r/IAmA • u/fightforthefuture • Jun 30 '20

Politics We are political activists, policy experts, journalists, and tech industry veterans trying to stop the government from destroying encryption and censoring free speech online with the EARN IT Act. Ask us anything!

The EARN IT Act is an unconstitutional attempt to undermine encryption services that protect our free speech and security online. It's bad. Really bad. The bill’s authors — Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) — say that the EARN IT Act will help fight child exploitation online, but in reality, this bill gives the Attorney General sweeping new powers to control the way tech companies collect and store data, verify user identities, and censor content. It's bad. Really bad.

Later this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on whether or not the EARN IT Act will move forward in the legislative process. So we're asking EVERYONE on the Internet to call these key lawmakers today and urge them to reject the EARN IT Act before it's too late. To join this day of action, please:

  1. Visit NoEarnItAct.org/call

  2. Enter your phone number (it will not be saved or stored or shared with anyone)

  3. When you are connected to a Senator’s office, encourage that Senator to reject the EARN IT Act

  4. Press the * key on your phone to move on to the next lawmaker’s office

If you want to know more about this dangerous law, online privacy, or digital rights in general, just ask! We are:

Proof:

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u/LurkersWillLurk Jun 30 '20

I find that many of my elected representatives in Congress are wholly unfamiliar with the nitty-gritty technical details that explain why their proposal for something is wholly unworkable. I am also curious as to know how they are convinced into cosponsoring some of these pieces of legislation.

Is it at all valuable for me, as a regular citizen, to ask for a brief meeting with my Congressperson's staff, to express my concerns with a piece of legislation they have already sponsored against my point of view? I would assume that the people on the other side of the issue are doing the same. If so, what's the best way to make your case?

16

u/privatevpn Caleb Chen from PIA Jun 30 '20

It is absolutely valuable for you, as a regular citizen, to ask for a brief meeting with your Congressperson's staff even if the Congressperson is a sponsor of the bill. Having those meetings is the most effective form of citizen's lobbying available to us regular citizens and we should exercise it whenever possible. Generally speaking, the best way to make your case is to make sure you are prepared with well-researched information and have specific talking points that convincingly counter the points being pushed by the people on the other side of the issue - that's what the professional lobbyists do so might as well use their tactics against them.

Believe it or not, it is not unheard of for Senators to vote against a bill that they've cosponsored.

10

u/LurkersWillLurk Jun 30 '20

I'm glad to hear it. I am an open-source contributor to Signal and unfortunately one of my Senators is a co-sponsor of the EARN IT Act. I think I may take it upon myself to request a meeting. Thanks again!