History to date (November, December, lobbying, awareness raising, et cetera.)
From Organisational Sandbox
Achievements in our first year:
The Digital Liberty Coalition developed exponentially at a phenomenal rate. In our first year we have successfully bought digital rights concerns to national media attention and to the attention of politicians around the nation.
In 2008 we held protests in major cities opposing mandatory censorship of the Internet. We received the support of opposing politicians, the national media and outraged citizens, bringing our concerns to the forefront of the Australian people and government.
Our attempts to bring a stop to mandatory censorship are currently ongoing with swelling support from the public and political circles.
The year ahead:
Over the coming year, DLC will pursue opportunities to inform the public and policy makers and offer important clear manifestations of the effects of technology on the community.
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HISTORY
The Digital Liberty Coalition was formed out of the necessity. On November 1, 2008, simultaneous rallies were staged across the nation to inform the public on the issue of internet censorship and it became evident during the exercise that the most effective way to combat the Government on this issue was a single, united organisation, as opposed to numerous smaller ones. It is from here that the DLC was brought together as a composite of a number of the smaller, grass-roots groups.
In December, more national rallies were held, with several thousand people, across all capital cities; the numerous groups and non-affiliated individuals attending discussed the common apolitical objective of keeping the internet safe from the hands of legislators and a common ideal of net neutrality and civil rights as afforded to us under international law.
It is on these foundations of proactive direct action lobbying that the DLC was founded and continues to run, with strong ties to many industries, organisations and communities.
THE PATH FORWARDS
Given that this is, by no means, the first instance of censorship being raised in Australia it will undoubtedly not be the last. The consensus amongst the coalition is that to move forwards we must turn to extrinsic modalities to defend civil rights in a digital world.
It is on this notion that the coalition is currently involved in Governmental consultation with the public for a legislative bill of rights in Australia. To hold Governments accountable for their actions, and ensure that all Australians retain liberty the ideal result will be a constitutional bill; in the interim a legislative bill will provide some checks and balances superior to our complete lack of rights outside those inferred within the Constitution itself.
Whilst remaining apolitical, the coalition has also noted strong support and requests that we pursue better representation within Government for the large convergent demographic that make up the netizenry of contemporary society. It is through these endeavours that the Digital Liberty Coalition seek to bring a voice to the people.
