• Require information brokers to enforce tight security practices to keep your data safe;
• Mandate that companies notify you if your information has been compromised; and
• Limit the widespread use and display of Social Security numbers that puts your identity at risk.

It must stop - but giant cell phone companies are doing everything they can to continue their unfair practices! State consumer advocates favor eliminating these penalties because they violate the law in their states, and in some states there are lawsuits challenging the legality of termination fees. However, the giant cell phone companies are using their financial muscle to pressure the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) into issuing an order that would override state law and lock customers into these harmful penalties indefinitely.

If the cell phone giants get their way, cell phone users will remain at their mercy because these companies will have little incentive to improve their service and lower their rates. But we can stop them! Let the FCC know that you're fed up with unreasonable cell phone penalties and that you want real freedom to choose the best cell phone service provider.

The FCC is accepting public comments until August 5 about whether these illegitimate penalties should continue. Sign our petition and tell the FCC that you want an end to cell phone cancellation penalties.

Take Action]]> committed a crime" in the leaking of the agent's name.

President Bush, stop flip-flopping. The buck needs to stop somewhere, and that somewhere should be with you. Take some responsibility for the irresponsible actions of your advisor, and fire Karl Rove.
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Larry Johnson, former CIA analyst, has harsh words for the president: "I wouldn't be here this morning if President Bush had done the one thing required of him as commander in chief -- protect and defend the Constitution."

The former intelligence officers spoke before a hearing of Senate and House Democrats examining the implications of the agent's identity leak. The officers said Bush's silence had jeopardized U.S. national security, and had hampered efforts to recruit informants to aid fighting terrorism.

Read more, and then tell Bush to fire Karl Rove.
More...]]> TV Execs need a wake up call! Britney Spears' life is not reality. Carefully selected beautiful people romping around on a remote island are not reality. However, unemployment, job insecurity, and skyrocketing health care costs ARE reality for the majority of America. Britney probably can't handle the truth - but we can.

1.7 million people tuned in to watch Morgan Spurlock (the creator of "Super Size Me") try to live on minimum wage for 30 days. That means 1.7 million people want to learn more than how to become a Hilton. There is an audience out there that wants to put the real back into reality.

It's time for a reality check! Tell TV Execs you are tired of watching celebrities like Paris Hilton make fun of real life struggles. Ask them to create reality TV that informs, enlightens, and connects the people of America. Tell TV Execs it's time to get real!

Take Action]]> Cindy Sheehan's son has made the ultimate sacrifice for our country - shouldn't President Bush sacrifice some vacation time for her?

Cindy Sheehan's son Casey was killed in Iraq on April 4, 2004 - five days after his unit arrived in Sadr City, Baghdad. Cindy is now camped out on the road to President Bush's vacation ranch in Crawford, Texas, requesting a meeting with the President to ask a very simple question - why did her son die? Why have over 1,800 U.S. service men and women died, and tens of thousands of Iraqis, mostly civilians? Why did we start this war?

Cindy deserves what ever grieving mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, and child deserves: an answer. But President Bush is refusing to give her this most basic courtesy. So we call on Congress to join us and stand with Cindy. Sign this petition to send a letter to your senators and representatives, urging them to stand with Cindy, and urge President Bush to meet with Cindy Sheehan to answer her questions about her son's death in Iraq.
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A mother holds her baby close after Hurricane Katrina, and begs for the outside world to bring her baby food and milk. Photo by Ted Jackson, The Times-Picayune

Scanning the news we find the answer is 'No.' The women and people of color who were predominantly among those in harm's way appear to be absent from the networks of decision-making that are forming to decide strategies and priorities for reconstruction. And the media, which vigilantly placed the spotlight on the poor in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, have largely not reported on the survivors who are left out all over again.

Will this be the same old-boys' network or will this process include women and people of color as the whole city starts over?

We urge the media to shine their spotlight on the rebuilding efforts in the southern states, listening to the communities, listening to people of color, above all, listening to the women.
Take Action]]> Two-thirds of all U.S. households today don't have high-speed Internet access - either because private Internet service providers won't offer it in their area, or because it’s just too expensive.

That's why hundreds of communities have taken matters into their own hands, offering less expensive high-speed wireless Internet access over public networks to connect consumers, schools, libraries and businesses to the Internet at prices they can afford. But these wireless networks use public airwaves that are in short supply.

And now, Congress is getting set to consider legislation that would sell our public airwaves to big corporate interests, and in the process prevent communities from using them to offer low-cost wireless Internet access to their less affluent residents. If passed, the legislation would allow the telecomm industry to retain total control over the market for Internet services.

Urge your legislators to promote low-cost community Internet programs by giving us access to the public airwaves!
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Like a lot of Americans who shop at or support Wal-Mart, it's likely that Garth Brooks has no idea about Wal-Mart's utter lack of respect for its workers and their rights.

Take this opportunity to let Garth know that when Wal-Mart employees try to form a union for respect, decent health care, fair wages, and basic job protections, they often face threats, discrimination, intimidation, and even firings. Wal-Mart will do anything its power to prevent its 1.3 million employees from standing up for themselves and forming a union. The world's largest employer and corporation raked in $10,000,000,000 in profits last year. Yet many of the company's 1.3 million employees - including Garth's fans and supporters - barely make enough to cross the poverty line.

Sign this petition to send an email to Garth Brooks - let's tell him the truth about Wal-Mart's unfair treatment of its workers and ask him to reconsider the deal.
Take Action]]> How much is $1.53 worth to you?

With a federal investment of just $1.53 per American per year, public broadcasting creates and distributes programming such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Sesame Street, Frontline, American Experience and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. This small amount also allows public broadcasting to provide local community services like educational partnerships with schools, job training services, and the opportunity to explore locally important topics in-depth.

Yet President Bush has proposed a 38% reduction in funding for public broadcasting, which would be felt by the hundreds of millions of Americans who listen to NPR and watch PBS.

Take action now to help preserve future funding for public broadcasting! Please sign this petition send an e-mail to your Members of Congress to help us. Your opinion matters. Please let them know.
Take Action]]> Internet neutrality is the idea that the Internet should be a free and open network. But large media companies have been jockeying for more control over it and recently, they experienced a small, but alarming victory.

A Congressional panel voted to make it easier for phone and cable companies to block or slow your access to sites and services on the Web.

Why? Because telephone and cable companies, like AT&T and Comcast, own the lines that connect you to the Internet, they can control where you go and how fast you get there. By blocking or slowing access to Internet-based services that compete with their own offerings like Internet-telephone, music, and video downloads, they reduce competition and increase business -- but for Internet users like you and me, this is bad news.

Now, the issue goes before Congress and if they pass this legislation, it would be like opening Pandora’s box. Once phone and cable companies are granted the legal ability to block or inhibit your access to the Web and its services, access to information becomes monopolized, making it near impossible for bloggers, start-ups, and every day people to create new content or access it.

We need to stand up, before the last great democratic frontier falls under the control of corporate America. Take a moment now to tell Congress why the Internet must be kept free and open, for everyone!
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Big media companies are lobbying the FCC to rewrite our media ownership rules, which currently limit how many local media outlets a given company can control in every town.

Vying for more market control, these conglomerates want to overturn current protections, particularly the rule on "newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership." This rule prevents companies from owning the major daily newspaper and one or two broadcast TV stations in the same town.

If ownership limits are eliminated, ONE media company could potentially own the major daily newspaper, at least EIGHT radio stations and THREE or more television stations in the same town. When big media companies own most of the radio, TV, newspapers in town, the media outlets drift away from serving local needs and air fewer local voices and opinions.

Join Consumer's Union in telling the FCC to stop media consolidation! Be part of the official record, and urge the FCC and Congress to ensure that we have reasonable media rules that ensure diversity, localism and competition.


Take Action]]> Verizon Wireless, one of the nation's most popular wireless providers, is also gaining a reputation as one of the most anti-union. The company has aggressively fought efforts by its employees to form unions to improve their workplace.

Call out Verizon Wireless on its behavior. Urge the company to let their workers have a free and fair chance to form a union.
Take Action]]> Share your passion this Valentine's Day!

Join with thousands of other people around the country and get engaged – by making a difference!

Valentine's Day is the holiday for expressing love and commitment. So why not make a real commitment this year and vow to volunteer – in your community, with your family and friends, on your own as a way to meet friends, or virtually from the comfort of your own home.

Sign our pledge today to get engaged, and we'll give you all the information you need to get started. From painting schools to beautifying parks, here's your chance to get involved, meet new people, and share the love.
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Most of us have, at best, two choices for high-speed Internet service: our cable and phone companies. Now these companies want to lock you in with hefty termination penalties to prevent you from switching to the other provider even if their service fails to deliver as promised.

Phone companies offer short-term promotional rates for DSL, but often require you to stick with the service for a year or more, even if the promotional price expires during that time. To get out, you might have to pay a fee of up to $200. And some cable companies offer a bundle of broadband, video and phone service, sometimes for a discount, then jack up the price for the remaining services if you cancel one of them during the contract term.

That's not real choice--and it's not real competition. Tell the Federal Communications Commission to put a stop to early termination fees in broadband and give consumers real choice.
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Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, is shocked and horrified by the Goldman family's decision to publish OJ Simpson's "If I Did It" book. Reportedly, the Goldman family, who owns the rights to the book, has finalized a deal with a publisher in New York.

Nicole's sister is asking the public to sign a petition to boycott the book and help protect Sydney and Justin, Nicole's children, from being subjected to this step by step manual on how their mother was murdered.

If Mary generates the most online donations by January 31st, she'll get to donate $50,000 to her cause. But anyone could be a winner - even you!

The Case Foundation, together with its partners, is giving away $500,000 for charity to inspire people to take America's Giving Challenge and learn how simple technology can be a force for good and giving.

Are you up to the challenge? Find out how you can take the Giving Challenge and champion your favorite cause!