JOIN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER INTERNET USERS IN
* 48 HOURS OF PROTEST *
AFTER PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNS THE BILL THAT WILL CENSOR THE INTERNET
Update: -Latest News: Congress passed the net censorship language
on 2/1/96.
-What You Can Do Now: Help demonstrate the extent of the
impact of the Internet Censorship legislation. Join
Hundreds of thousands of Internet Users in an
International protest for 48 hours after Clinton
Signs the bill.
CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT
Feb 3, 1996 (expires Feb 29, 1996)
PLEASE WIDELY REDISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT WITH THIS BANNER INTACT
This alert and coalition coordinated by the
Voters Telecommunications Watch (vtw@vtw.org)
________________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
The Latest News
What You Can Do Now
Chronology of the CDA
For More Information
List Of Participating Organizations
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THE LATEST NEWS
Last week Congress approved sweeping restrictions on online speech and
conduct, imposing fines of $250,000 and jail sentences of 2 years for
anyone who makes "indecent" material available in a public forum online.
This legislation threatens the very existence of the Internet as a viable
means of free expression, education, and political discourse.
Despite loud objections from civil liberties groups and the public,
the measure is part of a massive telecommunications bill that President
Clinton has already pledged to sign. Although you should feel free to
continue to express your objections directly to the President, there are
other ways to express our outrage for this legislation. The President
is expected to sign this bill into law during the week of Feb 5-9, 1996.
For 48 hours after Clinton signs the Telecommunications Reform bill into law,
join hundreds of thousands of Internet users everywhere to show the far
reaching impact this bill will have on all Internet users. TURN YOUR
WORLD WIDE WEB PAGES BLACK with white lettering to demonstrate that the
Internet will not accept this kind of second class treatment from the
United States Government.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
1. For 48 hours after Clinton signs the net censorship language in the
Telecomm bill into law, TURN YOUR WORLD WIDE WEB PAGES BLACK with
white lettering. To know when the bill is signed, check these
sources:
Newsgroups: alt.society.civil-disob
Email:vtw-announce@vtw.org (watch for mail on this list)
WWW:http://www.vtw.org/
Finger:vtw@panix.com
You can also just watch CNN; they'll announce the signing of the bill.
To turn your pages black with white lettering, simply add the following
tag to your World Wide Web pages:
Put this right after your tags, and before any
tags. To explain to people who may be confused by the color change,
temporarily add the following link to your page: My World Wide
Web Pages are black for 48 hours to protest second-class
treatment from the US Government for free speech. Read
about it at this WWW page. The Center for Democracy and
Technology has also agreed to mirror a similar page at
URL:http://www.cdt.org/speech.html If your pages get lots of hits from
services that cache their pages like America Online, you may wish to
start turning your pages black early. Please try and wait though until
Clinton signs the bill, for maximum effect. Also, urge your Internet
Provider and any Internet WWW pages you frequent to turn their pages
black. Send us interesting sites that comply to vtw@vtw.org. $
Mail vtw@vtw.org Subject: ZTV.COM is turning their pages black!
I'm the head of the ZTV Website and I've decided to turn our
pages black. Thought you'd like to know. ^D Mail
sent! 2. Don't forget to send Clinton a message, contact him at:
Email:president@whitehouse.gov Telephone:202-456-1111
Fax:202-456-2461 Sample communique: You're about to
sign a bill into law that imposes a terrible set of speech
restrictions on the Internet that belong in the broadcast medium,
not the interactive one. I'm turning my World Wide Web pages BLACK
for 48 hours after you sign the bill as a symbol of protest to show
how many people will be affected by this bill. It is unlikely
that he will veto the bill. 3. Make a commitment become involved! There
will be several court cases coming up to challenge the Internet
censorship legislation, as well as an election that will put every
single member of the House, and 1/3rd of the Senate (most of whom voted
for this legislation) onto the ballot. Don't let them get away with
this. Make this a campaign issue, and keep an eye out for legal defense
funds for those challenging these laws in court.
________________________________________________________________________
CHRONOLOGY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT Feb 1, '96 The House and
Senate pass the Telecomm Bill (S652/HR1555) 414-16 and
91-5. Jan 31, '96 The House and Senate prepare to signoff on the
conference report for the Telecomm bill and rush a vote to
the floor. Dec 7, '95 The House half of the Telecomm conference
committee votes the "indecency" standard for online speech
into the Telecomm Deregulation bill. Sep 26, '95 Sen.
Russ Feingold urges committee members to drop Managers
Amendment and the CDA from the Telecommunications
Deregulation bill Aug 4, '95 House passes HR1555 which goes into
conference with S652. Aug 4, '95 House votes to attach Managers
Amendment (which contains new criminal penalties for speech
online) to Telecommunications Reform bill (HR1555). Aug 4,
'95 House votes 421-4 to attach HR1978 to Telecommunications
Reform bill (HR1555). Jun 30, '95 Cox and Wyden introduce the
"Internet Freedom and Family Empowerment Act" (HR 1978) as
an alternative to the CDA. Jun 21, '95 Several prominent House members
publicly announce their opposition to the CDA, including
Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA), and Rep.
Ron Wyden (D-OR). Jun 14, '95 The Senate passes the CDA as attached to
the Telecomm reform bill (S 652) by a vote of 84-16. The
Leahy bill (S 714) is not passed, but is supported by 16
Senators who understand the Internet. May 24, '95 The
House Telecomm Reform bill (HR 1555) leaves committee in
the House with the Leahy alternative attached to it, thanks
to Rep. Ron Klink of (D-PA). The Communications Decency
Act is not attached to it. Apr 7, '95 Sen. Leahy (D-VT) introduces
S.714, an alternative to the Exon/Gorton bill, which
commissions the Dept. of Justice to study the problem to
see if additional legislation (such as the CDA) is
necessary. Mar 23, '95 S314 amended and attached to the
telecommunications reform bill by Sen. Gorton (R-WA).
Language provides some provider protection, but continues
to infringe upon email privacy and free speech. Feb 21, '95
HR1004 referred to the House Commerce and Judiciary committees Feb 21,
'95 HR1004 introduced by Rep. Johnson (D-SD) Feb 1, '95 S314
referred to the Senate Commerce committee Feb 1, '95 S314 introduced
by Sen. Exon (D-NE) and Gorton (R-WA).
________________________________________________________________________
FOR MORE INFORMATION Web Sites (roughly in alphabetical order)
URL:http://www.vtw.org/ URL:http://www.cdt.org/cda.html
URL:http://www.cpsr.org/ URL:http://www.eff.org/pub/Alerts/
URL:http://epic.org/ Email: cda-info@cdt.org (General CDA
information) cda-stat@cdt.org (Current status of the CDA)
________________________________________________________________________
LIST OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES In order to use the net
more effectively, several organizations have joined forces on a single
Congressional net campaign to stop the Communications Decency Act. Because
the list is so long, we've been forced to omit many fine organizations.
See the VTW Free Speech Web Page at URL:http://www.vtw.org/speech/ for the
whole list. Public Interest Organizations Businesses
Voters Telecommunications Watch (VTW) | ECHO (www.echonyc.com)
| Hotwired (www.hotwired.com)
Center For Democracy And Technology (CDT) | Mindvox (www.phantom.com)
Center for Public Representation (CPR) | Panix (www.panix.com)
Computer Professionals for | The WELL (www.well.com)
Social Responsibility (CPSR) | Wired (www.wired.com)
Cyber-Rights Campaign +-------------------------
Electronic Fronter Foundation (EFF), and independent regional Electronic
Frontier organizations Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
Feminists for Free Expression Hands! Off The Net Internet
Users Consortium (IUC) Joint Artists' and Music The
Libertarian Party (LP) Promotions Political Action
National Campaign for Freedom of Expression Committee (JAMPAC)
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) National Gay and Lesbian
National Writers Union (NWU) Task Force (NGLTF) People
for the American Way (PFAW) Republican Liberty Caucus
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End Alert
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--There are no incurable ills | There are no believable Gods There are no unkillable thrills | There are no unreachable goals There are no unbeatable odds | There are no unsaveable souls . . Osbourne e-mail tbyars@earthink.net | http://home.earthlink.net/~tbyars ---------------------------------------------------------------------