Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
This campaign is closed
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
Switzerland of Bits
The International Modern Media Institute (IMMI) is working to create a Safe Haven for freedom of expression, freedom of information, the right to privacy, the protection of whistleblowers and freedom of the media. We need to protect those rights online and offline, everytime, everywhere.
Leaks like the #panamapapers currently require massive teams to protect the research of the journalists working on the story, and even then there's no guarantee of safety. Imagine a space where journalists can investigate worldwide crimes, free from the pressures of corrupt organizations. Imagine how much more corruption could be exposed if we provided a safer place for this work to take place - it could be the difference between the next big leak reaching the public or it being shunted by the rich and powerful.
This 'Media Safe Haven’ in Iceland will serve as a quality standard for worldwide reform and legislation for data protection, privacy, freedom of information and freedom of expression.
You can be part of making it happen - be a part of the movement!
In 2010, the Icelandic Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution tasking the government to write the best possible laws for a journalism Safe Haven in Iceland. IMMI was created as an organization independent from the government to ensure that the drafting process of the resolution would be a transparent and successful process. Currently IMMI is fighting for its survival and is primaily run by volunteer efforts. If we are to deliver on our commitment we need your support
Journalists and whistleblowers need a space that truly protects them and respects the work they do, and we the people need a space that gives us information uncorrupted by the influence of money and politics. IMMI exists to ensure the birth of a free, open platform that safeguards, hosts and guarantees access to the information that belongs to the people.
Funding our effort toward the first *true* safe haven for journalists is the first step to the rest of the world becoming a safer place for free expression. Enough talking, let's start the process.
Join us in creating a place where progressive modern laws protect privacy, information and expression. Your help is absolutely vital. You can help by donating to this fundraising effort and by spreading the word!
Data Retention is a retroactive form of mass surveillance where everyone’s metadata is retained by telecommunications companies that are required by law to store your information. IMMI wants to remove Data Retention from Icelandic law and has prevented efforts to adopt the EU Data Retention directive in Iceland.
Intermediary Limited Liability - IMMI is research and advocating for laws that will make intermediaries (such as social media, blogs, forums, news websites, etc.) free from responsibility for uploaded content, thereby making sure that these private companies are not the gatekeepers and censors of content.
Whistleblower Protection - IMMI has researched law on whistleblowers and is advocating for solid whistleblower protection laws in Iceland whereby information relevant to the public can be safely disseminated while also strengthening the legal position of whistleblowers.
Data Protection - IMMI wants to create a place where information is as secure as possible, where your privacy is best protected and any attempts to gather or trawl through your information by the secret agencies of foreign states are illegal. Whether you are a start-up company, a news organization, a journalist, a blogger, an activist or an individual, IMMI believes that everyone has a right to privacy. Sometimes, world leaders echo these sentiments, but they have not followed through on them. We want to create a safe haven for information in Iceland, a Switzerland of Bits.
Virtual Limited Liability Companies - IMMI will help draft a law legalizing VLLC in Iceland. This means that a company can register virtually in Iceland, benefitting from the jurisdiction in which it is registered. Therefore, if you are running a news website in your country and your government wants to shut it down, under this law if it is registered as a VLLC company, hosted on Icelandic servers, they will not be able to.
IMMI participates in two ministerial working groups where research and implementation on two separate resolutions takes place among experts and stakeholders. Those resolutions are on the Utilization of the Internet and the Protection of User Rights (Ministry of Industry and Innovation) and the resolution upon which IMMI is established, on creating a Safe Haven for Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Information (Ministry of Education and Culture).
IMMI is a non-profit institute controlled and financed independently from the Icelandic government, relying fully on donations and grants. Every donation goes 100% towards running the institute and building its capacity. It takes $7,500 per month to run the institute at our current capacity. We do:
Our initial appeal is for $45,000 and will cover our minimum operating costs for 6 months. During these 6 months we wil seek other sources of funding through collaborative projects and research, with the aim of building further the institute's capacity.
Stretch Goals:
The more money we fundraise, the more we can do, the more we can diversify and strengthen our efforts.
$60,000 secures 8 months of minimum operating costs.
Beyond $60,000 gives us more power during these months beyond the operating costs, enabling:
· More FOIA requests
· Litigations to support freedom of expression cases (something we previously couldn't afford to do)
· More awareness campaigns and outreach on the work IMMI does
You can also Support IMMI by Sharing this Campaign via Social Media and spreading the word. And follow IMMI on Twitter and Facebook.
Who we are - The IMMI team
Guðjón Idir is Executive Director of IMMI and has been working with the Institute for the last 2 years. Guðjón holds degrees in philosophy and psychology, and has an activist background fighting for the rights of refugees, governmental transparency and information freedom.
Birgitta Jónsdóttir - MEP, Icelandic Pirate Party
Birgitta is co-founder and chair of IMMI and the Pirate Party. She is an activist inside the system, a poetician and parliamentarian. She was the chief sponsor of the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative resolution that the Icelandic Parliament unanimously passed in 2010. Birgitta was also co-rapporteur for the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s resolution: Democracy in the Digital Era
Mörður Ingólfsson, Director 1984
Mörður co-founded IMMI. He serves as a boardmember and treasurer of IMMI. Mörður runs the 1984.is hosting company registered in Iceland. 1984.is has developed a reputation for fighting for their customers' rights.
Smári McCarthy, CTO OCCRP
Smári co-founded IMMI along side Birgitta and Mörður. He serves as a board member of IMMI. Smári is CTO for the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) in Bosnia Herzegovina.
IMMI has an Advisory Board with experts and activists and IMMI has also been supported by brilliant people who have volunteered their efforts.