With many of the topics we cover here, particularly the legal ones, it is a source of great frustration to many readers that it seems like there is so little they can do. How can we make an impact on these courts that keep ruling in favor of the big corporations and against the obvious interests of consumers? After all, tossing out the politicians who encouraged the judges who make such decisions is going to take a long time. But there is one thing you can do right now: join EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
EFF is launching a donation drive today to help support its fight for bloggers' rights, and I'd like to encourage all my reader to consider signing up for at least a $25 "advocate" membership. EFF is the first and often the last line of defense on so many of the issues we discuss here. Of course, the case they are involved with right now that's closest to my heart is the Apple v Does litigation, because the very future of on-line journalism is at stake there. But EFF has taken a lead role in the legal battles over EULAs, the DMCA, fair use, copyright abuse, stupid patents, and many other topics that you and I care about.
No, they don't always win. But without EFF, there often wouldn't have even been a fight. And I can tell you from personal experience that another important they do is in helping people like me stay out of legal jams in the first place. One of the reasons I've managed to avoid getting myself sued all these years is that in a couple of hairy situations I got some sage advice from the folks at EFF that helped me step safely through the legal minefields. Frankly, it would be very hard to write some of the things I write if EFF weren't there, and I can guarantee you there are many other webloggers who feel the same way.
So please consider clicking on the EFF "Support Bloggers' Rights" button on my website and making whatever donation you can. And if you do, make sure to tell them that the GripeLog sent you. It appears that I could actually win a pair of EFF pajama bottoms if enough of my readers sign up. And while it must have been fifty years since I wore a pair of pajama bottoms, I definitely can't think of anything I'd want more covering my backside.
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