Brought to you by Campaign for Accountability.

Campaign for Accountability
View this email in your browser ([link removed])
CfA's July 19, 2019 Newsletter
Thank you for your continued support of CfA. Here's a recap of our work from the past month:

On Tuesday, CfA released a new report, Plumbers, Pub-Keepers and Notaries: Big Tech’s New Disguise, revealing that the Connected Commerce Council (3C), a small, newly-founded Washington-based nonprofit that bills itself as the “voice of small business,” appears to be an Astroturf-style front group for the nation’s largest technology companies.

Additionally, on June 26, CfA sent letters to executives at Apple and Google calling on the companies to remove from their platforms apps belonging to the anti-abortion behemoth Susan B. Anthony List and anti-choice/anti-LGBT group, the Family Research Council, for violating company policies.

Also on June 26, CfA called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate Susan B. Anthony List for violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Finally, on June 17, CfA, along with American Oversight, American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, Democracy Forward, and Western Values Project, filed a complaint with the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of the Interior calling for an investigation of the agency’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Awareness Process.

Read more about our recent actions below:
[link removed]
On Tuesday, CfA released a new report, Plumbers, Pub-Keepers and Notaries: Big Tech’s New Disguise, revealing that the Connected Commerce Council (3C), a small, newly-founded Washington-based nonprofit that bills itself as the “voice of small business,” appears to be an Astroturf-style front group for the nation’s largest technology companies.

Founded just a year ago, 3C already has met with more than 50 members of Congress, filed at least seven official comments at regulatory agencies, and sent at least two representatives to testify before Congress. The new group has published a raft of materials painting a rosy picture of the tech giants, complete with quotes from small business owners heaping praise on them.

CfA’s review of 3C’s origins, structure, and activities, however, strongly suggests that 3C is little more than a front for the technology platforms themselves. (Read more ([link removed]) ; The American Prospect ([link removed]) )

[link removed]
On June 26, CfA sent letters to executives at Apple and Google calling on the companies to remove from their platforms apps belonging to the anti-abortion behemoth Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) and anti-choice/anti-LGBT group, the Family Research Council (FRC), for violating company policies.

CfA’s letters document how apps belonging to FRC and SBA List have violated App Store and Google Play rules by 1) misusing users’ personal information to recruit new members, 2) failing to provide privacy policies, 3) utilizing template-designed apps that have been banned, and 4) requiring users to sign in to an app before they are able to access its features. (Read more ([link removed]) )

[link removed]
On June 26, CfA called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate the anti-abortion behemoth Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) for violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

A recently settled class action lawsuit in Florida and new reporting in Pennsylvania indicate that SBA List, and a firm run by its treasurer Robert Kania, conspired to violate the TCPA by sending mass robotexts to voters in Florida and Pennsylvania. (Read more ([link removed]) )

[link removed]
On June 17, CfA, along with American Oversight, American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, Democracy Forward, and Western Values Project, filed a complaint with the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of the Interior calling for an investigation of the agency’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Awareness Process. Political appointees at Interior appear to be using the Awareness Process to interfere with the release of documents in response to FOIA requests. (Read more ([link removed]) ; The Washington Post ([link removed]) )

We thank you for your continued support. Without people like you, our work would not be possible.

Here is how you can stay involved and help us accomplish our mission:
1. Follow us on Twitter ([link removed]) and Facebook ([link removed]) .
2. Tell your friends and colleagues ([link removed]) about CfA.
3. Send us a tip ([link removed]) .
4. Make a tax-deductible donation ([link removed]) .

Be on the lookout for more updates about our work in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again for signing up to be a part of CfA!

Sincerely,
Daniel Stevens
Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

============================================================

Copyright © 2018 Campaign for Accountability, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
[email protected]

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])


This email was sent to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
Campaign for Accountability . 611 Pennsylvania Ave SE . #337 . Washington, District Of Columbia 20003 . USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]