Whistleblower Edward Snowden’s leaks about the National Security Agency’s spying programs exposed extensive violations of Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights — and of the right to privacy established in numerous Supreme Court decisions.

These leaks have also prompted the reddit community to fight back.

Reddit, a collection of communities or “subreddits” with millions of users, has served as the focal point for a grassroots movement called Restore the Fourth. Organizers are planning to hold rallies across the country on the Fourth of July to take back our Fourth Amendment rights.

Ad hoc teams of writers, designers and Web developers planned the day of action, working together on commonly understood goals like building a website and drafting a press release. Through this process, a core leadership group emerged organically, moderating the Restore the Fourth subreddit while facilitating all work.

There are now more than 17,500 subscribers to /r/RestoreTheFourth. Our website serves as a hub through which people outside of reddit can learn about the movement and get in touch with organizers of their local rallies.

There are currently 81 protests planned for the Fourth of July, though that number grows every day. The exact activities vary from protest to protest. A constant across all rallies is a commitment to non-violence and an acceptance of all people, regardless of their identities or political affiliations. The right to privacy is an issue that unites all parties and people, and we expect a huge turnout on the Fourth.

The national organizers of the movement encourage you to take a look at /r/restorethefourth on reddit and at restorethefourth.net. You can also follow the official Twitter account @restore_the4th and check out the Facebook page.

Search for your local chapter to get involved. As with any grassroots movement, strength lies in numbers, so spread the word!

Original photo by Flickr user Stephen Gunby