san francisco where we're joined by rainey reitman, the activist and director of the electronic frontier foundation she is cofounder of the freedom of the press foundation. welcome to democracy now! talk about the significance of the state, and particularly what your target is. >> thank you so much for having me. today we fight back is a digital protest and over 6000 websites have gone on. we are pushing for a number of things. for those within the u.s., we are pushing people to contact their members of congress. we are at sort of a real interesting point in the nsa debate. we have obama acting a few key concessions toward reform. we have reviewed groups and congressionally appointed oversight board for civil a fairly demanding extensive reform be made to nsa spying. we have polls of public opinion showing overwhelmingly the american people want reform. in this landscape, we have an opportunity to push for congressional action. that is what we're doing. we are asking people to call on congress to promote the usa freedom act which would help to rein in nsa surveillance and push for additional forms

reform the anti hacking law the government used to pursue smart parker hagan's from the electronic frontier foundation foundations that there's still a lot to be done before politicians realize such relentless prosecution is unacceptable unfortunately the government has and hasn't changed its perception here there's been there was a proposal last year in the us legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. parents lost still has an advance to the point where it works past or where it can be cited and in fact received before as those two to make our computer private life even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on i'd still really politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. burn after reading or destroy after seeing newly released e-mail shows that right now fifty two thousand eleven raid that killed osama bin laden top u.s. commanders ordered the destruction of all the photos of his corpse check out why the rush for secrecy and r.t. dot com. almost like

you just watched a clip from the electronic frontier foundation.ra, from your perspective, what is ot risk here? >> based upon the leak of the intellectual property chapter that we saw from wikileaks, from november last year, it carries tonnes of copyright leaving users being senn sored. one is intermedia liability, compelling providers such as comcast and atmt and facebook and google and read it, those type of websites, to have liability over what users post. what that means is they'll be legally compelled to enforce copyright, and they will end up blocking websites, filtering content, spnding users -- suspending users accounts, leaving users silence as to what they can do online. another is digital rights management or digital restriction measures. what they do is - what the drn does is it has - there are tools that protect users security wise or, you know, protect copyright on these devices. what they essential do is turn the devices and content into legal black boxes. we don't know what is going on. we can't repair hour, tinger or install our o

liberties advocates are now pushing for congress to reform it parker hagan's from the electronic frontier foundation says there's still a lot to be done before politicians realize such tactics are unacceptable unfortunately the government hasn't changed its perception here there's been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. lost still has an advance to the point where it works past or where it can be cited and in fact we've seen proposals to to make our computer crime laws even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on idol related politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. now in bahrain a policeman has died of injuries suffered in a bomb explosion during friday's anti-government protests over two dozen opposition riders were arrested in clashes on the third anniversary of a pro reform uprising campaigner dr roula also far was also the president of the bahrain nursing society described how activist are

april glazer is with the electronic frontier foundation. she is an expert in so many things, the fcc often consults her when it's write the rules. thanks for being with us this morning. let me just throw out this idea that the internet has finally taken on more than it can chew h the nsa doesn't seem to care about what congress thinks about it. why would the nsa really care if boing boing is upset at it? >> not just boing boing >> and readit. >> 4,000 websites upset and thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people. so the nsa does care when congress is upset, when congress is upset at the nsa it can pass laws to stop the nsa from doing what they are doing now, which is outside the bounds of the constitution. >> evidence that the nsa has been a bit outside the laws anyway, hasn't it? i guess what i'm saying, devil's advocate, the nsa is far too powerful to care about what anyone thinks about it, therefore, difficult to protest that. >> we are in a different transparency environment than we were before the leaks came out last summer. so

now pushing for congress to reform legislation considering it too harsh there from the electronic frontier foundation so there's a lot to be done before politicians realize such tactics aren't acceptable. unfortunately the government has changed its perception here. there's been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called. the biggest concerns that we have. parents lost still has an advance to the point where it works past or where it can be signed and in fact we've seen proposals to to make our computer crime laws even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on it until really politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. to our world updates now in egypt's restive sinai peninsula least three south korean tourists in a bus driver were killed in an explosion officials say the vehicle was going from a local monastery to nearby israel when it was attacked more than a dozen other tourists were injured in the incident militants in the area have been increasing their attacks and egypt's pre

anti hacking you know the government he stood to see swartz and papa higgins from the electronic frontier foundation says there's still a lot to be done before politicians realize such relentless prosecution is acceptable unfortunately the government has and hasn't changed its perception here there's been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. lost still has an advance to the point where it works past or where it can be cited and in fact received proposals to to make our computer problems even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on idol related politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. colleagues of our own swards have never forgotten their mission to blow the whistle and i knew the adults not in fine see you as was blindly relying on n.s.a. data during his drone strikes simply hoping the passage on the other end of the missile was the bad guy the full story or not it all. sound to burn after reading

a thirty five year prison sentence and a million dollar fine pocket hagan's from the electronic frontier foundation says changes will not come easy or for that matter of a night either unfortunately the government has changed its first option here there's been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. parents lost still has been advanced to the point where it works past or where it can be cited and in fact we've seen before as those two to make our computer crime laws even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on. really politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. it's also international across britain house prices are soaring out of reach for ordinary people apart from in one town though where you can get a home for just about one pound all you have to do is give it a make over promise to live there. are reports. one pound sterling doesn't buy you much nowadays but in stoke on trent lucky locals have mana

a thirty five year prison sentence and a million dollar fine and the higgens from the electronic frontier foundation says changes will not come easy all over night. unfortunately the government hasn't hasn't changed its perception here there has been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. lost still has an advance to the point where it works past or where it can be cited and in fact received before as those two to make our computer crime laws even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on i'd still really politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. so we're following the un to n.s.a. unction online and for you and also waiting for you there months of rainfall rainfall causes u.k.'s largest river of the sun stood by us causing damage estimated at a billion dollars in gold the details of the picture of the biblical flood stare. and could something similar happen on mars an image released by nasa challenges

big government he's to pursue swartz and to paca hagan's from the electronic frontier foundation says there's still a lot to be done before politicians realize such relentless prosecution is unacceptable so we've seen prosecutors go after people in really i'm just ways. unfortunately the government hasn't had to change its first option here there's been there was a proposal last year in the u.s. legislature called erin's law that would address some of the biggest concerns that we have. lost still has the advantage to the point where it's poor it's passed and where it can be signed and in fact we've seen proposals to make our computer private life even harsher and so that's something that we need to keep working on i'd still really politicians who don't have a great grasp of how technology works understand that this kind of persecution isn't acceptable. and colleagues of our own schools have never forgotten their mission to blow the whistle. don't you leak from adults not in fines the u.s. was breaking blindly and lying on n.s.a. data during its draws trying simply hoping the past on t

but consumer watchdog groups are not buying that the electronic frontier foundation will explain how this merger could affect bay area cable customers. >> : scary prospect that one company could potentially own the only high speed danger in a pipe in homes and businesses of so many people in this country. people in the bay area should be concerned comcast is only company that really provides phone data and internet combined service did here. is getting so much more power on the national stage. bargaining power for tv programming and for content and it appeared pricing cable internet services has gone steadily up over the past few years. this would only help that continue. there are so many subtle and hard to believe ways for the company that believes those upset who can use the high. this merger will only make that easier for comcast to a fear that this means it will more look like cable television people should talk to members of congress people should talk to you, administration particularly antitrust division and department of justice. i can tell them that they should not approve

sites participating in the day we fight back, a global day of action organized by the electronic frontier foundation. >> abuses like the nsa collecting information on millions of people who aren't suspected of any crime. >> reporter: the major push of the campaign more than 81,000 phone calls and 161,000 e-mails sent to congress just today. >> the goal was to make congress sits up and listen. >> reporter: many came to hear from whistle blower mark klein who worked in the at&t san francisco office where he said the nsa had tapped into the company's network blindly collecting mass internet data. this was years before edward snowden. >> snowden has come along and his documents can't be denied by the government. they tried to deny my documents. now i've been vindicated. >> reporter: last month president obama promised reforms to the nsa's surveillance program, including more oversight. >> honestly his reforms fell really short. way we wanted to hear from president obama was a commitment that the collection of our telephone records was going to end. >> reporter: there is legislation making its way throug

sites participating in the day we fight back, a global day of action organized by the electronic frontier foundation. >> abuses like the nsa collecting information on millions of people who aren't suspected of any crime. >> reporter: the major push of the campaign more than 81,000 phone calls and 161,000 e-mails sent to congress just today. >> the goal was to make congress sits up and listen. >> reporter: many came to hear from whistle blower mark klein who worked in the at&t san francisco office where he said the nsa had tapped into the company's network blindly collecting mass internet data. this was years before edward snowden. >> snowden has come along and his documents can't be denied by the government. they tried to deny my documents. now i've been vindicated. >> reporter: last month president obama promised reforms to the nsa's surveillance program, including more oversight. >> honestly his reforms fell really short. way we wanted to hear from president obama was a commitment that the collection of our telephone records was going to end. >> reporter: there is legislation making its way throug

it's brought by the electronic frontier foundation, a case that focuses on the legality of the metadata and so forth. but there's another little twist and there's also -- they are focusing on another issue which is important and that's the american rights of assembly. the government should have a right to know every time a committee for the republic is meeting here. to get all our phone calls and find out that we're having a meeting of the naacp or any political gatherings are antiwar catherine. so that's one of the other aspects of this case that makes it different from the other two. it should be decided hopefully in the relatively near future. but you have these three cases and then they'll go to the appeals court and then to the supreme court for a decision. we have this entry position here but i really do have -- every time i see judge leon i really do have two for the first time say he was right. and i'm glad that he was right on this issue here. so what i did was i wrote an amicus, or actually help, i taught at berkeley at one point and a law student at boston wanted to help them

the electronic frontier foundation, income in the case that focuses on the legality of matted data. but there's another little twists and they're also focusing on another issue. that is the americans right of assembly. the government should not have a right to know every time a committee for the republicans are meeting here to get all our phone calls and find that that we're having a meeting, or the naacp. any political gatherings are anti-war gatherings. that is where the other aspects of this case that makes a little bit different from the other two commanded should be decided hopefully in the relatively near future. so you have these three cases, and they will go to the appeals court in the supreme court for decision. we are just at the entry position, but i really do have to -- every time i see judge leon after, for the first time, see was right. and rather he was right on this issue here. what i did was wrote an amicus where i helped. i taught at berkeley at one point. law students at berkeley wanted me dealt into an amicus brief, friend-of-the-court brief for that case. the th

for example, you have the electronic frontier foundation which is suing the government over the nsa surveillancel" that the government should save these records because they could be used as evidence in the lawsuits. and then you have republican senator rand paul who has filed a class-action lawsuit over the surveillance. well his lawyer says the government expanding the program to hold on to more records is quote, just silly. and that his clients likely would want the government to continue to destroy the records even as the lawsuits go forward. jon? jon: molly henneberg, in washington. thanks, molly. jenna: well our next guest says there's an ethical controversy swirling around the food and drug administration in what he calls, sham surgery. here's an example. the agency approving a study by a company on a medical device that treats serious cases of high blood pressure. the surgery performed on some of the patients looks like the real thing with all the procedures and invasive measures but there's a catch. some of the surgeries were fake and the patients got, in effect, placebo surgery. dr. sc

the electronic frontier foundation, income in the case that focuses on the legality of matted data. but there's another little twists and they're also focusing on another issue. that is the americans right of assembly. the government should not have a right to know every time a committee for the republicans are meeting here to get all our phone calls and find that that we're having a meeting, or the naacp. any political gatherings are anti-war gatherings. that is where the other aspects of this case that makes a little bit different from the other two commanded should be decided hopefully in the relatively near future. so you have these three cases, and they will go to the appeals court in the supreme court for decision. we are just at the entry position, but i really do have to -- every time i see judge leon after, for the first time, see was right. and rather he was right on this issue here. what i did was wrote an amicus where i helped. i taught at berkeley at one point. law students at berkeley wanted me dealt into an amicus brief, friend-of-the-court brief for that case. the th

having the congressional blessing to do so which is why i encourage my colleagues to join electronic frontier foundation, public knowledge, freedom works, i fix it, some of those very organizations that were in the forefront of proposing that we pass a bill that allows unlocking, that have sense withdrawn their support from this bill because of the last-minute changes, which i saw for the first time yesterday, and that i wish this house had a bigger opportunity to vet, perhaps bringing this bill under a rule. if the suspension motion fails, if a third of the house oppose, we would have opportunity to remedy this bill under a rule that was hopefully structured to allow for compromise language that would then allow the bill to proceed with near unanimity. and i hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle see that as an opportunity, certainly not as a rebuke to the chair and ranking members on the committee. we appreciate the direction and the intent behind this bill, their desire to make sure that americans know they are not under duress of a criminal threat if they're unlocking their own cell phon

by the electronic frontier foundation, that focuses on the legality of the metadata and so forth butnother little twist we're focusing on another issue which is very important which is americans right of assembly. the government should have a right to know every time the committee for the republicans are meeting here to get our phone calls and find out we are having a meeting or the naacp or any political gatherings or anti-war gathering so that is one other aspect that makes this case different from the other two and it should be decided hopefully in the relatively near future. so you have these three cases and they will go to the appeals court and the supreme court decisions so we are at the entry position here but i really do -- any time i see judge leon i really have to for the first time say he was right and i am glad he was right on this issue here. what i did was -- i talked at berkeley at one point. they wanted to help do a brief, a friend-of-the-court brief for that case, the third case coming up. what we focused on largely was looking back to the church committee for exampl