1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

Vote NO on S.1207, the EARN IT Act. This legislation threatens our right to private online conversations by undermining encryption and promoting universal scanning of messages, photos, and files. We must protect this fundamental aspect of free and informed self-government. The EARN IT Act seeks a one-size-fits-all approach to regulating internet services across all 50 states through "best practices" set by a federal commission influenced by law enforcement agencies. This bill aims to eliminate true end-to-end encryption, replacing it with surveillance software that puts us at constant risk of monitoring and potential criminalization. The sponsors justify their push for universal surveillance under the guise of protecting children from crimes involving them. However, if passed, state legislatures will have unprecedented power to regulate websites large and small in the name of child protection. This could lead to widespread pressure on companies to scan messages, photos, and entire websites, compromising user privacy and security. Online services that currently use encryption for user privacy would face a difficult choice: either risk losing everything in lawsuits or prosecutions, or undermine their own users' privacy. This would make all of us more vulnerable, including children. We have successfully defeated this bill twice before and can do so again with your support. We kindly request that you vote against S.1207 - The EARN IT Act to protect our right to private online conversations and maintain the integrity of encryption technologies. Additionally, we urge you to consider the potential consequences on vulnerable populations, such as children and marginalized communities, who may be further endangered by this legislation's implementation.