# The Internet Defense League

By [The Slow Hunch by Nick Grossman](https://nickgrossman.xyz) · 2012-07-19

awesome, internet-defense-league

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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/9102256c56c1d1b4ef8137daffc5ae1b.png)

Today marks the launch of the [Internet Defense League](http://internetdefenseleague.org), an effort led by [Fight for the Future](http://fightforthefuture.org) to build permanent infrastructure for defending the internet. The idea is simple: build a loose, permanent coalition of individuas, companies and websites that stand at the ready to react to threats to the internet.  How exactly this works is up to you -- there are [a number of ways to participate in the league](members.internetdefenseleague.org), including (as I've done) inserting some JS into your site that will light up at certain times when the net is under threat.  I've also got a snazzy new badge in my sidebar that fills me with pride every time I look at it. The past six months has been all about: "how does the internet advocacy movement evolve post-SOPA?".  I see the creation of the defense league as a big, exciting and awesome part of that.

![Member of The Internet Defense League](http://internetdefenseleague.org/images/badges/final/shield_badge.png)

I remember back in the fall, during the building of anti-SOPA/PIPA campaign, FFTF made one of the most creative and effective advocacy moves I've ever seen: they [offered ways for any website owner to "black out" their logo in protest of the bills](http://americancensorship.org/).  Tons of websites took this up, which helped the meme of the campaign spread laterally, quickly. I distinctly remember setting up my "stop censorship" logo and then feeling an immediate sense of kinship with others on the web who did the same.  This is like a bigger and better version of that. I can say clearly and with pride that I'm part of the global force that will work to defend the internet, in whatever ways I can.  That feels good to say. Tonight, as part of [the launch](http://internetdefenseleague.org/launch), "cat signals" will light up the sky around the world.  I'll be co-hosting the NYC party on the roof at OpenPlans, along w/ Alexis Ohanian of Reddit.  There are still free tickets available, so [RSVP here if you want to come](http://idlcatsignal_nyc.eventbrite.com/).  I can't wait to help flip the switch.

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*Originally published on [The Slow Hunch by Nick Grossman](https://nickgrossman.xyz/the-internet-defense-league)*