Calling on election candidates to support digital rights

I have written to my prospective parliamentary candidates:

Layla Moran - Liberal Democrats

Stephen Webb - Labour

Chris Goodhall - Green Party

James Gunn - Reform

Anni Byard - Social Democratic Party

Ian Oliver Michael Shelley - Christian People's Alliance

... asking that they commit to support a core selection of digital rights that the Open Rights Group are campaigning for.

"I'm writing to you as a [ ] candidate in the general election, as I care about digital rights.

I am a supporter of Open Rights Group a UK-based digital rights organisation that campaigns to protect our rights to privacy and free speech online.

"Open Rights Group is calling on the next government to:

1. Protect our right to send secure messages
Everyone – including children and young people – should have the right to use end-to-end encryption to ensure that our communications are safe, secure and private. The next government should protect not undermine encryption.

2. Provide migrants with digital sanctuary
Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers need the same data and privacy rights as everyone else so that they can keep their digital identity and information safe. The next government should commit to ending the digital hostile environment.

3. Ban the use of pre-crime AI by the police
Predictive policing systems that use artificial intelligence (AI) to ‘predict’ criminal behaviour undermine our right to be presumed innocent and exacerbate discrimination and inequality in our criminal justice system. The next government should ban dangerous uses of AI in policing.

4. Defend our right to freedom of expression online
Freedom of expression online is being undermined by age verification, content takedowns, social media censorship and unfair copyright claims. The next government should commit to protecting our right to freedom of expression online.

5. Strengthen our data protection rights
We need strong data protection laws to make sure that governments and companies do not use our data to track, surveil and profit from us. The next government should strengthen our data protection rights and make sure that the data protection watchdog is fit for purpose.

6. End intrusive tracking by online advertisers
Advertising companies track our internet use to build detailed profiles so they can target us with adverts. The next government should restrict intrusive tracking by data brokers and online advertisers.

We know that Political Parties will often not allow candidates to agree to support particular policy positions outside their manifesto.

Therefore, I am instead asking you to make a simple pledge. That, if elected, you will uphold digital rights in the next parliament.

If you want to register your support as a candidate that is committed to digital rights, then ORG has produced a page where you can do so - https://action.openrightsgroup.org/i-pledge-support-digital-rights

If you want to read ORG's full Digital Rights 24 Manifesto this can be read at. - https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/digital-rights-24/

I look forward to hearing your views on digital rights."