Greens go black to fight online surveillance

The Greens party has become the most high profile Australian organisation to commit to blacking out part of its website as part of a global campaign against government surveillance called 'The Day We Fight Back'.

According to the activist group Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), Tuesday 11 February will mark the beginning of a worldwide protest that will see people "take to the digital streets" in opposition to the methods intelligence services have used to monitor citizens, as unveiled by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

“Here in Australia I am proud to stand with local representatives of industry and civil society who are stepping up to challenge Australian complicity in the NSA’s vast surveillance programme and propose practical reforms," Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said.

“The Australian Government has done everything possible to keep a lid on the debate and pretend nothing is wrong: even as moves for greater protections gather pace in the United States."

Other organisations that have put up their hand to replace parts of their websites with black boxes include the Melbourne wing of literary association PEN and news and commentary website Limited News.

Globally, Reddit, Tumblr, Greenpeace and Amnesty International are all reported to be taking part.

Australian activists, including the EFA, also plan to make their presence felt on the first day of Parliament for 2014 in Canberra. The EF plans to host a press conference to launch the 'Citizens, not Suspects' campaign and lobby the government to launch a review into the acivities of the so-called 'Five Eyes' intelligence agencies.