Nailing billboards.

• Author: Moore, Anne Elizabeth
• Position: On the Line - Brief article

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In Toronto, about half the billboards you can spot from any given street corner are illegal. This isn't unusual--in fact, an estimated two-thirds of the outdoor advertising in Chicago sits outside of permitted zones. But up in Toronto, a group of activists is doing something about it.

They're not relying on viral videos or media hoaxes, either: Rami Tabello and the rest of the crew at IllegalSigns.ca use city codes and ordinances like secret weapons.

"We fight illegal advertising using the rule of law," Tabello explains. "Advertising on television, radio, and newspapers is a matter of choice--citizens can choose not to view those ads. Billboards are different. They destroy choice because they are located in public spaces. Either the public vista belongs to the public or it belongs to global media companies. Fighting illegal billboards is about reclaiming public...