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Begin forwarded message: > From: Deji Olukotun <[email protected]> > Date: September 9, 2015 at 4:01:13 PM EDT > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Subject: [global-nn] Join coalition letter to Twitter on Politwoops? > Reply-To: Deji Olukotun <[email protected]> > > Hi to All, > > Apologies for cross posting. Please find below an open letter to Twitter > about its decision to turn off Politwoops, a crucial tool for holding > politicians accountable in 32 countries. We've had great coverage of the > campaign so far (you can see media hits at the bottom). Help us make a > broader impact. > > Please let us know if your group will sign on by Friday 9am NYC. > > This an important fight for transparency, accountability, and free expression. > > Best, > Deji > > https://www.accessnow.org/pages/open-letter-twitter-restore-politwoops-access-api > Open letter to Twitter to restore Politwoops access to API > > September 2015 > > We, the undersigned, are international human rights and transparency groups > based around the world. We are writing in opposition to Twitter’s recent > decision to revoke the ability of the tool Politwoops and similar tools to > utilize Twitter’s Application Programming Interface, or API. We believe > Twitter’s decision holds grave consequences for free expression and > transparency around the world. > > Background > > In 2010, the Netherlands-based Open State Foundation created the Politwoops > tool to publish Tweets deleted by politicians. From then onwards, the Open > State Foundation rolled out Politwoops with the help of individuals and > organizations in 32 countries, including the Sunlight Foundation in the U.S. > Twitter then revoked the ability of the Sunlight Foundation to use its API in > May 2015 and it revoked the Open State Foundation’s access to the API on > August 21. > > Transparency and due process > > To justify its decision, Twitter explained that, “No one user is more > deserving of that ability [to delete a tweet] than another. Indeed, deleting > a tweet is an expression of one’s voice.” > > Twitter’s reasoning conflates transparency and accountability with privacy. > We agree that when users decide to delete tweets they are engaging in > expression—but add that the public has a compelling interest in the > expression of public officials. Recognizing this public interest, courts have > long held that public officials do not receive the same treatment for > privacy. Further, when public officials use Twitter to amplify their > political views, they invite greater scrutiny of their expression. > Journalists and civil society utilize tools like Politwoops to understand the > views and commitments of the people these politicians represent—and the > politician or candidate’s own intents and perspective. In this case, the > citizen’s right to freedom of expression —which includes access to > information—outweighs the official’s right to a retroactive edit. > > In terms of process, this decision involved minimal dialogue with the Open > State Foundation and the Sunlight Foundation. There was no opportunity to > appeal the decision, which impacted a widely-used, volunteer-run service. The > action carried out by Twitter was arbitrary and cuts against the very > principles of transparency that Politwoops was designed to confront. > > We recognize that the API license gives Twitter discretion to enforce its > terms. However, Twitter should also take into account human rights when it > exercises that discretion—and particularly the right of people to access to > information where it serves the interest of public accountability and > transparency in a democratic society. There are times when what is legal must > be outweighed by what is right. > > Recommendations > > We note that Twitter has been a leader in transparency and free expression > since its founding. The platform has helped foster numerous advances in > journalism and in accountability. This makes the unilateral decision by > Twitter so troubling and off-course. Accordingly, we urge you to: > > immediately restore access for the Politwoops tool to the Twitter API in > every country around the world; > convene stakeholders to develop a forward-looking API policy, or other > constructive solution, that allows civil society groups to effectively > promote accountability and transparency for the public interest; > make clear exceptions in the “Twitter Developer Agreement & Policy” for > information shared in the public interest, such as for transparency or > journalistic purposes; and > participate in multistakeholder organizations which facilitate meetings > between civil society, investors, academics, and corporations on decisions > impacting human rights. > Signed, > > Access > > Alternatif Bilisim (Turkey) > > American Civil Liberties Union > > Art 34-bis (Italy) > > Asociacion por los Derechos Civiles (Argentina) > > Bits of Freedom (Netherlands) > > Blueprint for Free Speech (Australia) > > Civio Foundation (Spain) > > Clean Air Action Group (Hungary) > > Derechos Digitales (Latin America) > > Electronic Frontier Foundation > > Electronic Frontiers Australia > > EDRi > > European Federation of Journalists > > Fondation Sciences Citoyennes (France) > > Free Press > > Fundación Ciudadana Civio (Spain) > > GovTrack.us > > Hiperderecho (Peru) > > Human Rights Watch > > Iraqi Network for Social Media > > Jinbonet (Korea) > > Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (Netherlands) > > Open Knowledge Foundation (Australia) > > OpenMedia (Canada) > > Open State Foundation > > Paradigm Initiative (Nigeria) > > Pirate Party (Turkey) > > La Quadrature du Net (France) > > Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (Mexico) > > Sunlight Foundation (U.S.) > > Support for Information Technology Center (Egypt) > > Vrijschrift (Netherlands) > > Web Foundation > > Learn more about the open letter: Fortune, The Verge, Fast Company, The Hill, > Business Insider, Washington Post, TechCrunch, Dutch Radio 1, Nu.nl, The > Register, Tech Times, CNET, Villamedia, Ansa, Arizona Wildcat, Nieman Lab, Nos > > > -- > Deji Olukotun > Senior Global Advocacy Manager > Access | accessnow.org > > tel: +1 415-935-4572 | @dejiridoo > PGP: 0x6012CDA8 > Fingerprint: 3AEE 4194 F70E C806 A810 857A 6AD5 8F48 6012 CDA8 > > Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter on digital rights, the Access > Express: accessnow.org/express
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