By Laura Tribe Today, February 11, marks the Day Against Mass Surveillance: The day we fight back. In the past eight months since the first documents leaked by Edward Snowden were published, it has become increasingly clear that our personal privacy is being violated in myriad ways by mass surveillance programs. Today marks a chance to have your voice heard, and stand up to protect your rights online. We invite you to join thousands of websites, organizations and individuals around the world in speaking out and demanding an end to mass surveillance.

Get involved

• • Visit thedaywefightback.org • Sign the principles • Live in Canada? Email your Member of Parliament • Live in the U.S.? Call your representative in Congress • Find an event near you

Background

It is important to remember that this is not just a problem in the U.S. In a document leaked at the end of January this year, it was revealed that the Communication Securities Establishment of Canada (CSEC) was running a mass surveillance program through wi-fi networks at Canada’s airports. There have also been numerous revelations about GCHQ, the U.K.’s intelligence agency. In July 2013, human rights organizations collaborated to create the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance. Deemed “Necessary and Proportionate,” the collection of 13 principles are intended to serve as a guideline to governments and companies to ensure that they are respecting their citizens’ and users’ human rights. Over 40 IFEX members are taking part in the campaign, and well over 100,000 people have already signed on to the Principles with the list of signatories continuing to grow. Read through each of the principles to learn more, and sign on to support the day against mass surveillance. Necessary and Proportionate: 13 principles for applying human rights to communications surveillance

• 1. Legality 2. Legitimate aim 3. Necessity 4. Adequacy 5. Proportionality 6. Competent judicial authority 7. Due process 8. User notification 9. Transparency 10. Public oversight 11. Integrity of communications and systems 12. Safeguards for international cooperation 13. Safeguards against illegitimate access

SIGN ON TO THE PRINCIPLES

More reading:

• CJFE | Mass surveillance in Canada: It’s real, and it’s a serious problem • CJFE | Think you have nothing to hide? Think again • EFF | NSA Spying on Americans • The Guardian | NSA files: Decoded. What the revelations mean for you. • Wikipedia | Global surveillance disclosures (2013 - present)

In the News

• CNET | 'The Day We Fight Back' calls for protests against NSA spying • The Guardian | Get ready. The day against mass surveillance is coming • The Guardian | Internet surveillance: Today is the day we fight back • Huffington Post | Feb. 11 Is 'The Day We Fight Back' Against NSA Surveillance • National Journal | Coalition of Google, Facebook, and Other Tech Giants Joins Mass NSA Protest • NPR | The Internet Flexes Political Muscle With Anti-NSA Protest • RT | ‘The day we fight back’: 6,000 websites protest surveillance, honor Aaron Swartz • The Telegraph | Reddit and Tumblr among websites protesting NSA surveillance • Time | ‘The Day We Fight Back’ Protests NSA Surveillance • The Verge | The Day We Fight Back: can an internet protest stop the NSA?*

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Laura Tribe is CJFE's National Programs Coordinator. You can follow her on Twitter at @ltribe.