In Wake of Charlie Hebdo Attack, Let's Not Sacrifice Even More Rights
EFF is stunned and deeply saddened by the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper. As free speech advocates, we mourn the use of violence against individuals who used creativity and free expression to engage in cultural and political criticism. Murder is the ultimate form of censorship.
The journalists and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo have long used satire to engage in cultural critique, a form of expression strongly protected by international norms and with deep historical roots in prompting societal change and igniting discussions on controversial issues (see, for example, Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal and Voltaire's Candide). In the age of the Internet, satire is finding fecund ground on video sharing sites, social media, and across the blogosphere as a way of engaging in discussion on political issues, social ideas, economic theory, and even poking fun at celebrities. While satire has a long history in France, it has become commonplace in many countries, including in the Middle East, where satirists such as Bassem Youssef ("Egypt's Jon Stewart") have faced pressure to go silent. In the face of tragedy and extremism, humor can be a way of reclaiming power.
Often in the wake of a terrorist attack, we see governments move swiftly to adopt new laws without consideration of the privacy rights being sacrificed in the process. Even as we mourn the losses at Charlie Hebdo, we must be wary of any attempt to rush through new surveillance and law enforcement powers, which are likely to disproportionately affect Muslims and other minorities.
The attack on Charlie Hebdo was an attack on individuals exercising their free expression rights. But we must not sacrifice some rights in a rush to protect others.
There are numerous instances in which countries enacted sweeping new laws in the wake of an attack or in response to a threat, when grief and fear outweighed commitments to freedom of expression and privacy. The consequences can be far reaching. In the United Kingdom, the government swiftly revised police powers with the Terrorist Act of 2006 in the wake of bombings in London. In Australia, new legislative measures were introduced in response to a foiled terrorism plot. In 2012, Iraq tried to quickly push through a set of strict "cybercrime" laws in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings. And in the U.S., the 9/11 attacks were used to justify poorly considered legislation that significantly broadened surveillance authorities. Already, U.S. senators are using the Paris attacks to justify mass surveillance programs by the National Security Agency.
Let us defend freedom of expression by committing to uphold all rights.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
EFF is stunned and deeply saddened by the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper. As free speech advocates, we mourn the use of violence against individuals who used creativity and free expression to engage in cultural and political criticism. Murder is the ultimate form of censorship.
The journalists and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo have long used satire to engage in cultural critique, a form of expression strongly protected by international norms and with deep historical roots in prompting societal change and igniting discussions on controversial issues (see, for example, Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal and Voltaire's Candide). In the age of the Internet, satire is finding fecund ground on video sharing sites, social media, and across the blogosphere as a way of engaging in discussion on political issues, social ideas, economic theory, and even poking fun at celebrities. While satire has a long history in France, it has become commonplace in many countries, including in the Middle East, where satirists such as Bassem Youssef ("Egypt's Jon Stewart") have faced pressure to go silent. In the face of tragedy and extremism, humor can be a way of reclaiming power.
Often in the wake of a terrorist attack, we see governments move swiftly to adopt new laws without consideration of the privacy rights being sacrificed in the process. Even as we mourn the losses at Charlie Hebdo, we must be wary of any attempt to rush through new surveillance and law enforcement powers, which are likely to disproportionately affect Muslims and other minorities.
The attack on Charlie Hebdo was an attack on individuals exercising their free expression rights. But we must not sacrifice some rights in a rush to protect others.
There are numerous instances in which countries enacted sweeping new laws in the wake of an attack or in response to a threat, when grief and fear outweighed commitments to freedom of expression and privacy. The consequences can be far reaching. In the United Kingdom, the government swiftly revised police powers with the Terrorist Act of 2006 in the wake of bombings in London. In Australia, new legislative measures were introduced in response to a foiled terrorism plot. In 2012, Iraq tried to quickly push through a set of strict "cybercrime" laws in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings. And in the U.S., the 9/11 attacks were used to justify poorly considered legislation that significantly broadened surveillance authorities. Already, U.S. senators are using the Paris attacks to justify mass surveillance programs by the National Security Agency.
Let us defend freedom of expression by committing to uphold all rights.
EFF is stunned and deeply saddened by the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper. As free speech advocates, we mourn the use of violence against individuals who used creativity and free expression to engage in cultural and political criticism. Murder is the ultimate form of censorship.
The journalists and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo have long used satire to engage in cultural critique, a form of expression strongly protected by international norms and with deep historical roots in prompting societal change and igniting discussions on controversial issues (see, for example, Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal and Voltaire's Candide). In the age of the Internet, satire is finding fecund ground on video sharing sites, social media, and across the blogosphere as a way of engaging in discussion on political issues, social ideas, economic theory, and even poking fun at celebrities. While satire has a long history in France, it has become commonplace in many countries, including in the Middle East, where satirists such as Bassem Youssef ("Egypt's Jon Stewart") have faced pressure to go silent. In the face of tragedy and extremism, humor can be a way of reclaiming power.
Often in the wake of a terrorist attack, we see governments move swiftly to adopt new laws without consideration of the privacy rights being sacrificed in the process. Even as we mourn the losses at Charlie Hebdo, we must be wary of any attempt to rush through new surveillance and law enforcement powers, which are likely to disproportionately affect Muslims and other minorities.
The attack on Charlie Hebdo was an attack on individuals exercising their free expression rights. But we must not sacrifice some rights in a rush to protect others.
There are numerous instances in which countries enacted sweeping new laws in the wake of an attack or in response to a threat, when grief and fear outweighed commitments to freedom of expression and privacy. The consequences can be far reaching. In the United Kingdom, the government swiftly revised police powers with the Terrorist Act of 2006 in the wake of bombings in London. In Australia, new legislative measures were introduced in response to a foiled terrorism plot. In 2012, Iraq tried to quickly push through a set of strict "cybercrime" laws in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings. And in the U.S., the 9/11 attacks were used to justify poorly considered legislation that significantly broadened surveillance authorities. Already, U.S. senators are using the Paris attacks to justify mass surveillance programs by the National Security Agency.
Let us defend freedom of expression by committing to uphold all rights.