12,000+ people submit comments to be read & displayed outside Apple vs FBI hearing during first day of #SaveSecurity campaign

Contact: Evan Greer, 978-852-6457, press@fightforthefuture.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2016

Fight for the Future will continue collecting comments this week petitioning the U.S. government to back off its demand for dangerous backdoors and weakened security

Less than 24 hours after the launch of the #SaveSecurity campaign opposing backdoors in encryption, more than 12,500 people have already submitted comments to be read and displayed outside the courthouse in Riverside, CA during the next hearing in the high profile case between Apple and the FBI, 1:00pm PST on Tuesday, March 22nd.

The campaign is being coordinated by Fight for the Future, the digital rights group known for organizing many of the largest Web-based protests in history. The group, which was behind nearly 50 rapid response protests outside Apple stores and FBI headquarters last month.

The group will have volunteers outside the U.S. District Court on Tuesday to digitally display the thousands of comments, and read them aloud. The goal of the campaign is to educate the public and decision-makers in Washington, DC about the dangers associated with encryption backdoors and real implications of weakening digital security.

See the new online campaign here: https://wwwSaveSecurity.org

Individuals, organizations, and companies will be able to show support for the campaign and join the online outcry against the FBI’s attack on security by changing their social media avatar or website logo to a “lock” symbol, reminding the government and the public that strong security measures like encryption are saving lives every day. Tweets to the hashtag #SaveSecurity that contain comments related to the case will also be displayed and read aloud outside the courthouse.

“This case is not just about one phone, it’s about the future of safety and security for millions of people all over the world,” said Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future, “We’ll be outside the courthouse to make sure those people’s voices are heard, because what the government is trying to do in this case doesn’t just threaten our basic rights, it puts all of us in danger. Encryption protects our hospitals, airports, and water treatment facilities. Undermining security risks lives.”

Protesters who gathered outside of Apple stores and FBI headquarters last month carried giant iPhone shaped banners with the message “Secure Phones Save Lives,” echoing the concerns of security experts who largely agree that backdoors in encryption technology actually weaken national security and undermine public safety rather than strengthen it.

Fight for the Future is best known for organizing some of the largest online protests in history, including the SOPA blackout against online censorship, Reset the Net to promote encryption and fight government surveillance, and the Internet Slowdown for net neutrality. The #SaveSecurity action will also rally the Internet Defense League, a network of thousands of websites that support Fight for the Future’s campaigns on an ongoing basis.

Fight for the Future expert staff are available for interviews about the #SaveSecurity campaign and the broader implications of the Apple vs. FBI court case. Contact: press@fightforthefuture.org

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