Everyone can help defend the internet
OpenMedia
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY
A Canadian organization never lacking in determination, OpenMedia confronts major issues like net neutrality and cyber surveillance.
OpenMedia Overview ‧
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That’s why Vancouver-based internet rights advocate Steve Anderson founded OpenMedia in 2008. The organization has raised awareness for Canadian net neutrality, helped overturn metered internet usage in Canada, and actively campaigns against mass surveillance.
Recently OpenMedia has widened its scope with projects aimed at protecting the whole internet—not just for internet users in Canada. Here’s what you need to know about this tireless campaigner for online freedoms.
Safeguarding Canada’s internet
In 2011, Save The Net brought together a coalition of organizations that worked to safeguard the open internet. At the time, U.S. cable companies were lobbying to end net neutrality in America. Save The Net raised awareness about net neutrality in Canada to defend against similar threats north of the border.
The biggest online appeal in Canadian history
The Stop The Meter campaign raised awareness about attempts by big Canadian telecoms to force metered internet usage on the whole of Canada. If they had succeeded, Canadian internet users would have been charged per megabyte to use the web, video services, and other online essentials.
That’s unthinkable today. Thanks to the Stop the Meter petition, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Canadian government scrapped their plans.
#TellVicEverything: Fighting spy Bills C-30 and C-51
In 2011, OpenMedia launched the Stop Spying campaign against Bill C-30, which would have allowed Canadian police to gather internet and phone data from all Canadians without a warrant. The campaign won over 100,000 signatures and Bill C-30 was shelved.
When Public Safety Minister Vic Toews launched surveillance Bill C-51 in 2012, OpenMedia got creative with a new campaign. Protesters used the hashtag #TellVicEverything to share mundane facts that C-51’s spying might reveal—and again, OpenMedia won the battle.
OpenMedia proves anyone can defend the internet
