<span>Hi all, </span><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>We're really thrilled to have been part of the Best Bits statement and that it has been submitted with such broad sign on. </span></div><div><span><br></span></div>
<div><span>As many of you know, there's been a really concise, less technical statement, that a number of groups have been involved in drafting and reviewing, a process that started a many weeks ago. </span></div><div>
<div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></span></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word">More<font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"> so than critiquing specific proposals, the goal of this statement is to mobilize grassroots groups and actors, and to get out a very simple message about the potential implications of the ITR revisions for human rights. </font><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">The rationale for this statement is to create a concise rallying cry that diverse international civil society groups and individuals can sign - once they sign, the groups will be asked to activate their networks to be involved in other activism efforts and individuals will be contacted about future activism efforts as well.</span></div>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Unlike the Best Bits submission, it is intentionally brief - this was created for organizations and people who aren't deeply engaged on this issue. </span><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">T</font><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">hat said, we think it's very important to get broad sign on from groups on this list because of your expertise and influence.</span></div>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">We're also planning to submit the statement to the ITU comments page. </span><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">The following groups have signed on to the statement of unity: </font><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Access, </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Center for Democracy and Technology,</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Consumers International, </span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Fight For The Future, </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Free Press,</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">H</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">uman Rights Watch, I</span><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">CT Watch Indonesia, Mamfakinch, </font><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">May First/People Link,</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">, OpenMedia (Canada), </span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">OpenMedia (International), Open Technology Institute, </span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Reporters Without Borders, </span><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">Samuelson Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), and </font><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Thai Netizen Network.</span></div>
</div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">The text of the of the unity statement is below. <u>Please email Steve Anderson at OpenMedia (<a href="mailto:steve@openmedia.ca" target="_blank">steve@openmedia.ca</a>) or reply to this email if your organization would like to sign on</u>. We are also accepting sign on from individuals. You can also view the statement at <a href="http://protectinternetfreedom.net/">http://protectinternetfreedom.net/</a> (just note that there will be some small tweaks to the website).</font></div>
<div><blockquote type="cite" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div><div><span><b>On December 3rd, the world’s governments will meet to update a key treaty of a UN agency called the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Some governments are proposing to extend ITU authority to Internet governance in ways that could threaten Internet openness and innovation, increase access costs, and erode human rights online.</b></span></div>
<div><span><b><br></b></span></div><div><span><b>We call on civil society organizations and citizens of all nations to sign the following Statement to Protect Global Internet Freedom:</b></span></div>
<div><span><b><br></b></span></div><div><span><b>Internet governance decisions should be made in a transparent manner with genuine multistakeholder participation from civil society, governments, and the private sector. We call on the ITU and its member states to embrace transparency and reject any proposals that might expand ITU authority to areas of Internet governance that threaten the exercise of human rights online.</b></span></div>
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<div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px"><font face="garamond, serif">Deborah Brown</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px">
<font face="garamond, serif">Policy Analyst</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px"><font face="garamond, serif">Access | AccessNow.org</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px">
<font face="garamond, serif">E. <a href="mailto:deborah@accessnow.org" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">deborah@accessnow.org</a></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px">
<font face="garamond, serif">S. deborah.l.brown</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px"><font face="garamond, serif">T. deblebrown</font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:13px">
<font face="garamond, serif">PGP 0x5EB4727D</font></div><br>
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