-Press release, July, 25th 2013 –
Today, a broad coalition of civil rights organisations published a list of twelve demands directed at policy-makers in reaction to recent revelations regarding the massive surveillance of citizens‘ communications. In an open letter, initiated by the German non-profit organisation Digitale Gesellschaft e. V., the organisations voice their opposition against mass surveillance measures.
Among the demands are calls for:
- the consistent implementation and defense of the fundamental rights to privacy and data protection,
- the obligation to individually notify affected persons after every digital act of surveillance or inspection and
- the disclosure of every agreement, law and action that has an adverse effect on the right to informational self-determination
The undersigning organisations are Digitale Gesellschaft e.V., Greenpeace Germany, the German Journalist Association, the Eletronic Frontier Foundation and the Chaos Computer Club. Among the initial individual supporters are ver.di trade union chairman Frank Bsirske, science fiction author Cory Doctorow and the author Sascha Lobo. The demands and recommendations are directed at national governments and parliaments, the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament. The open letter can be signed by individuals and organisations at stopsurveillance.org.
„We are confident that our societies can and must find answers, how to save and enforce our human- and civil rights both politically and technically“, said Markus Beckedahl, Chairperson of Digitale Gesellschaft e.V. „We now want to intervene in the political debate with very specific demands. It is about nothing less than the protection of our digital future with civil and human rights – which are essential for a free and democratic society.“
Alphabetical list of first signatures:
- Access Now
- Chaos Computer Club e.V.
- Creative Commons Germany
- Digitalcourage e.V.
- Digitale Gesellschaft e.V.
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung
- Freelens
- Free Software Foundation Europe
- German Federation of Journalists (Deutscher Journalisten-Verband)
- German Working Group against Access Blocking and Censorship (AK Zensur)
- Greenpeace Germany
- Greenpeace in central- and east-europe
- Happy Mutants LLC/Boingboing.net
- Initiative für Netzfreiheit
- netzpolitik.org
- Open Knowledge Foundation Germany e.V.
- Panoptykon Poland
- Privacy International
- Reporters without Borders Germany e.V.
- Transparency International Germany
- Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv)
- Wikimedia Germany e.V.
Single Persons:
- Markus Beckedahl, Chairperson Digitale Gesellschaft e.V.
- Frank Bsirske, Chairperson of Vereinten Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di / United Services Union)
- Cory Doctorow, author, activist, journalist, UK
- Dirk von Gehlen, journalist and author (Süddeutsche Zeitung/jetzt.de)
- Jan Engelmann, , Wikimedia Germany e.V.
- Alvar Freude, Working Group against Access Blocking and Censorship (AK Zensur)
- Volker Gaßner, Leitung Presse, Recherche und Neue Medien bei Greenpeace Germany e.V.
- Karsten Gerloff, President of Free Software Foundation Europe
- Johnny Haeusler, blogger and author, spreeblick.com
- Joerg Heidrich, Rechtsanwalt, Fachanwalt für IT-Recht
- Christian Heise, Vorstandsmitglied Open Knowledge Foundation Germany e.V. und Förderverein für freie Netzwerke e.V. (freifunk.net)
- Jeanette Hofmann, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, Alexander von Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft (HIIG)
- Christian Humborg,Geschäftsführer Transparency International Deutschland
- Christian Mihr, Reporters without Borders Germany
- Günter Metzges, Campact
- Sascha Lobo, author
- Annette Mühlberg, ver.di-Referat eGovernment und Vorstandsmitglied der europäischen Internetnutzerorganisation von ICANN
- Frank Rieger, Spokesperson Chaos Computer Club e.V.
- Alexander Sander, NoPNR.org
- Lavinia Steiner, Second Chairperson Digitale Gesellschaft e.V.
- Mario Sixtus, journalist and „Elektrischer Reporter
- Thomas Stadler, Fachanwalt für IT-Recht
- Rena Tangens, Digitalcourage e.V.
- Marlis Tepe, trade unionist
The non-governmental organisation „Digitale Gesellschaft e.V.“ is committed to the equal and democratic participation of all humans in the digital and connected age. The organisation explains the challenges of internet politics to the public and the politicians, economists and consumers and stands for human und citizen rights in the digital sphere. Digitale Gesellschaft e. V. is member in the community of European consumer groups European Digital Rights (EDRi).
If you have any questions concerning stopsurveillance.org or the Digitale Gesellschaft e.V., please contact us at presse@digitalegesellschaft.de Requests for interviews and appointments are coordinated in a timely manner through this e-mail address. Alternatively, our chairperson Markus Beckedahl be reached at + 49 30 92105986