Golden Frog Visits Washington DC to Talk Online Privacy

We’re in Washington DC this week talking online privacy issues with Congressional leaders and our industry friend i2C!

The main issues we’ll be discussing this trip include:

Updating ECPA 

ECPA sets the rules for when police and government can read email and other digital content. It’s remained unchanged since 1986, despite all the technological changes that have occurred, and we believe ECPA needs to be updated in order to protect Americans’ online privacy rights.

Protecting Encryption

We believe strongly in encryption, and urge Congress to pass legislation that protects Internet users’ rights to encrypt their digital information. This right should extend to data stored in devices, over the Internet and in the cloud.

Banning Backdoor Encryption 

We are strongly opposed to backdoor encryption, and do not believe in access to consumer information via government-mandated backdoors. These backdoors introduce vulnerabilities into communications for consumers.

Addressing Communications Content Collection

We believe U.S. intelligence agencies have operated without effective oversight for too long, and their unaccountable, non-transparent massive surveillance programs should not continue to go unchecked any more.

Our Meetings

While in DC this week, we met with the following people and groups. We shared our talking points above, and had some great discussions along the way. Our meetings included:

• InCompass – Met with CEO Chip Pickering and others
• Congressman Lamar Smith – Chairman of Science & Tech/former Chair of Judiciary Committee
• Congressman Louie Gohmert – Met with his Legislative Director Austin Smithson
• Senator Rand Paul – Met with his assistant Brandon Brooker
• Congressman Pete Olson and his Chief of Staff Tyler Nelson
• Chris Calabrese, VP of Policy at CDT
• Congressman John Ratcliffe – Texas Member of Judiciary Committee
• i2Coalition, including a meeting at the CTA Innovation House where Congressman Will Hurd addressed the group
• Congressman Black Farenthold – Texas Member of Judiciary Committee

More to Come

Here’s a photo of Golden Frog Co-CEO Ron Yokubaitis with Bijan from CCIA, Karen from Incompas, Christian from i2C and David from i2C.

Please check back later this week for a full recap of our visit, and more details on what issues we discussed while in Washington DC.