The Open Rights Group is an independent, non-profit advocacy group, campaigning for the digital civil rights of British citizens. If you care about technology being used against you, we ask for your support.

You don’t need to donate much - a fiver a month will help - and there’s a concession rate too if you are a student, pensioner, or have a restricted income. We are asking for just:

• £60 per annum or £5 per month
• £30 per annum concession

Our online form will ask first for your details, and will then give you the option to pay by standing order, cheque, or by credit/debit card via PayPal. If you prefer to send us an anonymous donation, you can either send us a cheque, to Open Rights Group, 7th floor, 100 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8AL, or you can PayPal us at paypal-at-openrightsgroup.org. Please don’t send cash.

What will ORG do with the money?
By donating, you will enable us to hold regular events, run campaigns, provide information to the press, and lobby Parliament. The more funding we have, the more campaigns we can run, and the more effective we can be.

That’s nice. But what do you mean by ‘digital rights’?
‘Digital rights’ is a term we use to talk about those of our civil, consumer and human rights that are affected by technology. Things like the right to private communication, the right to protection from mass surveillance, the right to free speech, and the right to access knowledge. These rights are fundamental to democracy.

Who am I giving my hard-earned cash to?
The Open Rights Group is a company limited by guarantee, Company No. 05581537. Charities are not allowed to engage in political lobbying, so we are a non-profit instead, which means that all the money you donate goes into running ORG and paying for campaigns. There’s more information about the people behind ORG on our Board & Advisory Council page.

What’s all this ‘Founding 1000′ thing about?
We are giving the first 1000 people to donate special status, that of ‘Founding 1000′. (Sort of like The 4400, but without the special psychic powers.) What this means in the short term is that you get a warm, rosy glow of satisfaction. In the long term, we’ll provide special goodies for you and try to find whatever other perks we can as we go along. The first of those will be a special banner or kite for your site, which we will announce soon.

By becoming one of the Founding 1000, you are supporting us with something much more important than money - you’re giving us your trust too. We are focusing not just on campaigning on digital rights issues, but also on making ORG a robust and reliable organisation. Your donations are crucial to ensuring ORG becomes a force to be reckoned with.

How else can I get involved?

• Come to our events. Whether you are an experienced campaigner or have only recently stumbled upon the idea of digital rights, come and meet up with other people who share your passion. Stay informed of ORG events by signing up to our ORG-announce email list in the sidebar, watching the blog or joining the Open Rights Group groups on Upcoming and Facebook.
• Volunteer. We are always on the look out for talented technologists, writers and activists who wish to get involved with ORG. Please drop us a line if you think you might be able to help. Or just pick up a task from our (beta) volunteer works database.
• Spread the word. Maybe you’re a blogger, or maybe just a casual surfer. We ask that you take the time to read some of the information in our wiki, subscribe to our blog and keep your eyes and ears open for digital rights abuses in your own environment. If you have your own website, please link to us, write a post about us or put up one of our lovely badges. Talk about these issues with your friends, family and colleagues. Spread the word about digital rights, and help us defend them.