Swamp Drains Trump: White House Signs Bill to Gut Internet Privacy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 3, 2017
Contact: Evan Greer, press@fightforthefuture.org, 978-852-6457

Bill to let ISPs collect and sell customer information has generated massive backlash from Trump supporters and progressives alike

Monday evening, President Donald Trump signed SR Res 34, a bill to slash the FCC’s Internet privacy rules and allow Internet Service Providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T to monitor, collect, and sell the details of their customers’ Internet activity to advertisers. The legislation was passed by Congress last week, amid massive public backlash from across the political spectrum, including from some of Trump’s top supporters.

Fight for the Future, a digital rights group that helped lead resistance to the measure, previously announced that they will unleash billboards to expose the lawmakers who voted for the measure. Today, in response to Trump signing the bill, they announced they will add a billboard specifically targeting the President.

“Donald Trump said he was going to drain the swamp, but it didn’t take long for the swamp to drain him,” said Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future, “the only people in the United States who want less Internet privacy are CEOs and lobbyists for giant telecom companies who want to rake in money by spying on all of us and selling the private details of our lives to marketing companies.”

“It’s deeply ironic that President Trump is expressing outrage about alleged violations of his own privacy while signing legislation that will dramatically expand government surveillance of all Americans,” she added, “President Trump has misjudged his base on this issue. No one wants their Internet Service Provider to sell their information without their permission.”

Last week, Fight for the Future launched an online resource called #GetSafe, to help Internet users protect their privacy in the wake of Congress’ attack.

Fight for the Future is best known for their role organizing the massive online protests against SOPA, the online censorship bill. and continues to organize many of the largest protests in the history of the Internet. They’ve led high profile campaigns to help win net neutrality protections, and organized the ResetTheNet.org campaign against government surveillance, which was supported by hundreds of major websites and endorsed by Edward Snowden. Over the summer, they organized the high profile Rock Against the TPP tour featuring many celebrities and well known musicians. Learn more at FightFortheFuture.org

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