Open Rights Group

{{Infobox organization

| name = Open Rights Group

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| abbreviation = ORG

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| formation = 2005, UK

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| type = Non-profit organisation

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| purpose = Law, Advocacy, Digital Rights

| headquarters = London, England

| location = United Kingdom

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| num_staff = 11

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| website = [http://openrightsgroup.org/ openrightsgroup.org]

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The Open Rights Group (ORG) is a UK-based organisation that works to preserve digital rights and freedoms by campaigning on digital rights issues{{cite web | last=Knowles | first=Tom | title='David's Law' on online anonymity won't work, say privacy campaigners - News | website=The Times | date=2021-10-19 | url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/davids-law-wont-work-privacy-campaigners-social-media-trolls-pwjqk5b57 | access-date=2021-10-23}} and by fostering a community of grassroots activists. It campaigns on numerous issues including mass surveillance, internet filtering and censorship, and intellectual property rights.

History

File:Protect your bits.jpgThe organisation was started by Danny O'Brien, Cory Doctorow, {{ill|Ian Brown (technologist)|lt=Ian Brown|qid=Q102417039|short=yes}}, Rufus Pollock, James Cronin, Stefan Magdalinski, Louise Ferguson and Suw Charman after a panel discussion at Open Tech 2005.[http://www.ukuug.org/events/opentech2005/schedule/ Open Tech 2005 schedule] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051215043405/http://www.ukuug.org/events/opentech2005/schedule/ |date=15 December 2005 }}, 23 July 2005 O'Brien created a pledge on PledgeBank, placed on 23 July 2005, with a deadline of 25 December 2005: "I will create a standing order of 5 pounds per month to support an organisation that will campaign for digital rights in the UK but only if 1,000 other people will too." The pledge reached 1000 people on 29 November 2005.[http://www.pledgebank.com/rights www.pledgebank.com/rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129094116/http://www.pledgebank.com/rights |date=29 November 2005 }}, 23 July 2005 – 25 December 2005[http://www.oblomovka.com/entries/2005/07/25#1122278040 Getting out more] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807173140/http://www.oblomovka.com/entries/2005/07/25 |date=7 August 2011 }}, Danny O'Brien's blog post floating the idea and advertising the pledge The Open Rights Group was launched at a "sell-out" meeting in Soho, London.[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/11/29/org-digital-rights-event-update/ ORG digital rights event update] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511190624/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/11/29/org-digital-rights-event-update/ |date=11 May 2008 }}, Open Rights Group blog, 29 November 2005[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/11/16/invitation-to-attend-digital-rights-in-the-uk-your-rights-your-issues/ Invitation to attend ‘Digital Rights in the UK: Your Rights, Your Issues’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511184601/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/11/16/invitation-to-attend-digital-rights-in-the-uk-your-rights-your-issues/ |date=11 May 2008 }}, Open Rights Group blog, 16 November 2005

Work

The group has made submissions to the All Party Internet Group (APIG) inquiry into digital rights management[https://web.archive.org/web/20060612213849/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5041684.stm MPs in digital downloads warning], BBC News Online, 4 June 2006[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/orgwiki/index.php/APIG_DRM_Inquiry_Submission ORG submission to the APIG inquiry into DRM], Open Rights Group wiki, 3 January 2006 and the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property.[http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2005/Press_102_05.cfm Chancellor announces intellectual property review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051204022554/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2005/Press_102_05.cfm |date=4 December 2005 }}, HM Treasury press release, 2 December 2005[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/orgwiki/index.php/Gowers_Review_Submission ORG submission to the Gowers Review], Open Rights Group wiki, 30 May 2006

The group was honoured in the 2008 Privacy International Big Brother Awards alongside No2ID, Liberty, Genewatch UK and others, as a recognition of their efforts to keep state and corporate mass surveillance at bay.[http://gizmonaut.net/blog/uk/big_brother_awards_2008.html Big Brother Awards UK 2008], 12 December 2008

In 2010 the group worked with 38 Degrees{{cite web | title = Controversial UK anti-piracy law finally passed |publisher=BBC | date = 5 April 2010 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/rorycellanjones/2010/04/who_cares_about_the_digital_ec.html | access-date =25 September 2010 }} to oppose the introduction of the Digital Economy Act, which was passed in April 2010.{{cite web|title=Controversial UK anti-piracy law finally passed|publisher=Telecoms Europe|url=http://www.telecomseurope.net/content/controversial-uk-anti-piracy-law-finally-passed?section=HEADLINE|access-date=9 April 2010}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The group opposes measures in the draft Online Safety Bill introduced in 2021, that it sees as infringing free speech rights and online anonymity.{{cite web | last=Scott | first=Jennifer | title=Can Online Safety Bill tackle social media abuse of MPs? | website=BBC News | date=2021-10-19 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-58958244 | access-date=2021-10-23}}{{cite web | last=Burns | first=Heather | title=Why the online safety bill threatens our civil liberties | website=Politics.co.uk | date=2021-05-26 | url=https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021/05/26/why-the-online-safety-bill-threatens-our-civil-liberties/ | access-date=2021-10-23}}{{cite web | last=Wakefield | first=Jane | title=Government lays out plans to protect users online | website=BBC News | date=2021-05-12 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57071977 | access-date=2021-10-23}}

The group campaigns against the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport's plan to switch to an opt-out model for cookies. The group spokesperson stated that "[t]he UK government propose to make online spying the default option" in response to the proposed switch.{{cite web |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |title=UK plan to scrap cookie consent boxes will make it 'easier to spy' on web users |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/17/uk-plan-to-scrap-cookie-consent-boxes-will-make-it-easier-to-spy-on-web-users |website=The Guardian |date=17 June 2022 |access-date=19 June 2022}}

Goals

To collaborate with other digital rights and related organisations.
To nurture a community of campaigning volunteers, from grassroots activists to technical and legal experts.
To preserve and extend traditional civil liberties in the digital world.
To provide a media clearinghouse, connecting journalists with experts and activists.
To raise awareness in the media of digital rights abuses.

Areas of interest

File:Cory Doctorow talks at ORGCon 2012 talks about the UK Government’s Draft Communications Data Bill.ogv talks at ORGCon 2012 about the UK Government's Communications Data Bill 2012.]]

The organisation, though focused on the impact of digital technology on the liberty of UK citizens, operates with an apparently wide range of interests within that category. Its interests include:[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/category/issues/ ORG issues and interests] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609023918/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/category/issues/ |date=9 June 2008 }}, Open Rights Group website, last visited 30 May 2008[http://www.openrightsgroup.org/review-of-activities/digital-rights-issues/ Digital rights issues] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505222815/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/review-of-activities/digital-rights-issues/ |date=5 May 2008 }}, Open Rights Group website, last visited 30 May 2008

=Access to knowledge=

=Free speech and censorship=

Internet filtering
Right to parody
s. 127 Communications Act 2003

=Government and democracy=

=Privacy, surveillance and censorship=

Structure

ORG has a paid staff,{{cite web|title=Open Rights Group Staff|publisher=Open Rights Group|url=http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff|access-date=13 July 2010}} whose members include:

Jim Killock (executive director)

Former staff include Suw Charman-Anderson and Becky Hogge, both executive directors, e-voting coordinator Jason Kitcat, campaigner Peter Bradwell, grassroots campaigner Katie Sutton and administrator Katerina Maniadaki.{{cite web|title=Open Rights Group Former Staff|publisher=Open Rights Group|url=http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/former-staff|access-date=13 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621002836/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/former-staff|archive-date=21 June 2011|url-status=dead}} Neil Gaiman was previously the group's patron.{{cite web |title=Open Rights Group Patron |url=http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/patron |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121183957/https://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/patron |archive-date=21 November 2018 |access-date=13 July 2010 |publisher=Open Rights Group}} As of October 2022, the group had over 43,000 supporters.{{Cite web |last=Open Rights Group |first= |date=2024-02-24 |title=Annual Report 2022 |url=https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/org-annual-report-2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117163602/https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/annual-report-2019/ |archive-date=2021-01-17 |access-date=2021-01-17 |website=Open Rights Group}}

Advisory council and board of directors

In addition to staff members and volunteers, there is an advisory panel of over thirty members, and a board of directors, which oversees the group's work, staff, fundraising and policy.{{cite web |title=Open Rights Group Board |publisher=Open Rights Group |url=http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/board |access-date=17 January 2020}} The current board members are:

{{columns-list|

Kate Devlin
Melanie Dymond Harper
Anna Fielder
{{ill|Sandeep Gopalan|qid=Q125397136|short=yes}}
Hannah Little
Greg Mayne
Steven Murdoch
Luisa Porritt
Christi Scarborough

}}

In January 2015, the Open Rights Group announced the formation of a Scottish Advisory Council which will be handling matters relating to Scottish digital rights and campaigns. The Advisory Council is made up of:

{{columns-list|

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From the existing UK Advisory Council:

And from the Open Rights Group Board:

Milena Popova
Owen Blacker
Simon Phipps

One of the first projects is to raise awareness and opposition to the Scottish Identity Database.

ORGCON

ORGCON was the first ever conference dedicated to digital rights in the UK,{{cite web|title=ORGCon: London, July 24 – book now!|publisher=BoingBoing|date=16 June 2010|url=http://www.boingboing.net/2010/06/16/orgcon-london-july-2.html|access-date=13 July 2010}} marketed as "a crash course in digital rights". It was held for the first time in 2010 at City University in London and included keynote talks from Cory Doctorow, politicians and similar pressure groups including Liberty, NO2ID and Big Brother Watch. ORGCON has since been held in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2019 where the keynote was given by Edward Snowden.