EFF Joins Mozilla, Fight for the Future, Public Knowledge and Others in Launching the Internet Defense League

Earlier this year, EFF worked with Internet defenders across the globe to beat back SOPA, a U.S. Internet censorship bill that would have sacrificed the free speech rights of users in the name of fighting online “piracy.” Concerted action by millions of Internet users killed SOPA, but we know that protecting online rights takes vigilance. In fact, SOPA supporters are already pushing their censorship agenda through new bills, secret international trade agreements, and “voluntary” agreements negotiated between Big Content and service providers. And the threats don’t stop there: our rights to communicate and browse the web in private are also at risk, thanks to proposed Big Brother surveillance measures.

We know that when we work together, we can protect our Internet. So, we’re joining with some of our friends from the anti-SOPA fight in creating the Internet Defense League to help Internet users, organizations, and companies fight back whenever online rights are threatened.

Here’s how you can be an Internet superhero

Sign up If you have a website, the Internet Defense League will send you sample alert code to get working in advance. The next time there's an emergency, we'll tell you and send new code. Then it's your decision to pull the trigger.

Join the conversation on reddit. Help us build a community to safeguard the future of liberty online.

Come celebrate with us. On Thursday July 19th, we’ll be celebrating Internet freedom at events in several cities. As Hollywood’s latest superhero movie opens in theaters for a midnight showing, IDL members in select cities can celebrate the launch around powerful spotlights rented for the occasion. The spotlights will beam the IDL’s “cat-signal” into the stratosphere, across obliging clouds, or onto neighboring buildings. Parties are being planned in San Francisco, New York, Washington, DC, London, and even Ulaar Bataar, Mongolia. If you'd like to host an event in your city but don't have the funds, send an email to our partners at Fight for the Future (include thoughts on the location, the kind of crowd you can draw, and other ideas). If you can self-fund an event in your city, don't bother donating, just email Fight for the Future.

EFF staff members will be at the Spotlight Party in San Francisco, so come say hello. Join EFF staff members Marcia Hofmann, Rainey Reitman, Parker Higgins, Mark Burdett, Adi Kamdar, Jillian York, and Trevor Timm at the San Francisco Spotlight Party on Thursday July 19. The event will get started at 8PM at the Mozilla Offices, 2 Harrison Street, 7th Floor. RSVP here