, but we can help stop this -- champions in

Congress want to preserve free speech and tell us that an international outcry

would strengthen their hand. Let’s urgently raise our voices from every corner

of the world and build an unprecedented global petition calling on US decision

makers to reject the bill and stop internet censorship. Click below to sign and

then forward as widely as possible - our message will be delivered directly to

key members of the US Congress ahead of the crucial vote: 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?cl=1393071729&v=11162

For years, the US government has condemned countries like China and Iran for

their clampdown on Internet use. But now, the impact of America's new censorship

laws could be far worse - effectively blocking sites to every Internet user

across the globe. 

Last year, a similar Internet censorship bill was killed before reaching the US

Senate floor, but it's now back in a different form. Copyright laws already

exist and are enforced by courts. But this new law goes much further -- granting

the government and big corporations enormous powers to force service providers

and search engines to block websites based just on allegations of violations -

without a trial or being found guilty of any crime! 

US free speech advocates have already raised the alarm, and some key Senators

are trying to gather enough support to stop this dangerous bill. We have no time

to lose. Let's stand with them to ensure American lawmakers preserve the right

to a free and open Internet as an essential way for people around the world to

exchange ideas, share communication and work collectively to build the world we

want. Sign below to stop US censorship, and save the internet as we know it: 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?cl=1393071729&v=11162 

In the past months, from the Arab Spring to the global Occupy Movement, we've

seen first hand how the Internet can galvanize, unify and change the world. Now,

if we stand together, we can stop this new attack on Internet freedom. We've

done it before -- in Brazil and Italy, Avaaz members have won major victories in

the fight for a free Internet. Let's take the fight global, and mobilize to

defeat the most powerful censorship threat that the Internet has ever seen. 

With hope, 

Luis, Dalia, Diego, Emma, Ricken, Aaron, Antonia, Benjamin and the rest of the

Avaaz team