About Fight for the Future is the most active digital rights nonprofit in the decentralized tech space, building on their decade of advocacy and activism for open source software, privacy, and the democratization of the internet. Our mission is to ensure that technology is a force for empowerment and free expression rather than corruption and inequality. By employing a tactical combination of technology, organizing, alliances, and messaging, Fight harnesses the power of the Internet to mobilize people on an unprecedented scale—and speak to legislators with users’ interests at heart.

In summer 2021, when the Senate added a provision that would threaten the entirety of the cryptocurrency ecosystem to a must-pass bill, Fight launched dontkillcrypto.com which brought the entire infrastructure package to a halt. The massive viral effort drove 40,000+ calls to senators and facilitated tweets reaching more than 20 million people, helping to generate the introduction of two competing amendments in less than a week. While the Senate failed to amend their original, harmful language, the campaign succeeded in exploding the issue into the public’s radar, earning more attention to cryptocurrency policy than ever before and demonstrating that Congress will be held accountable for sneaking through bad laws.

Since then, Fight has remained a unique voice with a human rights focus, taking principled and powerful stances on ham-handed legislation, engaging with topics ranging from Russian sanctions to CBDCs. We were the first civil society organization to push back on the Tornado Cash sanctions, and in coalition with the ACLU and others, launched, NoSpyCash. This year Fight brought together over 35 privacy-preserving projects, coalitions, and organizations to send a clear message to the new US Congress: Privacy is fundamental to human rights. In 2023 Fight will continue to push back against regulatory and legislative actions that undermine rights and freedoms such as privacy, security, access to knowledge, freedom of expression, self-determination, and freedom of the press.

Activities - Updated April 2023

1. Maintain and grow a large coalition with a common strategy and voice.

• Coordinate companies & networks to act in tandem with the large but disjointed army of crypto defenders. Channel their energy towards a common goal.
• Expand the number of civil society organizations speaking out and recruit new constituencies who should be engaged on these issues but currently aren’t.
• Bring decentralized projects in on expanded advocacy opportunities that build bridges—advocating for encryption, against financial deplatforming, and in the interest of breaking up big tech.

2. Drive the public relations strategy among peers and progressive legislators.

• Hone messages for the public, press, and lawmakers.
• Spark social and mainstream media coverage. Fight is among the top go-to press sources for digital rights.
• Call out scams—and demand thoughtful and precise regulation to protect everyday people and crypto projects.
• Call out bad legislation and opportunism by demanding better from lawmakers and fellow organizations alike.
• Have the hard and direct conversations around why these issues are important for human rights online, and what might get caught in the crossfire of bad regulation, myopic analysis, or harmful business practices.

3. Rapidly mobilize aggressive advocacy campaigns.

• Assess and sound the alarm for bad legislation that is actually a threat. Rally the troops and produce a steady drumbeat of opposition to the worst legislation through sign-on letters, calls, petition drives, crowdfunded billboards, etc.
• Educate lawmakers. Bring a public interest perspective on policy and provide thought leadership.
• Organize meetings between knowledgeable constituents and lawmakers.

4. Arm supporters with the best tools for rallying others and making their voices heard.

• Develop and disseminate tools from our full stack development shop including our new Discord bot.
• Build websites that will serve as campaign hubs. Paired with accessible educational content, our groundbreaking “contact Congress” tool makes it easy for people to reach lawmakers.
• Reach out to supporters through their own networks with new and innovative strategies.

Source list w/ links

• Human Rights Web3 for activists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_4XTYYQE31BHkvh9eqBkeh-48bjOuhEI
• Anonymity is not negotiable when it comes to digital cash: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2022-05-19-letter-anonymity-is-not-negotiable-when-it-comes-to-digital-cash
• Powerful Stance: https://twitter.com/fightfortheftr/status/1532099112731959296
• Statement: Attacks on self-hosted wallets are attacks on privacy and the right to code https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2022-03-30-statement-attacks-on-self-hosted-wallets-are-attacks-on-privacy-and-the-right-to-code
• Op-ed by Executive Director, Sarah Roth Gaudette on The Dig Boston: https://digboston.com/guest-opinion-i-knocked-on-doors-for-senator-warren-but-shes-wrong-about-crypto/
• Statement on Tornado Cash: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2022-08-09-statement-treasurys-clumsy-approach-to-tornado-cash-is-a-threat-to-the-future-of-financial-privacy/
• Surveillance and censorship in digital currency: https://www.nospycash.com/
• Privacy tool, Open letter: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2023-01-09-open-letter-for-the-sake-of-freedom-and-democracy-incoming-lawmakers-must-defend-privacy/