“We need an entirely new way of thinking about and writing privacy laws, because Big Tech has gotten too good at manipulating process-based laws for its own benefit.” – Ari Ezra Waldman, in How Big Tech Turns Privacy Laws Into Privacy Theater
In late 2021, some WA privacy advocates realized that we needed new ways of organizing to get these new laws passed. Washington state had some important successes in 2021, most recently Bellingham’s banning city use of face recognition and predictive policing; King County becoming the first county in the US to prohibit on the county government from using face recognition technology; and once again stopping Big Tech from passing the weak, corporate-backed, process-based Bad Washington Privacy Act.
Grassroots organizing has played a key role in this, with groups like People First Bellingham, the Tech Equity Coalition, Indivisible, Code Blue, DemCast and WA State Poor People’s campaign all getting involved. And while it’s different than in-person organizing, we’ve experienced that online organizing is a powerful and effective tool – whether it’s a compliment, or the main vehicle.
As we look forward to the 2023 Legislative Session in WA State, we’re going to need to continue our advocacy on behalf of good federal laws. There will be more ways to get involved with WA People’s Privacy Network very soon, and if you’d like to get involved in people’s federal legislative advocacy happening right now with WA Privacy Organizers, we’d love to meet you!
If you’re comfortable with strategic alliances in the pursuit of particular data privacy wins, WA Privacy Organizers is administered by a long-time privacy advocate who is comfortable working with people from across the political and social justice spectrum. WA People’s Privacy is a key collaborator in this group, and we would love that organizing group to grow as much as possible as we approach the 2023 WA Legislative session.
You can fill out their survey* with your interests. There’s a place where you can enter your email address for the WA Privacy Organizer Admin to follow up, or you can be anonymous if you prefer.
*Don’t be alarmed by the loading page when you click the survey link – WA Privacy Organizers is using an encrypted survey form. 🙂
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Caveat: If you are a strictly left collaborator, always intersectional, and prefer to take a rock-solid stance for social justice; you may prefer to just reach work with WA People’s Privacy, and that’s alright!
Fill out the WA People’s Privacy contact form to connect and/or get involved. 🙂.
While our website is in transition, we’re using a simple google form, which is not ideal, but without funding, it has to work for now! We will not share your info, nor use it for any other purpose than to get in touch with you. We had success in driving more public comments on the Seattle Surveillance 4b technologies recently, stopping ShotSpotter in coalition with Seattle and National organizers, and we’ll be continuing our work on tech and voter education; advocacy and actions in support of federal and state laws.