View source for Organization:Fight for the Future

{{Infobox organization
| logo = Fight for the Future on white.svg
| map2          = 
| abbreviation  = fightfortheftr
| motto         = 
| formation     = {{Start date and age|2011|10}}
| type          = [[Organization:501(c) organization#501.28c.29.284.29|501(c)(4)]] non-profit organization
| purpose       = [[Digital rights]]
| headquarters  = Worcester, Massachusetts
| website       =  {{url|https://www.fightforthefuture.org/}}
}}

'''Fight for the Future''' (often abbreviated '''fightfortheftr''' or '''FFTF''') is a nonprofit advocacy group in the area of [[Digital rights|digital rights]] founded in 2011.<ref name="farrell">{{Cite news| last = Farrell| first = Michael B. | title = Worcester's Fight for the Future helped ignite an Internet revolt against antipiracy bills | work = BostonGlobe.com | accessdate = 2012-12-14 | date = 2012-01-27 | url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/01/27/worcester-fight-for-future-helped-ignite-internet-revolt-against-antipiracy-bills/cEZNoCuuHI7mk6eADQ4lZK/story.html}}</ref> The group aims to
promote causes related to [[Copyright|copyright]] legislation, as well as online privacy and [[Social:Internet censorship|censorship]] through the use of the [[Internet]].<ref name="fftf">{{Cite web | title = Fight for the Future, defending our basic rights and freedoms | accessdate = 2012-12-14 | url = http://www.fightforthefuture.org}}</ref>

== History ==
The organization was founded by Tiffiniy Cheng and Holmes Wilson in October 2011, and is incorporated in Boston, Massachusetts. There is no central office and all staff work remotely. Cheng and Wilson were previously involved in [[Organization:Participatory Culture Foundation|Participatory Culture Foundation]], a nonprofit in the area of free culture. Initial funding for the organization was provided by [[Organization:Media Democracy Fund|Media Democracy Fund]].<ref name="farrell" /> Cheng and Wilson became friends when they attended the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science, a school for talented students in Worcester. Cheng was born in a Macau refugee camp to parents who fled the Vietnam War.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/01/27/worcester-fight-for-future-helped-ignite-internet-revolt-against-antipiracy-bills/cEZNoCuuHI7mk6eADQ4lZK/story.html|title=Small Worcester group plays large role in online protest |work=The Boston Globe|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Before starting FFTF, the two also formed [[Organization:Participatory Culture Foundation|Participatory Culture Foundation]], a nonprofit that works to increase cultural collaboration, and built Miro;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegram.com/article/20080203/NEWS/802030353|title=Freeing the Internet|first=Martin|last= Luttrell |website=telegram.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> an open-source video and music sharing platform; Open Congress, a legislation website; and Amara, a tool for crowdsourced video subtitling. After Cheng and Holmes left FFTF in 2018, Sarah Roth-Gaudette, former Chief Operating Officer, became the executive director. Roth-Gaudette previously managed campaigns for U.S. PIRG and MoveOn.org.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-roth-gaudette-4a432b5|title=Sarah Roth-Gaudette|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Company:LinkedIn|LinkedIn]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> Former Campaign Director Evan Greer is now deputy director. Greer is also an international punk folk musician and transgender activist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8xyzz5/one-of-americas-most-prominent-net-neutrality-activists-just-released-a-folk-punk-album|title=One of America's Most Prominent Net Neutrality Activists Just Released a Folk Punk Album|last=Koebler|first=Jason|date=2019-04-05|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

== Copyright campaigns ==
[[File:Wikipedia SOPA Blackout Design-2012-18-01.png|thumb|{{Improve caption|missing=y|date=August 2023}}]]

=== SOPA and PIPA protests ===
Fight for the Future was involved in the [[Social:Protests against SOPA and PIPA|online protests]] against the [[Stop Online Piracy Act]] and PROTECT IP Act in January 2012. The group was involved in coordinating the action in which a number of websites displayed messages advocating against the proposed bills.<ref name="farrell" /><ref>{{Cite news| last = Wortham| first = Jenna| title = Public Outcry Over Antipiracy Bills Began as Grass-Roots Grumbling| work = The New York Times| accessdate = 2012-12-14| date = 2012-01-19| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/technology/public-outcry-over-antipiracy-bills-began-as-grass-roots-grumbling.html}}</ref> Protests were based on concerns that the bills, intended to provide more robust responses to copyright infringement (also known as piracy) arising outside the United States, contained measures that could possibly infringe online freedom of speech, websites, and Internet communities. Protesters also argued that there were insufficient safeguards in place to protect sites based upon user-generated content. According to FFTF, more than 115,000 websites joined the Internet protest.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/technology/public-outcry-over-antipiracy-bills-began-as-grass-roots-grumbling.html|title=Public Outcry Over Antipiracy Bills Began as Grass-Roots Grumbling|last=Wortham|first=Jenna|date=2012-01-19|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Major sites like Mozilla, Wikipedia, Google, Reddit, Tumblr, and Craigslist blacked out much of their homepage and directed visitors to links through which they could contact lawmakers. In addition to the online protests, there were simultaneous physical demonstrations in several U.S. cities, including New York City, San Francisco and Seattle, and separately during December 2011 a mass boycott of then-supporter GoDaddy.<ref>{{Citation|title=Protests against SOPA and PIPA|date=2019-11-11|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Protests_against_SOPA_and_PIPA&oldid=925597477|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

=== Net neutrality campaigns ===
{{main|Organization:Internet Defense League}}
Fight for the Future created the Internet Defense League as a means of coordinating possible future protests, similar to the ones it helped organize in January 2012.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Sutter| first = John D.| title = A 'bat signal' to defend the open Internet| work = CNN.com| accessdate = 2012-12-14| date = 2012-05-29| url = http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/29/tech/web/internet-defense-league/index.html}}</ref> The League was focused on the passage of [[Net neutrality|net neutrality]] at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Working with Free Press and Demand Progress, FFTF launched the Battle for the Net to serve as the hub for the campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/technology/net-neutrality-protests-opposition.html|title=Inside the Opposition to a Net Neutrality Repeal|last=Kang|first=Cecilia|date=2017-12-07|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Internet Slowdown Day===
{{Main|Internet Slowdown Day}}
FFTF, together with Demand Progress, Engine Advocacy, and Free Press organized this Internet-wide protest on September 10, 2014, during which thousands of sites across the web displayed an alert with a symbolic 'loading' symbol to promote a call to action for users to push comments to the FCC, Congress, and the White House.<ref>{{Citation|date=2019-10-29|pages=9–44|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-24910-1|doi=10.2307/j.ctvqc6h2t.4|chapter=The Battle for Ownership and Control of Communication Infrastructures|title=After Net Neutrality|s2cid=240933433 }}</ref> The tool was credited with breaking a 1-day submission record of 780,000 comments to the FCC.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/technology/a-deluge-of-comment-on-net-rules.html|title=F.C.C. Is Deluged With Comments on Net Neutrality Rules|last=Lohr|first=Steve|date=2014-07-15|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On March 12, 2015, the FCC released the specific details of its new net neutrality rules,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/technology/fcc-releases-net-neutrality-rules.html|title=F.C.C. Sets Net Neutrality Rules|last=Ruiz|first=Rebecca R.|date=2015-03-12|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and on April 13, 2015, the final rule was published.<ref>{{Citation|chapter=Federal Communications Commission|date=2015-04-10|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America|pages=356–358|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-315-69986-8|doi=10.4324/9781315699868-248 }}</ref>
[[File:Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality net neutrality banner ad.jpg|thumb|{{Improve caption|missing=y|date=August 2023}}]]

Fight for the Future organized the [[Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality]] on July 12, 2017, to advocate for [[Net neutrality|net neutrality]] in which over 50,000 websites and apps that supported net neutrality displayed the dreaded "spinning wheel" of a stalled connection and mimic what could happen if the FCC rolled back the rules. The protest drove millions of phone calls, emails, tweets, faxes, and comments to Congress and the FCC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3207564/net-neutrality-the-july-12-internet-wide-day-of-action-protest.html|title=Net Neutrality: What happened during the July 12 Internet-Wide Day of Action protest|date=2017-07-14|website=PCWorld|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Major participants included Twitter, Etsy, OkCupid, Vimeo, ACLU, Change.org, Greenpeace, Reddit, Netflix, Spotify, 4chan, Airbnb, Mozilla, Tinder, PornHub, Expedia, Imgur, and Yelp.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/websites-net-neutrality-protest/|title=Do you care about net neutrality? Because all of your favorite websites do|date=2017-07-08|website=The Daily Dot|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Verizon protests===

On December 7, 2017, a week before the FCC Chair Ajit Pai (former Verizon counsel) moved to repeal net neutrality, FFTF and Free Press organized over 700 protests in front of Verizon stores in every state in the country; nearly 300 people attended the rally in midtown Manhattan. A NYT article highlighted the role of young people in these protests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-teens.html|title=In Protests of Net Neutrality Repeal, Teenage Voices Stood Out|last=Kang|first=Cecilia|date=2017-12-20|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Congressional Review Act (CRA)===

After the FCC voted to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, FFTF applied pressure on Congress to pass the CRA which would undo the FCC's decision. On May 16, 2018, fifty United States senators<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/05/16/net-neutrality-is-getting-a-big-vote-in-the-senate-today-heres-what-to-expect/|title=Senate approves bipartisan resolution to restore FCC net neutrality rules|last=Fung|first=Brian |date=2018-05-16|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> including three Republican Senators, voted to restore net neutrality under the CRA. FFTF's DemsAgainstThe.net campaign targeted the 16 House Democrats who did not support the Act, listing total donations each official received from the telecom industry. The Congressional term ended before the House could act, preventing the CRA from going through.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/last-gasp-net-neutrality-activists-scramble-for-votes-in-congress/|title=Activists go after telecom-backed Dems in the last days of the fight to overturn net neutrality repeal|last=Reardon|first=Marguerite|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===California net neutrality law (SB 822)===

When ISPs made an estimated $1.3 million in donations to California lawmakers to try to eviscerate the state's robust net neutrality bill, FFTF activists fought back through phone calls, texts, ad buys, lawmaker scoreboards,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.battleforthenet.com/california/|title=California just passed a law to restore net neutrality|last=Future|first=Fight for the|website=Battle for the Net|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> and crowdfunded billboards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@fightfortheftr/remember-that-california-democrat-we-were-gonna-put-up-a-billboard-about-because-he-helped-gut-a-28c7142d4344|title=Remember that California Democrat we were gonna put up a billboard about because he helped gut a…|last=Future|first=Fight for the|date=2018-07-05|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Following reports that Verizon throttled service to firefighters battling the worst wildfire in the state's history, more than 1,000 firefighters and other first responders signed on to an open letter calling for the restoration of the rules.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wjkmbn/verizon-firefighters-join-fight-restore-net-neutrality|title=Pissed Off by Verizon, Firefighters Join the Fight to Restore Net Neutrality|last=Bode|first=Karl|date=2018-08-30|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> The California bill passed with bipartisan backing on August 31, 2018. The LA Times and other major outlets credited the public outcry for the turnaround.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb4x8y/californias-net-neutrality-bill-is-back-from-the-dead-with-the-help-of-its-biggest-detractor|title=California's Net Neutrality Bill Is Back from the Dead, with the Help of Its Biggest Detractor|last=Rogers|first=Kaleigh|date=2018-08-10|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-net-neutrality-california-legislation-20180827-story.html|title=California pledged to protect net neutrality — the showdown is here|date=2018-08-27|website={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> After the U.S. Department of Justice challenged the law in court, the state agreed to delay its implementation until a final ruling. On October 1, 2019, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to allow states to pass their own rules.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/463805-appeals-court-upholds-net-neutrality-repeal-but-rules-fcc-cant-block-state|title=Appeals court upholds net neutrality repeal but rules FCC can't block state laws|last=Rowland|first=Geoffrey|date=2019-10-01|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===FCC legal irregularities===

FFTF challenged the FCC's claim that DDoS attacks prevented the filing of tens of thousands of pro-net neutrality comments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/fight-future-challenges-fcc-ddos-attack-scenario-165621|title=Fight for the Future Challenges FCC DDoS Attack Scenario|last=Eggerton|first=John|website=Broadcasting & Cable|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> FFTF's Comcastroturf.com tool helped Internet users collectively investigate fraudulent comments submitted to the FCC's net neutrality docket using stolen identities and helped spark major investigations from members of Congress, Attorneys General, the Wall Street Journal, the Government Accountability Office, and others. Comcast tried to shut down the site, and sent FFTF a cease and desist order which it later rescinded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phillymag.com/business/2017/05/30/comcast-net-neutrality-fight-for-the-future/|title=Comcast Backs Down on Threat to Sue Net Neutrality Advocacy Group|date=2017-05-30|website=Philadelphia Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref name="Oberhaus">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a3w9vj/comcast-is-trying-to-censor-a-site-that-claims-comcast-is-committing-fraud|title=Comcast Is Trying to Censor a Site That Claims Comcast Is Committing Fraud|last=Oberhaus|first=Daniel|date=2017-05-23|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Save the Internet Act===

The Act, which was introduced into Congress on March 8, 2019, sought to reverse the December 17, 2017 FCC order to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order and codify it into law. FFTF's ‘The Whole Internet is Watching,’ protest provided a widget that let people and sites like Etsy, Tumblr, Twitter, Pornhub, BoingBoing, and GitHub embed the live stream of the House markup hearing on their home pages. The group said a record 300,000 tuned in to the event.<ref name="Oberhaus"/> When the full vote was held on April 10, FFTF reported registering six million views on their Twitch site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@fightfortheftr/the-internet-is-watching-c887e9e7b01d|title=The Internet Is Watching|last=Future|first=Fight for the|date=2019-04-25|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> The bill passed the House on April 10, 2019.<ref>{{Citation|title=President's Guidance 10 April 2018|date=2019|work=Hershman & McFarlane Children Act Handbook|publisher=Bloomsbury Professional|isbn=978-1-5265-1167-6|doi=10.5040/9781526511706.028|s2cid=239319517 }}</ref>

=== Opposition to WCIT-12 ===
Along with [[Organization:AccessNow.org|AccessNow.org]], the group has launched an online campaign opposing the changes proposed at the [[Organization:International Telecommunication Union#World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012|2012 World Conference on International Telecommunications]]. The organization believes the changes would threaten the openness of the Internet.<ref>{{Cite news| last = McCullagh| first = Declan| title = U.N. summit rejects U.S., Europe hands-off-the-Internet plea| work = CNET| accessdate = 2012-12-14| date = 2012-12-12| url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57558887-38/u.n-summit-rejects-u.s-europe-hands-off-the-internet-plea/}}</ref>

== Surveillance and privacy campaigns ==

===Reset the Net===
In response to reports of NSA mass surveillance, Fight for the Future called for increased privacy protections on the internet to decrease the efficiency of surveillance efforts. The organization participated in a day of action on June 5, 2014, to protest NSA surveillance,<ref>{{Cite magazine| last = Zetter| first = Kim| title = New Movement Aims to 'Reset the Net' Against Mass Surveillance | magazine = Wired| accessdate = 2014-08-05| date = 2014-05-06| url = https://www.wired.com/2014/05/reset-the-net/}}</ref>  the anniversary of the date the first Edward Snowden story broke detailing the government's PRISM program, based on documents leaked by the former NSA contractor.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/05/reset-the-net/|title=New Movement Aims to 'Reset the Net' Against Mass Surveillance|last=Zetter|first=Kim|date=2014-05-06|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-12-04|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>

===Restore the Fourth===

On July 4, 2013, FFTF helped to organize ‘Restore the Fourth’ rallies in 100 cities across the US to protest against NSA, PRISM, and government spying.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2013/07/04/restore-the-4th-galvanizes-over-100-nation-wide-protests-against-nsa-prism-and-government-spying/|title='Restore The 4th' galvanizes over 100 nationwide protests against NSA, PRISM, and government spying|date=2013-07-04|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Don’t Break Our Phones rallies===

On Feb 14, 2016, FFTF organized rallies in front of 40 Apple stores around the nation, putting the spotlight on how tech giants are under increasing pressure to share their data with the government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boingboing.net/2016/02/17/rallies-planned-at-apple-store.html|title=Rallies planned at Apple stores to protest the FBI's crusade to hack your iPhone|date=2016-02-17|website=Boing Boing|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://appadvice.com/appnn/2016/02/protesters-gather-in-dont-break-our-phones-rallies-in-support-of-apple-vs-fbi|title=Protesters gather in 'Don't Break Our Phones' rallies in support of Apple vs. FBI|last=Calimlim|first=Aldrin|date=2016-02-24|website=AppAdvice|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Broadband privacy billboards===

In August 2016, Fight for the Future crowdfunded "You Betrayed Us" billboards in the districts of three Republican House leaders—Representative [[Biography:Marsha Blackburn|Marsha Blackburn]] of Tennessee, who heads a communications subcommittee; Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the majority leader; and Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin-who had voted to reverse broadband privacy laws enacted by the Obama FCC. The billboards included information on how much money the pictured lawmaker had received from the telecomm lobby.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/4/15545266/congress-privacy-vote-isp-billboards|title=Billboards target lawmakers who voted to let ISPs sell user information|last=Lecher|first=Colin|date=2017-05-04|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/08/pro-net-neutrality-billboards-shame-lawmakers-who-want-to-repeal-rules/|title=GOP lawmakers shamed on billboards for trying to repeal net neutrality rules|last=Brodkin|first=Jon|date=2017-08-16|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Chelsea Manning===

After whistleblower Chelsea Manning was jailed for disclosing to [[Social:WikiLeaks|WikiLeaks]] nearly 750,000 military and diplomatic documents,<ref name="Chelsea Manning">{{Citation|title=Chelsea Manning|date=2019-11-18|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chelsea_Manning&oldid=926767201|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> she was imprisoned from 2010 until 2017 when her sentence was commuted.<ref name="Chelsea Manning"/> FFTF laid the groundwork for her release and crowdraising $140,000 in post-prison support.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/chelsea-manning-is-a-free-woman-what-now-125528/|title=Chelsea Manning Is a Free Woman: What Now?|last=Baume|first=Matt|date=2017-05-17|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Manning has been jailed since March 8, 2019 for her continued refusal to testify before a grand jury against Julian Assange and FFTF continues to call for her immediate release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fightforthefuture.org/|title=Fight for the Future, defending our basic rights and freedoms|last=Future|first=Fight for the|website=Fight for the Future|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=August 2023|reason=Manning has since been released.}}

===Anti-ICE protests===

After Salesforce signed a $40 million contract with ICE and U.S. Border Patrol, through NoTechForIce.com, FFTF brought together groups like Color of Change, RAICES, and Mijente, to demand that the company cancel their contract with Border Patrol. A protest was held during the company's flagship Dreamforce convention in San Francisco, where more than 170,000 people were in attendance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/408769-salesforce-agrees-to-meet-with-activists-protesting-border-patrol-contract|title=Salesforce agrees to meet with activists protesting border patrol contract|last=Breland|first=Ali|date=2018-09-27|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90241398/dreamforce-2018-protesters-brought-a-giant-cage-to-salesforces-convention|title=Immigration activists bring a giant cage to Salesforce convention|last=Captain|first=Sean|date=2018-09-25|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Salesforce ultimately agreed to meet with a group representing frontline communities and has since hired its first Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/10/salesforce-hires-its-first-chief-ethical-and-humane-use-officer.html|title=Salesforce hires its first chief ethical and humane use officer following Benioff's criticism of Facebook|last=Feiner|first=Lauren|date=2018-12-10|website={{wipe|CNBC}}|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> FFTF publicized an internal email leaked from Microsoft-owned GitHub, the world's largest software development platform, that disclosed the renewal of a $200,000 ICE contract. The email prompted hundreds of the company's employees to demand the company cancel the contract.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/10/9/20906605/github-ice-contract-immigration-ice-dan-friedman|title=GitHub is the latest tech company to face controversy over its contracts with ICE|last=Ghaffary|first=Shirin|date=2019-10-09|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> In October 2019, the group's NoMusicForICE campaign prompted more than 1,000 independent artists to call for the boycott Amazon-backed events and partnerships over its contracts with ICE and other federal agencies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/after-amazon-music-festival-unveiled-musicians-pledge-boycott-over-companys-ice-contract/|title=After Amazon music festival unveiled, musicians pledge boycott over company's ICE contract|date=2019-10-24|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

===Facial recognition===

FFTF's BanFacialRecognition was the first major national campaign calling for a federal ban on law enforcement use of this technology and has been endorsed by 30 major organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.banfacialrecognition.com/|title=Ban Facial Recognition|last=Future|first=Fight for the|website=Ban Facial Recognition|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> With the help of musicians including Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Speedy Ortiz's Sadie Dupuis, Amanda Palmer, and rappers Atmosphere, the organization was able to get more than 40 of the world's largest music festivals to sign on, including SXSW, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonarroo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2019-10-31/aeg-live-nation-step-back-from-facial-recognition|title=Concert promoters step back from facial recognition tech, for now|date=2019-10-31|website={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Its AirlinePrivacy.com campaign called on airlines to drop facial recognition screening in partnership with U.S. border control and to book directly with companies that are not using it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/447066-privacy-activists-launch-campaign-against-airlines-using-facial-recognition|title=Privacy activists launch campaign against airlines using facial recognition technology|last=Birnbaum|first=Emily|date=2019-06-05|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> Starting in 2023, US airlines have adopted facial recognition technology to eliminate the necessity of presenting a passport for boarding flights.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-17 |title=Countries With Airports Using Facial Recognition Instead Of Boarding Pass |url=https://www.travelandleisureasia.com/in/news/airports-that-use-facial-recognition-instead-of-boarding-pass/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Travel and Leisure Asia {{!}} India |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Amazon Ring===

In response to Amazon Ring's practice of giving local law enforcement access to customers’ camera-enabled doorbells, FFTF launched a campaign which prompted Amazon to release the full list of 400+ cities where partnerships exist.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/28/doorbell-camera-firm-ring-has-partnered-with-police-forces-extending-surveillance-reach/|title=Doorbell-camera firm Ring has partnered with 400 police forces, extending surveillance concerns|last=Harwell|first=Drew|date=2019-08-28|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> More than 30 civil rights and immigration organizations participated in the campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/10/08/over-30-civil-rights-groups-demand-an-end-to-amazon-rings-police-partnerships/|title=Over 30 civil rights groups demand an end to Amazon Ring's police partnerships|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> FFTF's InvestigateAmazon.com campaign demanded that Congress investigate the threats the surveillance-based business model poses to security, privacy and civil liberties.

===ISP sale of customer location data===

After a Motherboard report found that a bounty hunter could purchase location data from Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T for as little as $300, FFTF organized a rapid response campaign calling on Congress and the FCC to investigate the dangers of the sale of sensitive personal information. Through this campaign, 20,000 people called for an investigation. By May 2019, all major carriers agreed to stop the practice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/05/16/a-year-after-outcry-carriers-are-finally-stopping-sale-of-location-data-letters-to-fcc-show/|title=A year after outcry, carriers are finally stopping sale of location data, letters to FCC show|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

== Other activities ==

===Opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership===
In the summer of 2016, Fight for the Future teamed up with musician Tom Morello's label Firebrand Records to launch a Rock Against the TPP multi-city tour, featuring concerts, teach-ins, and protests of the [[Finance:Trans-Pacific Partnership|Trans-Pacific Partnership]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCarthy|first1=Kyle|title=Nationwide "Rock Against the TPP" Celebrity Concert Tour|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kyle-mccarthy/nationwide-rock-against-t_b_11556550.html|website=HuffPost|accessdate=September 11, 2016|date=August 18, 2016}}</ref>

=== Gamers for Freedom ===
After [[Company:Blizzard Entertainment|Blizzard Entertainment]], a top video game company, sought to suspend Chung Ng Wai, a professional gamer in [[Place:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], for expressing his support for Hong Kong protesters and refused to award him his prize money, FFTF organized Gamers for Freedom. The campaign teamed up with [[Software:Gamer|gamer]]s, [[Company:Reddit|reddit]]ors, and others to protest the action and encouraged subscribers to cancel their membership.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/01/business/blizzcon-blizzard-protest.html|title=Why Gamers Are Protesting BlizzCon for Hong Kong|last=Chokshi|first=Niraj|date=2019-11-01|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=2019-12-04|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===HelloVote===

In the 2016 elections, FFTF built HelloVote, the first ever SMS and Facebook messenger chatbot for registering to vote and helping others to get to the polls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/register-to-vote-via-text-facebook-hellovote-2016-9|title=A new service just launched that allows voters in key states to register to vote via text message|last=Tani|first=Maxwell|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/09/22/technology/hellovote-text-to-vote/index.html|title=You can now register to vote by sending a text|last=O'Brien|first=Sara Ashley|date=2016-09-22|website=CNN Business|access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref>

== Controversies ==

Dr. David Lowery,  of the [[Organization:University of Georgia|University of Georgia]] accused Fight For The Future of being an [[Social:Astroturfing|"astroturf"]] organization funded by Silicon Valley interests disguised as a grassroots organization. Federal tax documents have shown large donations from major corporate backers including Union Square Ventures and [[Company:Yelp|Yelp]] among others.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lowery|first1=David|title=List of Corporations and Foundations Funding Astroturf Fight For The Future "Free Speech Graveyard"|url=https://thetrichordist.com/2016/05/12/list-of-corporations-and-foundations-funding-astroturf-fight-for-the-future-free-speech-graveyard/|website=The Trichordist|date=May 12, 2016}}</ref> {{Unreliable source?|date=April 2020}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Computer law organizations]]

{{Sourceattribution|Fight for the Future}}