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EFFector Online Volume 08 No. 01    February 10, 1995     editors@eff.org

A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation        ISSN 1062-9424

ALERT: HR830 Would Cripple FOIA - Act NOW!

ALERT: S314 Online "Decency Act" Threatens All Service Providers

EFF SF Bay Area Meetings Announced

Electronic Frontier Foundation Seeking Volunteer/Intern BBS Sysop

Newsbytes

Reviews

Calendar of Events

What YOU Can Do

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: ALERT: HR830 Would Cripple FOIA - Act NOW!

---------------------------------------------------

The recently proposed Paperwork Reduction Act, bill HR830, contains a 

case documents.  The ulterior motive behind this appears to be an attempt 

by West to legislate away a longstanding lawsuit against West by Tax 

Analysts, a Virginia publisher attempting to establish in court that the

Justice Department JURIS database of court decisions, administered by West,

but paid for by the US public, is in fact in the public domain as are all 

According to the House Regulatory Affairs Committee Chairman's Draft

of the Section by Section Analysis, this special interest language simply 

clarifies existing law.  This is also the position West has taken.

The Draft states:

"Section 3518 contains a new subsection which is intended to

clarify that when public information, as defined in Section 3502,

s disseminated or otherwise made available to the public, it

ceases to be public information, when a person adds value to the

nformation product, also ceases to be public information, and the

nformation product without the consent of the person adding value.

The new subsection is designed to encourage the profit and

non-profit sectors to make the widest possible use of public

nformation released by the government."

The last sentence of this is incomprehensible in light of the fact that 

this poorly drafted section, designed to satisfy a major lobbyist, would 

n fact severely cripple the Freedom of Information Act, one of the

nformation and records.  Analysis by EFF staff and board members, as

"value added" content was provided by a private contractor, *even if that 

content is not subject to copyright or other intellectual property 

by US citizens' tax dollars but produced by govt. contractors rather than 

of government people suspected of abuse of authority would be ruled 

against if the system was designed or maintained by a contractor.  Requests 

for information from massive and vitally important govt. information 

What West and other supporters of the bill describe as a minor 

clarification to current law is in fact a massive restructuring of the 

balance of power in the world of government information contracting, and 

more importantly, a stripping of citizen access to information paid for 

by the public, for the public.  The bill would exclude *all* contractor-

The bill was introduced, and a hearing held regarding it, Feb. 7, while 

markup, apparently in the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, 

s set for today, Fri. Feb. 10, at 9am, EST.  It is rather obvious that

this bill is being ramrodded through Congress as fast as possible, so 

that the public not only doesn't get a chance to look the bill or comment 

on it, but doesn't even know it exists until too late.  You may wish 

to write to the Govt. Reform and Oversight Committee and let them know 

*politely and in clear, short statements* just how you feel about that.

You should also write to your own Representatives, again in clear, 

* The most important thing you can do from now until 9am EST Feb. 10:

EFF, along with TAP, are asking people to send a brief message by fax to 

the members of the full committee, asking Congress to delete the West

A list of the committee members follows after the full text of the 

For more information on writing to your Representatives, see the "What YOU 

Can Do" section of this newsletter, below.

Contact: David Johnson, Sr. Policy Fellow, djohnson@eff.org, +1 202 861 7700

* Relevant Bill Text

"(f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or any

other law--

     (1) any public information that an agency discloses,

     (2) if any person adds value to the public information, the

Federal Government shall not have any right to obtain, collect,

acquire, disseminate, use, or convert --

             (A)  the resulting data, database, or other

                  information product, or

             (B)  any method used by the person to identify such

                  resulting data, database, or information

                  product,

except under terms that are expressly agreed to by such person."

* Committee members to send your fax to IMMEDIATELY

[List provided by Taxpayer Assets Project, a non-profit organization founded

to monitor the management of government property, including information 

               Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

                              104th Congress

** = Subcommittee on National Economic Growth, Natural Resources,

     and Regulatory Affairs

[All phone & fax numbers are area-code 202.]

REPUBLICAN

William Clinger, Jr. (PA)   225-5121       225-4681

Benjamin Gilman, (NY)       225-3776       225-2541

Dan Burton, (IA)            225-2276       225-0016

Constance Morella, (MD)     225-5341       225-1389

Christopher Shays, (CO)     225-5541       225-9629

Steven Schiff, (NM)         225-6316       225-4975

William Zeliff, Jr. (NH)    225-5456       225-4370

John McHugh, (NY) **        225-4611       226-0621

Stephen Horn, (CA)          225-6676       226-1012

John Mica, (FL)             225-4035       226-0821

Thomas Davis, (VA)          225-1492       225-3071

David McIntosh, (IA)        225-3021       225-3382

Jon Fox, (PA) **            225-6111       225-3155

Randy Tate, (WA) **         225-8901       225-3484

Dick Chrysler, (MI)         225-4872       225-3034

Gil Gutknecht, (MN) **      225-2472       225-3246

Mark Souder, (IA)           225-4436       225-3479

William Martini, (NJ)       225-5751       225-3372

Joe Scarborough, (FL) **    225-4136       225-3414

John Shadegg, (AZ) **       225-3361       225-3462

Michael Flanagan, (IL)      225-4061       225-3128

Charles Bass, (NH)          225-5206       225-2946

Steve LaTourette, (OH)      225-5731       225-3307

Mark Sanford, (SC)          225-3176       225-3407

Robert Ehrlich, Jr. (MD) ** 225-3061       225-3094

DEMOCRAT

Cardiss Collins, (IL)       225-5006       225-8396

Henry Waxman, (CA) **       225-3976       225-4099

Tom Lantos, (CA)            225-3531       225-7900

Robert Wise, Jr. (WV)       225-2711       225-7856

Major Owens, (NY)           225-6231       226-0112

Edolphus Towns, (NY)        225-5936       225-1018

John Spratt, Jr. (SC) **    225-5501       225-0464

Louise Slaughter, (NY) **   225-3615       225-7822

Gary Condit, (CA) **        225-6131       225-0819

Collin Peterson, (MN) **    225-2165       225-1593

Karen Thurman, (FL)         225-1002       226-0329

Carolyn Maloney, (NY)       225-7944       225-4709

Thomas Barrett, (WI)        225-3571       225-2185

Gene Taylor, (MI)           225-5772       225-7074

Barbara Rose Collins, (MI)  225-2261       225-6645

Eleanor Holmes Norton, (DC) 225-8050       225-3002

James P. Moran, (VA)        225-4376       225-0017

Gene Green, (TX)            225-1688       225-9903

Carrie Meek, (FL)           225-4506       226-0777

Frank Mascara, (PA)         225-4665       225-3377

Chaka Fattah, (PA)          225-4001       225-6466

Bernard Sanders, (VT)       225-4115       225-6790

[NOTE: If you will be faxing long distance, and cannot afford this many 

faxes, try contacting the Committee staff at 202-225-5074, and asking for

the committee fax number.  There is no guarantee your fax to this number

nothing.]

Key Administration Officials:

OMB

Sally Katzen        voice: 202/395-4852

                    sally.katzen@eop.sprint.com

Bruce McConnell     voice: 202/395-3785

                    bruce.mcconnell@eop.sprint.com

Department of Justice

                    friedman@justice.doj.gov

------------------------------

Subject: ALERT: S314 Online "Decency Act" Threatens All Online Providers

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EFF is working with the Electronic Messaging Association and others to 

oppose the Exon bill, S314, the Communications Decency Act of 1995.

We believe policy makers should take into account the ability of those using

the net to avoid materials they find offensive. There will likely be

ncreased use of labels and headers to help people avoid unwanted materials

and guide their childrens' use of the net in the future. Meanwhile, it is 

especially when the "transmitter" is passive and not monitoring the 

content of "transmission".

This bill would perpetrate the online equivalent of making anyone who 

builds a street liable for the fact that you can go to the red light 

flow of information online and inappropriately criminalize sysops and 

criminalizes essentially everyone involved in networking with the sole 

exception of govt.-decreed common carriers like telephone companies.

The possibility of a re-write was being considered as of Feb. 8.

Contact: David Johnson, Sr. Policy Fellow, djohnson@eff.org, +1 202 861 7700

* Analysis and text of the bill

[This analysis provided by the Center for Democracy and Technology, a

non-profit public interest organization. CDT's mission is to develop and 

advocate public policies that advance constitutional civil liberties and 

For more information on CDT, ask Jonah Seiger .]

CDT POLICY POST 2/9/95

SENATOR EXON INTRODUCES ONLINE INDECENCY LEGISLATION

A.      OVERVIEW

Senators Exon (D-NE) and Senator Gorton (R-WA) have 

ntroduced legislation to expand current FCC regulations on

obscene and indecent audiotext to cover *all* content carried 

over all forms of electronic communications networks.  If 

enacted, the "Communications Decency Act of 1995" (S. 314) 

telecommunications service providers (including telephone 

networks, commercial online services, the Internet, and 

ndependent BBS's) if their network is used in the

transmission of any indecent, lewd, threatening or harassing 

messages.  The legislation is identical to a proposal offered 

by Senator Exon last year which failed along with the Senate 

Telecommunications reform bill (S. 1822, 103rd Congress, 

Sections 801 - 804). The text of the proposed statute, with proposed

amendment, is appended at the end of this document.

The bill would compel service providers to choose between 

completely shutting down their email, Internet access, and 

conferencing services under the threat of criminal liability.   

Moreover, service providers would be forced to closely 

monitor every private communication, electronic mail message, 

available on their network, a proposition which poses a 

S. 314, if enacted, would represent a tremendous step 

backwards on the path to a free and open National Information 

the ability of government to control content on 

communications networks, as well as the locus of liability 

for content carried in these new communications media.  

To address this threat to the First Amendment in digital 

media, CDT is working to organize a broad coalition of public 

nterest organizations including the ACLU, People For the

American Way, and Media Access Project, along with 

and computer industries to oppose S. 314 and to explore 

alternative policy solutions that preserve the free flow of 

nformation and freedom of speech in the online world.  CDT

believes that technological alternatives which allow 

ndividual subscribers to control the content they receive

B.      SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS OF S. 314

S. 314 would expand current law restricting indecency and 

carried by *all* forms of telecommunications networks.  The 

bill would amend Section 223 of the Communications Act (47 

U.S.C. 223), which requires carriers to take steps to prevent 

minors from gaining access to indecent audiotext and 

criminalizes harassment accomplished over interstate 

telephone lines.  This section, commonly known as the Helms 

Amendment (having been championed by Senator Jesse Helms), 

*       CARRIERS LIABLE FOR CONDUCT OF ALL USERS ON THEIR 

        NETWORKS

S. 314 would make telecommunication carriers (including 

telephone companies, commercial online services, the 

content carried on its network -- including the private 

conversations or messages exchanged between two consenting 

ndividuals.

Under S. 314, anyone who "makes, transmits, or otherwise 

makes available any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, 

mage, or other communication" which is "obscene, lewd,

lascivious, filthy, or indecent" using a "telecommunications 

n prison (Section (2)(a)).

content before transmitting it to the intended recipient.  

Carriers would also be forced to prevent or severely restrict 

their subscribers from communicating with individuals and 

accessing content available on other networks.

Electronic communications networks do not contain discrete 

boundaries.  Instead, users of one service can easily 

communicate with and access content available on other 

networks.  Placing the onus, and criminal liability, on the 

carrier as opposed to the originator of the content, would 

make the carrier legally responsible not only for the conduct 

of its own subscribers, but also for content generated by 

This regulatory scheme clearly poses serious threats to the 

free flow of information throughout the online world and the 

free speech and privacy rights of individual users.  Forcing 

carriers to pre-screen content would not only be impossible 

current legal protections.

*       CARRIERS REQUIRED TO ACT AS PRIVATE CENSOR OF ALL 

        PUBLIC FORUMS AND ARCHIVES

S. 314 would also expand current restrictions on access to 

ndecent telephone audiotext services by minors under the age

of 18 to cover similar content carried by telecommunications 

(a)(4)).

As amended by this provision, anyone who, "by means of 

telephone or telecommunications device, makes, transmits, or 

otherwise makes available (directly or by recording device) 

any indecent communication for commercial purposes which is 

available to any person under the age of 18 years of age or 

to any other person without that person's consent, regardless 

of whether the maker of such communication placed the call or 

nitiated the communication" would be subject of a fine of

$100,000 or two years in prison.

This would force carries to act as private censors of all 

content available in public forums or file archives on their 

networks.   Moreover, because there is no clear definition of 

ndecency, carriers would have to restrict access to any

content that could be possibly construed as indecent or 

obscene under the broadest interpretation of the term. Public 

forums, discussion lists, file archives, and content 

available for commercial purposes would have to be 

meticulously screened and censored in order to avoid 

Such a scenario would severely limit the diversity of content 

available on online networks, and limit the editorial freedom 

of independent forum operators.   

ADDITIONAL NOTABLE PROVISIONS 

* AMENDMENT TO ECPA

Section (6) of the bill would amend the Electronic 

Communications Privacy Act (18 USC 2511) to prevent the 

unauthorized interception and disclosure of "digital 

communications" (Sec. 6).  However, because the term "digital

communication" is not defined and 18 USC 2511 currently 

"electronic communications" (which includes electronic mail 

and other forms of  communications in digital form), the 

effect of this provision has no clear importance.

* CABLE OPERATORS MAY REFUSE INDECENT PUBLIC ACCESS    

  PROGRAMMING

Finally, section (8) would amend sections 611 and 612 of the 

Communications Act (47 USC 611 - 612) to allow any cable 

operator to refuse to carry any public access or leased 

access programming which contains "obscenity, indecency, or 

nudity".  

C.      ALTERNATIVES TO EXON: RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE USER CONTROL  

        CAPABILITIES OF INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Government regulation of content in the mass media has always 

been considered essential to protect children from access to 

listeners/views from being exposed to material that might be 

considered extremely distasteful.  The choice to protect 

children has historically been made at the expense of the First 

Amendment ban on government censorship.  As Congress moves to 

understand that interactive media is different than mass 

media.  The power and flexibility of interactive media offers 

a unique opportunity to enable parents to control what 

content their kids have access to, and leave the flow of 

nformation free for those adults who want it.  Government

control regulation is simply not needed to achieve the 

Most interactive technology, such as Internet browsers and 

the software used to access online services such as America 

Online and Compuserve, already has the capability to limit 

access to certain types of services and selected information.  

Moreover, the electronic program guides being developed for 

nteractive cable TV networks also provide users the

capability to screen out certain channels or ever certain 

types of programming.  Moreover, in the online world, most 

content (with the exception of private communications 

nitiated by consenting individuals) is transmitted by

they receive, whether it is by joining a discussion or 

accessing a file archive.  By its nature, this technology 

commercial online services, Internet service providers) in 

most cases act only as "carriers" of electronic transmissions 

nitiated by individual subscribers.

CDT believes that the First Amendment will be better served 

by giving parents and other users the tools to select which 

nformation they (and their children) should have access to.

content, not the carriers, should be responsible for their 

crimes.  And, users (especially parents) should be empowered 

to determine what information they and their children have 

access to.  If all carriers of electronic communications are 

forced to restrict content in order to avoid criminal liability 

and the usefulness of digital media for communications and 

nformation dissemination would be drastically limited.

D.      NEXT STEPS

The bill has been introduced and will next move to the Senate 

Commerce Committee, although no Committee action has been 

to the Senate Telecommunications Bill (S. 1822, which died at 

the end of the 103rd Congress).  CDT will be working with a 

media.

***********************************************************

For more information contact:

Jerry Berman,    CDT Executive Director 

Daniel Weitzner, CDT Deputy Director 

+1 202 637 9800

***********************************************************

TEXT OF 47 U.S.C. 223 AS AMENDED BY S. 314

**NOTE:         [] = deleted 

                ALL CAPS = additions

Sec. 223.  [Obscene or harassing telephone calls in the District

of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communications]

OBSCENE OR HARASSING UTILIZATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS 

DEVICES AND FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OR IN 

   (a) Whoever--

   (1) in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign 

communication by means of [telephone] TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DEVICE--

   (A) [makes any comment, request, suggestion or proposal] 

MAKES, TRANSMITS, OR OTHERWISE MAKES AVAILABLE ANY COMMENT,REQUEST, 

SUGGESTION, PROPOSAL, IMAGE, OR OTHER COMMUNICATION which is 

obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent;

   [(B) makes a telephone call, whether or not conversation ensues, 

threaten, or harass any person at the called number;]

"(B) MAKES A TELEPHONE CALL OR UTILIZES A TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DEVICE, WHETHER OR NOT CONVERSATION OR COMMUNICATIONS

ENSUES,WITHOUT DISCLOSING HIS IDENTITY AND WITH INTENT TO ANNOY, 

ABUSE, THREATEN, OR HARASS ANY PERSON AT THE CALLED NUMBER OR WHO 

RECEIVES THE COMMUNICATION;

   (C) makes or causes the telephone of another repeatedly or 

continuously to ring, with intent to harass any person at the 

called number; or

   [(D) makes repeated telephone calls, during which conversation 

ensues, solely to harass any person at the called number; or]

(D) MAKES REPEATED TELEPHONE CALLS OR REPEATEDLY INITIATES

COMMUNICATION WITH A TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, DURING WHICH

CONVERSATION OR COMMUNICATION ENSUES, SOLELY TO HARASS ANY PERSON 

AT THE CALLED NUMBER OR WHO RECEIVES THE COMMUNICATION,

   (2) knowingly permits any [telephone facility] 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY under his control to be used 

for any purpose prohibited by this section, shall be fined not more 

than $[50,000]100,000 or imprisoned  not more than [six months] TWO 

YEARS, or both.

   (b)(1) Whoever knowingly--

   (A) within the United States, by means of [telephone] 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICCE, makes (directly or by recording device) 

any obscene communication for commercial purposes to any person, 

call or INITIATED THE COMMUNICATION; or

  (B) permits any [telephone facility] TELECOMMUNICATIONS 

FACILITY under such person's control to be used for an activity 

title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than two 

years, or both.

   (2) Whoever knowingly--

   (A) within the United States, [by means of telephone], 

makes BY MEANS OF TELEPHONE OR TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, MAKES, 

TRANSMITS, OR MAKES AVAILABLE(directly or by recording device) any 

ndecent communication for commercial purposes which is available

to any person under 18 years of age or to any other person without

that person's consent, regardless of whether the maker of such 

communication placed the call OR INITIATED THE COMMUNICATION; or

   (B) permits any [telephone facility] TELECOMMUNICATIONS 

FACILITY under such person's control to be used for an activity 

$[50,000] 100,000 or imprisoned not more than [six months]

TWO YEARS, or both.

   (3) It is a defense to prosecution under paragraph (2) of this 

communication to persons 18 years of age or older in accordance 

Commission may prescribe by regulation.

   (4) In addition to the penalties under paragraph (1), whoever, 

(1) or (2) shall be subject to a fine of not more than $[50,000] 

   (5)(A) In addition to the penalties under paragraphs (1), (2), 

and (5), whoever, within the United States, violates paragraph (1) 

or (2) shall be subject to a civil fine of not more than $[50,000] 

   (B) A fine under this paragraph may be assessed either--

   (i) by a court, pursuant to civil action by the Commission or 

any attorney employed by the Commission who is designated by the 

Commission for such purposes, or

   (ii) by the Commission after appropriate administrative 

   (6) The Attorney General may bring a suit in the appropriate 

n accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

   (c)(1) A common carrier within the District of Columbia or 

to the extent technically feasible, provide access to a 

communication specified in subsection (b) from the

telephone of any subscriber who has not previously requested in 

carrier collects from subscribers an identifiable charge for such 

communication that the carrier remits, in whole or in part, to the 

   (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), no cause of action may 

be brought in any court or administrative agency against any common 

carrier, or any of its affiliates, including their officers, 

account of--

   (A) any action which the carrier demonstrates was taken in good 

faith to restrict access pursuant to paragraph (1) of this 

   (B) any access permitted--

   (i) in good faith reliance upon the lack of any representation 

by a provider of communications that communications provided by 

that provider are communications specified in subsection (b), or

   (ii) because a specific representation by the provider did not 

allow the carrier, acting in good faith, a sufficient period to 

   (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, a provider 

of communications services to which subscribers are denied access 

for a declaratory judgment or similar action in a court. Any such 

action shall be limited to the question of whether the 

communications which the provider seeks to provide fall within

the category of communications to which the carrier will provide 

access only to subscribers who have previously requested such 

access.

*********************************************

NOTE: This version of the text shows the actual text of current law as 

t would be changed.  For the bill itself, which consists of unreadable

text such as:

[...]

             (1) in subsection (a)(1)--

                    (A) by striking out `telephone' in the matter above

                  subparagraph (A) and inserting `telecommunications device';

                    (B) by striking out `makes any comment, request,

                  suggestion, or proposal' in subparagraph (A) and inserting

                  `makes, transmits, or otherwise makes available any

                  comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other

                  communication';

                    (C) by striking out subparagraph (B) and inserting the

                  following:

                    `(B) makes a telephone call or utilizes a

[...]

See:

ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/Legislation/Bills_new/s314.bill

------------------------------

Subject: EFF SF Bay Area Meetings Announced

-------------------------------------------

EFF is pleased to introduce a series of monthly `BayFF' meetings in

the San Francisco Bay Area.  All EFF members, guests, and the public

are invited.

The first meeting will be in San Francisco on February 15, 1995, at

	Wired Magazine

	520 Third Street, Fourth Floor

	San Francisco, CA

	+1 415 222 6200  voice

John Gilmore and Cindy Cohn will speak on the constitutional issues

around export controls on cryptography.  John is a co-founder of EFF

and Chair of the EFF Board's Crypto Committee.  Cindy is an attorney

n private practice at McGlashen and Sarrail in San Mateo.  These

controls inhibit free speech, publication of software and papers,

academic freedom of inquiry, and personal privacy, as well as having a

the implications and prospects for change.

Dave Farber will speak on "Living in the Global Information

more years of experience in computers and networking than the total

experience at many startup companies.  Vice President Gore has proposed

that the nations of the world undertake the building of a Global

the sprit of the Gore proposal -- namely to provide a mechanism which

could invigorate the world economy in the forthcoming information age,

many disagree with his belief that it will bring democracy to the

American colonialism.  It is this basic lack of uniform global

agreement on what terms mean, what rules apply to electronic commerce

and what impact a GII will have on their nation that underlies the

comments Dave will make.  These raise questions about the universality

of Cyberspace.  He will seek to table a set of questions that may

There will also be plenty of time for general and specific questions,

ssues, discussion, meeting people, and socializing with frontier-

minded folks.

We will schedule the second monthly meeting near the Computers,

Freedom, and Privacy conference -- tentatively on Friday night,

March 31.  Watch this space for more information.

We hope to see you on Wednesday!

	John Gilmore

	Jane Metcalfe

	Denise Caruso

	(Bay Area members of the EFF Board)

------------------------------

Subject: Electronic Frontier Foundation Seeking Volunteer/Intern BBS Sysop

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[For immediate release - please distribute to appropriate areas]

Jan. 20, 1994

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit public

nterest civil liberties organization, was founded in July of 1990

to ensure that the principles embodied in the Constitution and the Bill

of Rights are protected as new communications technologies emerge.

EFF's BBS is in need of a sysop and/or co-sysops, on a volunteer basis, 

n the DC metro area.  Needed especially: a responsible and helpful sysop

all of the following: Fido-tech mail systems (FrontDoor/InterMail), UUCP 

Usenet/mailing list forums, DESQview multitasker experience. Some 

Volunteer/intern would need to be onsite for at least some of the tasks,

but may be able to do some maintenance remotely (e.g., via Doorway or similar

course, be provided.

The person needed for this role should be willing to commit to fairly

longterm involvement. (i.e., We don't need a Sysop of the Week situation. :)

Some projects this person may be involved in:

* setting up and maintaining EFF's new BBS (the old one is just not 

  serving our, or our members, needs);

* contacting BBS-based networks, and getting the BBS involved in their mail

  forums;

* creation of a new EFFNet for BBS operators - including gating of EFF mailing

  lists and newsgroups to and from FTN & QWK nets, as well as posting of EFF

  files to software distribution nets;

* passing on EFF alerts and announcements to relevant online forums in the BBS

  community;

* helping coordinate EFF's sysop membership program;

* routing legal and other queries from BBS forums to the apropos EFF staff

  member;

* mirroring EFF's Internet archives on the BBS;

* documenting the BBS setup so that other EFFers can operate it properly in

  intern sysop's absence;

* coordinating volunteer co-sysops;

* surveying the BBS community, searching for user groups and sysop

  associations, and otherwise making contacts and finding and sharing 

  information.

EFF cannot currently offer monetary compensation for this position, but

the sysop would receive valuable work experience in information systems

management and net-based research, an Internet email account, an EFF

membership, etc.  This experience may also qualify as externship experience 

at some schools, and EFF staff members will assist with paperwork and 

evaluations necessary for the sysop to receive proper credit.

To apply, please send a resume detailing general and relevant work,

educational, and computing/networking experience, along with a cover 

letter explaining why you'd like to work here at EFF. (ASCII via Internet 

email preferred; see below for contact info.)

EFF is, of course, an equal opportunity employer and "interner".

 The Electronic Frontier Foundation, attn: Stanton McCandlish

 ----------------------------------

 1667 K St. NW, Suite 801

 Washington DC 20006-1605 USA

 +1 202 861 7717 (voice)

 +1 202 861 1258 (fax)

 +1 202 861 1223 (BBS - 16.8k ZyXEL)

 +1 202 861 1224 (BBS - 14.4k V.32bis)

 Internet: mech@eff.org

 Internet fax gate: remote-printer.SMcC/EFF@8.5.2.1.1.6.8.2.0.2.1.tpc.int

------------------------------

Subject: Newsbytes

------------------

* The EFFector Online mailing list has been cleaned up. It was formerly 

maintained in several versions (some manually maintained, and others run

via the EFF listserv.)  The list is now entirely listserv-operated, and 

the recent rush of new EFF members have been added.  However, there still 

may be some duplicate addresses, people who were on the manually 

maintained version of the list and tried to unsubscribe via the listserv 

but are still subscribed, etc.  If you get EFFector twice from the 

effector-online mailing list, please let us know at bugs@eff.org.  If you 

unsubscribe effector-online

to listserv@eff.org.  New subscribers: send a message body of:

to listserv@eff.org and you'll be added to the list.

You may also note some format changes for EFFector, including this new

newsbytes section, and reviews.  Let us know if you like them (or don't)

at editor@eff.org!

* PBS privacy snub: Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD) in Jan. 1995 sent a letter 

and questionnaire to National Public Radio, the Corporation for Public 

Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting System.  According to an AP 

contributed more than $250 to certain political causes, as well as age, 

At a press conference Pressler stated he did not think this was an 

but printed in the _Federal_Register_.  However, according a report by 

Brock Meeks of _Cyberwire_Dispatch_, on Feb. 2, Pressler recinded these 

consideration the concerns you expressed about individual privacy.  

Accordingly, I do not want [these lists of names]..." and asked that CPB 

Chair Henry Cauthen have "no misunderstanding about my intentions in seeking 

nformation", while contradictorily criticizing CPB's "apparent

unwillingness" to allow Pressler a "full fiscal picture" and a "careful 

understanding of the finances" of PBS, according to Meeks.

* Staff/Board changes at EFF: EFF's elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair of 

the Board of Directors: David Johnson of Lexis Counsel Connect, and Esther 

Dyson of EDventure, respectively.  Former Chair and Vice-Chair, 

co-founders Mitch Kapor and John Perry Barlow, of course remain on the 

board and continue to play an active and vital role in directing EFF.

EFF bookkeeper and office manager Doug Craven has taken over Membership 

Coordinator duties, Stanton McCandlish (formerly EFF Online Activist)

s now the Manager of Online Services, and intern Eric Tachibana comes on

EFF also welcomes several interns and volunteers, including Benoit 

Jacqmotte, Alex Lloyd, and Fred Bourgeois, who assist with various 

lists of Congress contact information and government Internet servers.

Additionally, EFF Chair David Johnson is serving as EFF's Senior Policy 

Fellow to coordinate EFF's programmatic and policy goals, with the help of

EFF's new Membership and Development Manager, Jo Acosta.

For more information on EFF Board, staff and volunteers/interns, see:

ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/staff.eff

ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/bios.eff

* Pensacola busts: Over two months ago, the homes and businesses of several 

BBS operators in Pensacola, Florida were raided, on suspicion of 

transmitting obscene materials. As of this date no charges have been 

filed, according to a _Pensacola_News_Journal_ article.  Two of the 

"groundless" equipment seizures, which in at least one case is spelling 

Clayton Mason stated "They bled my resources, totally", after his system 

Customs on Dec. 1, 1994, as was Cliff Hicks's Electric Blue BBS.  Mason 

"There's nothing I can do without an attorney," Mason said. "Without 

money, I can't get an attorney in this town."  Hicks also indicated he 

Special Agent Supervisor Larry Smith of FDLE stated, "It just 

takes a while to review stuff that's in the hard drives", when asked 

about the delay in filing charges.  The agents conducting the raid also 

nscrutably seized unopened boxes of modems that had nothing to do with

the BBS system they were after, but were part of Mason's retail stock.

The system operators maintain that none of the material on their system 

"There are a lot of cases where...they're never indicted, but they never 

trial."  Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Games and the Illuminati Online 

BBS users' email, never filed charges, and refused to return the equipment)

a bulletin board...and the victims are usually too terrified and 

ntimidated to do anything about it."  Or too bankrupted one might add.

* _EFF's_Guide_to_the_Internet_ news:  _Newsweek_ (week of Jan. 30),

to getting online".  The review says: "The Electronic Frontier Foundation 

available free on the Net, that keep the information timely...The slim 

volume doesn't overburden the reader with Unix, but gives enough 

nformation to get started."

Also in the EGttI news: Hungarian and Italian versions are now available,

the Hungarian one even in hardcopy.

To get a copy of the guide, send any message to netguide@eff.org.

Text versions of the guide are available at: 

ftp.eff.org, /pub/Net_info/EFF_Net_Guide/

Hypertext, non-English, PostScript and misc. typeset versions are available

n the Other_versions subdirectory. Update newsletters are in the Updates

HELP

LONGINDEX

to listserv@eff.org for more info on updates by subscription.)

English-language hardcopy edition available as _Everybody's_Guide_to_the_

* AABBS Update:  Keith Henson, who has been tracking the AABBS case, 

n which Calif. BBS sysops were tried in Memphis for alleged violations of

Tennessee community standards, noted in a _Computer_underground_Digest_

article that as of Jan. 21, 1995, the AABBS co-sysops were denied bail, and 

that co-sysop Robert Thomas must report to a (possibly intentionally 

Thomas, Robert's wife, was sentenced to two years and two months in a 

federal pennitentiary, and must report for incarceration on July 12 in 

Dublin, CA.  The AABBS system continues to operate, and is their sole 

online community.  

unreasonable incarceration, as it will be difficult if not impossible to 

computer equipment.

Carleen and Robert Thomas were found guilty in 1994 of several charges, 

ncluding obscenity counts, despite the fact that the prosecution

clearly perverted the purpose of the community standards processes of 

obscenity cases, which were intended to ensure that defendants are tried 

under the standards of their own communities, rather than those the 

conviction; despite the fact that it is highly questionable whether the 

virtual community which is not tied to any particular physical political 

agree that the case would not only have not resulted in a convinction in 

the Thomases' native Calif., but would not have even resulted in a trial; 

and despite fact that the technology in question requires that the 

the material - the Thomases did not send obscene files to Tennessee; 

allegedly obscene material into Tennessee of their own free will and in full 

cognizance of their actions and the nature of the material.

EFF provided information for the Thomases' defense in the original case, 

and hopes to assist in their appeal.

* EFF membership news:

During the months of December and January, we saw a significant increase in

EFF's membership renewals.  Approximately 1400 renewal notices were sent to

those EFF'ers whose membership had expired or that were about to expire and

of those, approximately 80% have been returned to EFF with their membership

catagories ranging from $10 - $500 with an added bonus for those who 

upgraded their membership level to a higher catagory.  Those that 

upgraded their membership received an official EFF t-shirt and a copy of 

EFF's "Frontier Files" disk.  This resulted in approximately 60% worth of 

upgrades from the notices that were sent, far exceeding expectations.  

EFF would like to thank all of our members and donors, from students to 

ndustry and foundation sponsors!

The shirt/disk offer will continue until December 1995 and we will keep 

you updated as to the progress of this feature.  

Along with the membership renewals, EFF aquired many new members during 

the month of December & January partly due to the Aerosmith Cybertour 

that EFF presented last Dec.  That event produced approximately 75 new 

members.  

As EFF's membership increases, so does our level of member relations.  

We are looking at ways to improve member relations and membership 

appreciated.  Comments and suggestions can be directed to 

[See also article above on new Bay-area EFF meetings.  In the future such 

meetings may also be held on the east coast, probably in DC, but also 

* CA education code amended:  According to an article by Linda Seebach,

n _Measure_, the California state education code now guarantees students

the same First Amendment freedom of expression, speech, and press rights 

on-campus that they have off-campus, regardless of the private or public 

nature of the schools, and even applying to high schools as well as higher 

education instututions. Students who file suit under these provisions are 

now also able to collect court costs and attorneys fees as well as 

court apparently to avoid "almost certain loss in court".  

The reaction has not been wholly positive, however. CSU-Northridge lifted 

a suspension imposed on a fraternity for a sexist flyer. Campus reaction 

Occidental College agreed to revise it's sexual harassment policy to 

conform to the new state regs. Previous policy had forbidden not only 

material that offended a third party, but also "voluntary relationships 

that might cause someone else to perceive a possibility of prejudicial 

treatment", wrote Seebach.  Another fraternity was facing disciplinary 

action under this policy, but sued, and a settlement was reached.  Student

agitation for punishment of the fraternity continues, though.

The text of the amendment to CA Education Code is available at

ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/Legislation/Foreign_and_local/CA/

* Censorship at UM: Jake Baker, who wrote a "sexually violent" story about

a female classmate, with clear disclaimers that it was just a story, and 

a poor one at that, and posted it to the alt.sex.stories Usenet newsgroup,

apparently via University of Michigan computers, was summarily suspended 

by the University President, James Duderstadt, without a hearing. Baker was

forcibly removed from the campus by police offers with only some clothing,

and forbidden re-entry, despite his being a campus resident.

A student coalition charges that the university seriously violated not 

only its own procedures, but also Baker's rights in suspending him.

Duderstadt claimed that Baker posed an immediate threat to the female

noted that the university both claimed Baker was an imminent threat, 

yet delayed for over a month before taking any action; when pressed, agreed

to hold a (closed) hearing to consider reinstating him, yet also 

maintains that he is too dangerous to walk on campus property.

According to a local press summary by Peter Swanson, university 

this that I can't discuss", while university law professor and 

"constitutional scholar" Catharine Mackinnon has called the issue 

one of violence against women rather than one of freedom of speech.

Following attention by the media, the university scheduled a hearing

for Thur., Feb. 9.  The hearing will be closed and Baker has been 

nvestigation by the FBI on the presumption that his Usenet posting

violated federal anti-obscenity law. [One article referred to a "new 

computer-trafficking pornography law", but there is no such law. Cf. the 

article on the Exon bill - there may be such a law shortly...]  

Both the ACLU and Student's Civil Liberties Watch have criticized UM's 

actions, and the ACLU has filed suit regarding the closed hearings and 

the defendant in a hearing was subjected to open ridicule, and a single 

university representative acted as prosecutor, mediator and sole 

advisor to the jury. Participants in these closed hearings are also 

been forbidden to bring any kind of recording equipment to the hearing.  

Local press have labelled this system a "kangaroo kourt".

Student's Civil Liberties Watch can be contacted at ethank@umich.edu or

keenan@umich.edu

[Disclaimer: EFF is not in any way supportive of hate speech.  However, 

Sacrificing one right to protect another usually costs the loss of both.]

* LaMacchia decision will stand: On Dec. 28, 1994 US Dist. Court Judge

Richard Stearns dismissed the indictment brought against David LaMacchia

for alleged "massive" software piracy.  LaMacchia ran an open BBS system,

LaMacchia maintains he personally did not infringe.  Judge Stearns

noted in his decision that "the government's objective is a laudable one...

f the allegations in the indictment are accurate, LaMacchia's actions

ndulgent, and lacking in any fundamental sense of values", and that

"reasonable people might agree" that LaMacchia's actions deserve "the 

the law does not in fact permit prosecution of copyright infringement under

the wire fraud statute, the tactic chosen by US Attorney Donald Stern in 

this case.  There was no evidence that LaMacchia had or had intended to 

US Atty. Stern announced that the Justice Dept. would not appeal the 

court's decision, but would instead seek a legislative remedy. "Judge 

Stearns' opinion underscores the desirability of prompt Congressional 

action which would remove any uncertainty that willful, multiple 

nfringements of copyrighted software, even where there is no commercial

motive, is illegal...Large-scale software piracy is a serious problem.  

The defense counsel's own press release countered: "We hope and

trust that when Congress takes up the question that the U. S. Attorney

s posing -- that is, whether copying of computer programs without a

the Congress be sensitive to the important civil liberties question

not himself upload, download, copy, nor distribute software, but who 

merely operates the system, should be designated as a criminal.  The need 

to protect SYSOPS from excessively harsh liability for the actions of 

others who log onto their BBS, is at least as important as the need to 

explosive growth of the Internet, more and more ordinary computer users 

careful before it seeks to hold them criminally liable for the actions of 

others who use the BBS but over whom the SYSOP does not have control."

More information on the case is available from the David LaMacchia Defense

Fund on request at dldf@martigny.ai.mit.edu, or via the WWW at:

------------------------------

Subject: Reviews

----------------

* _CYBERIA:_Life_in_the_Trenches_of_Hyperspace_ 

Douglas Rushkoff, 1994

Harper Collins Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022.

massages to the surface hints - hints of our future.  In the anthropological

ethnographic style, Rushkoff scans culture, teasing out underlying and 

motivating themes.  

However, Rushkoff is no traditional anthropologist. Rushkoff studies the 

"emerging" culture of Cyberia and opens the door for a realistic study 

of the future.

When we think about the future, what are we doing? How far into the 

future can we extrapolate from where we are?  What will it mean to be 

Thinkers from all quarters, from McLuhan to Toffler have called our 

attention the continuing transformation of our culture.  Cultural givens,

analogous only to the industrial, agricultural revolutions...the 

age of enlightenment, the advent of Christianity.  

Things are about to change SIGNIFICANTLY.  And that doesn't mean that 

twenty years from now it will be us pasted onto nano-tech, genetic 

engineering, cold fusion, AI, etc.  We will be fundamentally changed, or 

left behind.  Our very conceptions of the world will be changed.

Like a Post Modern/collage artist, Rushkoff paints us a scene from a 

motley of scattered images- a scene of a culture in transformation, 

effected by non-linear science, quantum mechanics, interdependence, 

Nintendo, MTV, Rave Culture, magik, and techno-paganism.

Rushkoff, whose style is readable and entertaining, continues his 

nsightful comment on modern culture and its future.

And hey, he even quotes John Perry Barlow in the first chapter. :)

 - Eric Tachibana 

------------------------------

Subject: Calendar of Events

---------------------------

This schedule lists imminent EFF events, and those we feel might be of 

nterest to our members.  EFF events (those sponsored by us or featuring

an EFF speaker) are marked with a "*" instead of a "-" after the date.  

Simlarly, government events, such as deadlines for comments on reports or 

testimony submission, are marked with "!" in place of the "-" after the date.

The latest full version of this calendar, which includes material for 

later in the year as well as the next couple of months, is available from:

ftp: ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/calendar.eff

Feb. 8-                    ^

     11 * TWO BBSCon; Swissotel European Conf. Ctr. (Rheinpark Congress

          Centrum), Duesseldorf, Germany. European version of ONE

          BBSCon; seminar sessions & tradeshow.  Organized in part by

          EFF's Ether Dyson, as well as _BoardWatch_'s Jack Rickard, _PC_

          _Magazine_'s John Dvorak and many others.

          Contact: +41 75 373 28 32 (voice) +41 75 373 30 62 (fax)

                   +41 75 373 66 80 (BBS), (0228)46121005 (X.25 NUA)

          Email: twobbs@osis.li

Feb. 8-

     12 - Information Technology: Expanding Frontiers conf., sponsored by

          Association for Educational Communications and Technology; 

          Anaheim, Calif.

          Contact: +1 202 347 7834

Feb. 14-

     16 - Networks Expo (NetWorld); Hynes Conv. Ctr., Boston, Mass.

          Contact: 1 800 829 3976 (voice, US-only), +1 201 346 1400 (voice)

Feb. 14-

     18 - The Winter School of Computer Graphics and Visualisation

          Third International Conference in Central Europe on Computer

          Graphics and Visualisation 95 (WSCG'95), U. of W. Bohemia,

          Plzen, Czechoslovakia.  Approx. 60 speakers.

          Contact: +42 19 2171 188, +42 19 2171 212 (voice)

                   +42 19 2171 170, +42 19 7220 019 (fax)

          email: WSCG95@KIV.ZCU.CZ

Feb. 15 * Bay Area EFF meeting; John Gilmore (Electronic Frontier Foundation

          co-founder and boardmember) and Cindy Cohn esq. (McGlashen &

          Sarrail) will speak on constitutional issues of crypto export.

          EFF boardmember David Farber (U.Penn.) will speak on "Living in

          the GII - some concerns". Plenty of time for general and

          specific questions, issues, discussion, meeting people, and

          socializing with electronic frontier-minded folks.  EFF boardmem-

          bers Jane Metcalfe (WIRED president) and Denise Caruso (tech-

          nology journalist) will be there.  Time: 7:30pm PST.  Where:

          offices of WIRED Magazine

          520 Third Street, Fourth Floor

          San Francisco, CA

          +1 415 222 6200  voice

        - Dealine for paper, poster & demo submissions for WWW '95 (see

          Apr. 10, below).

Feb. 15-

     16 - Launching & Managing a Virtual Office: Setting the State for a

          Distributed Workplace; Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, Louisiana.

          Sponsored by The International Quality & Productivity Center.

          Email: dsohn@earth.planet.net

          WWW: http://www.planet.net/iqpc/homepage.html/

Feb. 16-

     19 - CapriCon SF Convention (of interest as it features an educational

          Internet "track" of seminars/sessions with various subtopics and

          speakers, incl. Bruce Schneier to lecture on cryptography.)

          Speakers still needed for Internet track.  To be held in the

          Chicago metro area.

          Contact: Mike Bentley, +1 312 508 9009 (voice),

                   +1 312 465 2399 (fax)

          Email: bentley@crenelle.com, or crenelle!bentley@mcs.com

Feb. 20-

Mar. 16 - Online Seminar Series: the Law of Electronic Commerce; conducted

          on CompuServe by the Nat'l. Computer Security Assoc. Host:

          Benjamin Wright esq. (Note: most sessions are geared toward

          management, finance and commercial transactions).

          Contact: 1 800 488 4595 (voice, US-only), +1 717 258 1816 (voice)

          Email: 75300.2557@compuserve.com

Feb. 23-

     25 - The Alliance for Public Technology Annual Conference:

          Technologies of Freedom. Washington, DC

          Contact: +1 202 408 1403 (voice/TTY), +1 202 408 1134 (fax)

          Email: Ruth Holder 

Feb. 24 - New Mexico Regional Technology Business Summit, Sweeny Conv. Ctr.,

          Santa Fe, NM. Sponsored by the New Mexico Technology Consortium,

          "this day-long event is geared toward those in both large and

          small companies active in high-tech industries."

          Contact: +1 505 983 6767

          Email: nmtc@lanl.gov

Feb. 27-

Mar. 2  - ATM Year Three: The Definitive Conference on the Technology,

          Applications and Business Issues of Asynchronous Transfer Mode

          (ATM); San Jose, Calif.

          Contact: 1 800 200 4884 (voice, US-only)

Feb. 28-

Mar. 2  - NEPCON'95, "the trade show for anyone involved in electronics

          packaging, testing, assembly, design, and CAD/CAM...pick from

          over 114 seminars".  Anaheim, Calif.

          WWW: http://www.nyweb.com/nepcon

Mar. 1  - Proposal deadline for Virtual Futures '95 (see May 26 below).

Mar. 2-

     5  - National STS Meeting & Technological Literacy Conf., Arlington,

          Virginia.

          Contact: +1 814 865 3044 (voice), +1 814 865 3047 (fax)

          Email: ejb2@psu.edu

Mar. 3-

     4  - Midwest Conference on Technology, Employment and Community,

          sponsored by the UIC Center for Urban Economic Development

          Deadline for proposals: Jan. 8, 1995

          Contact: +1 312 996 5463

          Email: jdav@mcs.com

          Conf. mailing list for discussion: listserv@uic, message body:

                "SUBSCRIBE JOB-TECH  " (w/o "quotes")

Mar. 5-

     8  - '95 PC Forum (incl. Local-Global Creative Tension conf.), Phoenix

          Arizona.

          Contact: +1 212 924 8800 (voice), +1 212 924 0240 (fax)

          Email: daphne@edventure.com

Mar. 13-

     15 - Microcomputers in Education Conference. Arizona State University;

          Tempe, Arizona. "An opportunity to explore recent advances and hear

          about emerging technology in the educational arena."

          Contact: Pat Southwick, A.S.U., Box 870908, Tempe AZ USA 85287-0908

Mar. 14 - "Towards an Electronic Patient Record" conference, Orlando, 

Florida.

          Sponsored by the Medical Records Inst.

          Contact: +1 617 964 3926 (fax only)

Mar. 15 - Deadline for proposals, ICI'95 (see Sep. 21 for conf. details.)

          Contact: +1 800 301 MIND (voice, US-only), +1 202 962 9494 (voice)

                   +1 800 304 MIND (fax, US-only), +1 202 962 9495 (fax)

          Email: Dr. Dorothy Denning 

Mar. 17 - Access, Privacy, and Commercialism: When States Gather Personal

          Information; College of Wm. & Mary, Williamsburg VA.

          Contact: Trotter Hardy, +1 804 221 3826

          Email: thardy@mail.wm.edu

Mar. 27 * John Perry Barlow (EFF co-founder) seminar on "Cyberspace: the New

          Frontier",  4pm local time, NCB Auditorium, 71 Science Park Dr.,

          Singapore 0512

          Contact: Marvin Tay Eng Sin 

Mar. 27-

     30 - Geographic Information Systems '95, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

          Contact: +1 604 688 0188 (voice), +1 604 688 1573 (fax)

          Email: gis@unixg.ubc.ca

Mar. 28-

     31 * 5th Conference on Computers, Freedom & Privacy (CFP95), Burlingame

          /Palo Alto, Calif.  Sponsored by the Assoc. of Computing Machinery

          Featured speakers include EFF's Esther Dyson & Mike Godwin, plus

          Roger Wilkins of George Mason U., John Morgridge of Cisco Sytems,

          Margaret Jane Radin of Stanford, Willis Ware of of NAE, IEEE &

          AAAS, Phil Agre of UCSD, Stuart Baker ex- of NSA, David Banisar

          of EPIC, Chris Casey of Sen. Kennedy's office, Michael Froomkin

          of U. Miami, Phil Karn of Qualcomm, Jamie Love of TAP, Brock

          Meeks of _Inter@ctive_Week_ and _Cyberwire_Dispatch_, Lance Rose

          author of _SysLaw_, Dick Sclove of Loka Inst., Brad Templeton of

          ClariNet, Ross Stapleton-Gray of TeleDiplomacy, Glenn Tenney of

          Fantasia Systems, Kim Taylor-Thompson of Stanford U., Alan Westin

          of Columbia U., Mitch Ratcliffe of _Digital_Media_, Matt Blaze

          of AT&T Bell Labs, Kent Walker Asst. US Atty. of the Dept. of

          Justice, David Smith of EFF-Austin, Christine Harbs of Privacy

          Rights Clearinghouse, Peter Harter of NPTN, Barbara Simons of the

          US ACM, Roger Clark of Australian Nat'l. U., and many others.

          Contact: Carey Heckman, +1 415 725 7788, fax: +1 415 725 1861,

          Email: info.cfp95@forsythe.stanford.edu

          WWW: http://www-techlaw.stanford.edu/CFP95.html

          Gopher: www-techlaw.stanford.edu, "CFP95" menu item

          FTP: www-techlaw.standord.edu, /CFP95

Mar. 29-

     30 - ETHICOMP95 - Int'l. Conf. on the Ethical Issues of Using 

          Information Technology; DeMontfort U., Leicester UK.

          Contact: Simon Rogerson, +44 533 577475, +44 533 541891 (fax)

          Email: srog@dmu.ac.uk

Apr. 5-

     7  - National Net '95 (Net'95), Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington

          DC; sponsored by Educom, ALA, ARL, CAUSE, CNI, CSN, CRA, CREN,

          FARNET, ISoc, NASULGC.  Featured speakers: Ron Brown (US Sec'y.

          of Commerce), Richard McCormick (US West), Molly Broad (CSU),

          Larry Irving (NTIA), Andrew Blau (Benton Found.), Steve Cisler

          (Apple), Marty Tennebaum (EIT/CommerceNet), Peter Lyman, Marc

          Rotenberg (EPIC/PI), + others incl. "public interest

          representatives". Sessions on the underprivileged & the NII,

          net surveillance, network challenges for business, int. property.

          Contact: Elizabeth Bernhart, +1 202 872 4200 (voice),

                   +1 202 872 4318 (fax)

          Email: net95@educom.edu

Apr. 10-

     14   3rd Int'l. WWW Conference: Technology, Tools & Applications;

          Darmstadt, Germany.  Organized by Fraunhofer Inst. for Computer

          Graphics.  Feb. 15 submission deadline (for posters & demos as

          well as papers.

          Email: www95@igd.fhg.de (?), www95_webmasters@igd.fhg.de

          WWW: http://www.igd.fhg.de/www95.html

Apr. 26-

     29 - USAIN: Cultivating New Ground in Electronic Information Use of the

          Information Highway to Support Agriculture; Lexington, Kentucky.

          Proposals due by 12/31/94.

          Email: librgrf@gaes.griffin.peachnet.edu

Apr. 27-

     29 - CCUMC (Consortium of College and University Media Centers). Utah

          State U., Logan, Utah

          Contact: +1 515 294 1811 (voice)

------------------------------

Subject: What YOU Can Do

------------------------

* S314: This bill could pass in a matter of WEEKS, or added to any 

legislation pending on the Senate floor.  Business/industry persons

concerned should alert their corporate govt. affairs office and/or

legal counsel.  Everyone should write to their own Senators and ask them 

to oppose this bill.  Explain, quickly and clearly, why this bill is

ts numerous problems.

* HR830: This bill would horribly cripple the Freedom of Information Act,

one of the most important laws protecting citizen access to government 

nformation.  Again, alert your business contacts, and write, phone, and

fax your Representatives.

* HOW TO FIND YOUR CONGRESSFOLKS: EFF has lists of the Senate and House with

contact information, as well as lists of Congressional committees.

These lists are available at:

ftp.eff.org, /pub/EFF/Issues/Activism/Congress_cmtes/

The full Senate and House lists are senate.list and hr.list, respectively.

"If five years from now we [the FBI] solve the access problem, but

talking about that in a very different way: the objective is the same.

The objective is for us to get those conversations whether they're by an

alligator clip or ones and zeros.  Whoever they are, whatever they are, I

need them."

  - FBI Director Louis Freeh, clarifying statements that the FBI may seek

    legislation to ban strong encryption, in an Oct. 1994 interview with

    Steven Levy.

Ensuring the democratic potential of the technologies of computer-mediated

communication requires active participation in the political processes that

are accustomed to making decisions about the future of technology, media,

education, and public access to information, with far-reaching and

long-lasting effects on citizens and their lives, but are accustomed to

corporations, and other government representatives.

Now, more than ever, EFF is working to make sure that you can play an

active role in making these choices. Our members are making themselves heard

on the whole range of issues. EFF collected over 5000 letters of support

for Rep. Maria Cantwell's bill to liberalize restrictions on cryptography. 

We also gathered over 1400 letters supporting Sen. Leahy's open hearings on

the proposed Clipper encryption scheme, which were held in May 1994.  And

EFF collected over 90% of the public comments that were submitted to NIST

Additionally, EFF has worked for the passage of legislation that would

ensure open access to the information infrastructure of today and tomorrow,

and continues to provide some of the best online resources on privacy,

ntellectual freedom, the legalities of networking, and public access to

You *know* privacy, freedom of speech and ability to make your voice heard

n government are important. You have probably participated in our online

campaigns and forums.  Have you become a member of EFF yet?  The best way to

opinions heard.  EFF members are informed and are making a difference.  Join

EFF today!

For EFF membership info, send queries to membership@eff.org, or send any

message to info@eff.org for basic EFF info, and a membership form.

------------------------------

Administrivia

=============

EFFector Online is published by:

The Electronic Frontier Foundation

Washington DC 20006-1605 USA

+1 202 861 7700 (voice)

+1 202 861 1258 (fax)

+1 202 861 1223 (BBS - 16.8k ZyXEL)

+1 202 861 1224 (BBS - 14.4k V.32bis)

Editor: Stanton McCandlish, Online Services Mgr. 

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