Demand Progress is an internet activist-related entity encompassing a 5014 arm sponsored by the Sixteen Thirty Fund and a 5013 arm sponsored by the New Venture Fund. It specializes in online-intensive and other grassroots activism to support Internet freedom, civil liberties, transparency, and human rights, and in opposition to censorship and corporate control of government. The organization was founded through a petition in opposition to the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, sparking the movement that eventually defeated COICA's successor bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act, two highly controversial pieces of United States legislation. The organization has continued to fight for such causes in the wake of the successful shelving of these two acts. Demand Progress has also played key roles in forwarding the passage of net neutrality rules, blocking expansion of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, under which co-founder Aaron Swartz was indicted, and other key legislative efforts. Estimated membership numbers in early 2015 weigh in at over two million.
Demand Progress co-led efforts to secure passage of net neutrality regulations, including via co-organizing the Internet Slowdown Day mass-action, lobbying, and other activism.
Demand Progress has helped lead opposition to the COICA/PIPA/SOPA online censorship bills, to expansion of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and to mass surveillance. It played a critical role in the passage of net neutrality rules in 2014–15, and has engaged in dozens of other campaigns since its inception.
The Motion Picture Association of America and United States Chamber of Commerce have stated their opposition to Demand Progress on numerous occasions, mainly in respect to their stance on internet censorship. David Moon, Demand Progress' program director, responded to their statements, noting that the mere existence of their retort was proof that "the proponents are panicking."
Demand Progress has been involved in grassroots and direct lobbying campaigns in relation to the following efforts, among others:
Support
Whistleblowing and whistleblowers such as that of Edward Snowden; also opposing the SEC's motions, which they themselves had admitted would stifle attempts at reporting wrongdoing.
Reform of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, via Aaron's Law and other means.
Support for Net Neutrality, including co-leading the successful Internet Slowdown Day.
Government-mandated Internet IDs, a law proposed by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, which raised skepticism over efficacy and questionable effects on privacy.
Continuation of the Patriot Act, which was set to expire in 2013 but swiftly received large support in Senate for a 5-year reauthorization in late 2012, only few weeks before congressional terms expired.
Modern debtors' prisons, which have also found opposition from justices in the various states where they are still legal.
Censorship of Facebook, including advocacy for an "anti-censorship policy" after Facebook deactivated Korryn Gaines's account
S. 978, an ill-defined bill which has the potential to allow copyright trolls to press charges against directors of online videos containing clips of copyrighted media, and furthermore anyone who embeds said content into her own website.
