50 for 50 Day 32: Electronic Frontier Foundation

It’s my 50th Birthday Celebration, Day 32 (which was Magic Johnson’s number. The best player to ever play basketball. Or was it Jordan? In any case, it ISN’T LeBron).

Anyhoo (don’t you hate people who say weird stuff like “Anyhoo”?), here’s my story: because I feel so blessed and have pretty much everything I could ever need, I am asking people to get involved with charities, if they are so inspired, in lieu of any fabulous birthday presents you were planning on sending me (or not).

I am featuring a different charity every day for 50 days leading up to my 50th birthday to give you plenty of chances to get involved. I started on May 18. I wanted to give a voice to different good works around the globe. If you ARE inspired to take action, please leave me a comment and let me know that you did. This is all I want for my birthday – to spread some love and kindness. Thank you, my dear friends.

Can you imagine what a big, juicy target the internet is for power-hungry governments and money-hungry corporations? The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been fighting the good fight to keep the internet open and free since there WAS an internet. Or World Wide Web. Whatever.

From their website:
Blending the expertise of lawyers, policy analysts, activists, and technologists, EFF achieves significant victories on behalf of consumers and the general public. EFF fights for freedom primarily in the courts, bringing and defending lawsuits even when that means taking on the US government or large corporations. By mobilizing more than 61,000 concerned citizens through our Action Center, EFF beats back bad legislation. In addition to advising policymakers, EFF educates the press and public.

Read about their victories. Pretty cool. For instance, way back in 1990, they fought to keep email free from prying government eyes – from their website:
EFF set one of the first precedents protecting computer communications from unwarranted government invasion. In 1990, the Secret Service seized the computers of a small company out of Austin, Texas, called Steve Jackson Games. The computers included the company’s electronic bulletin board system, a precursor the Internet for exchanging private email. This case was the first to establish that it is illegal for law enforcement to access and read private electronic mail without a warrant.

Donate here. They also have an action page to send emails on urgent matters of internet freedom. Go, send and email. You’ll feel better and help preserve democracy in the process.

Previously featured organizations:
Arghand
Impact Personal Safety
Kristin Brooks Hope Center
Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
Light Up the World Foundation
Planned Parenthood
Doctors Without Borders
Heifer International
Team Rubicon
Kiva
The Carter Center
Bikes Not Bombs
Friends of Maddie
ProPublica
Surfrider Foundation
Livestrong
United Through Reading
Operation Shower
The Liz Logelin Foundation
KidSave
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Kids Vs Global Warming
Help a Mother Out
Direct Relief International
WriteGirl
Accelerated Cure for Multiple Sclerosis
Women for Women
Epic Change
Amnesty International