Here we are, months into the resistance and I know that at times it can feel too tricky to stay on top of the latest outrage.  I’m writing this blog post right now to bring your attention to an urgent privacy issue in Maine that we can’t let slip under the radar.

We need to mobilize right now behind LD 1610, a bill in the Maine Legislature with bipartisan support, to protect consumer privacy on the Internet.

TAKE ACTION: CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND TELL THEM TO VOTE YES ON LD 1610.

This bill is necessary because of recent alarming changes to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule that now allow your data to be sold to the highest bidder.

In April 2017, the U.S. Congress voted to reverse new privacy protections from the FCC that would have required Internet service providers (ISPs) like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T to seek customers’ permission before sharing their personal information.  Even local Internet companies don’t support this action by Congress.

Because of a certain peculiarity in method Congress used to repeal the rule, any efforts for protections that would be “substantially the same” cannot be passed on a federal level.  Further, privacy safeguards offered by ISPs vary. This means that our only hope for protecting our data is in the Maine Legislature.

Since April, more than a dozen states have introduced legislation to protect customer privacy that was left vulnerable by the FCC rule repeal.  LD 1610 will reverse some of the damage done by the loss of privacy protections at the federal level.  Advertisers and data brokers are increasingly using data to decide what prices to advertise to someone, the content they should steer them to, and even the types of loans to offer them.  For example, until recently, Facebook allowed advertisers to target users based on race, gender, or a medical condition. Before Facebook changed this policy, advertisers had the option of, for instance, excluding anyone with African American “ethnic affinity” from seeing certain housing advertisements. Such practices undermine laws designed to prohibit practices that have been used to discriminate against marginalized populations for decades.

No one should have to choose between using the Internet or protecting their privacy. And using the Internet is no longer a luxury that we can choose not to participate in. The Internet has become a necessity for everything from work to school to paying bills. Therefore, Internet providers have access to some of our most personal information including browsing history, location history, and contacts. Taken together, this data could paint an intimate picture of a person’s religion, medical conditions, and even their hobbies. 

The U.S. Congress has put corporate profits over consumer privacy. Now, it’s up to the states to protect their residents. And it’s up to us, the constituents, to demand our representatives take action on this issue.

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY USING OUR HANDY EMAIL TOOL.

Also, here are some ideas for how you can individually take steps protect your data.

Last month’s ACLU of Maine Annual Dinner and Scolnik Award night at Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland broke all previous tallies in terms of attendance, enthusiasm, and funds raised.  We are so grateful for the friends old and new who joined us, for the sponsors who supported us, and for the many volunteers who helped make it happen.

For anyone who missed it, the event kicked off with a cocktail reception, featuring an all-new Selfie Corner where folks could take pictures with liberty-themed props. If you’re on Twitter or Instagram, you can search the hashtag #WeThePeopleME to see the pictures attendees posted.

The formal program featured the public debut of a short video about today’s unprecedented threats to civil liberties and the ACLU’s work here and across the country to fight back. Watch it here:

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Privacy statement. This embed will serve content from youtube.com.

ACLU of Maine Executive Director Alison Beyea spoke next about how the ACLU was built for difficult moments like this. She pledged not to waver in the ACLU’s effort to help create a more perfect union. Justice Louis Scolnik reflected on the ACLU of Maine’s founding nearly 50 years ago, and presented the Award in his name to the Lee Family – Adam, Cathy, Jonathan and their father Shep posthumously, for their multigenerational activism for civil liberties. Next, Senator Angus King spoke about the importance of immigrants for Maine’s future and introduced Senator George Mitchell, the event’s keynote speaker. In keeping with the night’s theme, Senator Mitchell shared his own family’s immigration story and also reflected on the great impact immigrants have had in Maine’s history.

We have received many requests for a copy of Senator Mitchell’s speech, which you can watch here:

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Privacy statement. This embed will serve content from youtube.com.

In short, the 2017 Annual Dinner and Scolnik Award night was a huge success, which begs the question – how could we possibly top this event next year? Ask us in September. For now, we’ll just enjoy our abundant gratitude to all the folks who turned out last month – and since November – to stand up for the rights of all Maine people.