Stop Watching Us
StopWatching.us is a coalition of more than 100 public advocacy organisations and companies from across the political spectrum. This video harnesses the voices of celebrities, activists, legal experts, and other prominent figures speaking out against mass surveillance by the NSA. Please share widely to help us spread the message that we will not stand for the dragnet surveillance of our communications.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a nonprofit civil liberties law and advocacy center that has been fighting the NSA’s unconstitutional spying for years.
The “Stop Watching Us” campaign began in response to global mass surveillance, especially after the 2013 Edward Snowden leaks. It’s relevant to South Africa for several reasons:
- Global Surveillance Affects South Africa
Foreign intelligence agencies, like the NSA, have collected data from people worldwide — including in South Africa — through internet cables and online platforms. - Local Surveillance Concerns
South Africa’s surveillance law, RICA, has allowed spying on journalists and activists without proper oversight. In 2021, the Constitutional Court ruled that parts of RICA were unconstitutional. - Civil Society Advocacy
Groups like Right2Know and Media Monitoring Africa are fighting against surveillance abuse and for stronger privacy protections. - Protecting Democracy
Mass surveillance threatens freedom of speech and democracy, especially important in South Africa’s post-apartheid society.
In short, the campaign is relevant because South Africans are affected by both international and local surveillance, and protecting privacy is key to defending democracy.
