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CPSR Alert Volume 1, Number 2
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Date: Fri, 13 Sep 91 15:43:32 EDT
From: [email protected] (Ronni Rosenberg)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: CPSR Alert 1.02
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CPSR Alert 1.02
Friday, September 13, 1991
The CPSR Alert is published by the CPSR Washington Office
Send comments to [email protected]
CPSR membership information contact: [email protected]
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Contents
[1] DC Notes
[2] CPSR Presses Commerce Dept about Computer Surveillance
[3] CPSR Asked to Testify on Workplace Privacy
[4] Clarence Thomas and CPSR
[5] Senate Passes NREN Bill
[6] CPSR Pursues NIST Crypto Policy
[7] Upcoming CPSR Events - 10th Anniversary Dinner
[8] Hard Disk Needed
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[1] DC Notes
For those in the Bay Area, it's not too late to sign up
for the 10th Anniversary Dinner, Monday night at Sun
Microsystems. Call Barbara Thomas at 415/322-3778 . . . The
September Scientific American is devoted "Communications,
Computers and Networks - How to Work, Play and Thrive in
Cyberspace." It's a great issue . . . . News on the SSN to
come in the next CPSR Alert.
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[2] CPSR Presses Commerce Dept about Computer Surveillance
[from press release, 9/12/91]
Washington, DC -- Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility (CPSR) today filed suit against the Department
of Commerce seeking the release of information concerning the
export of U.S. computer technology to repressive foreign
regimes. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District
Court, challenges the agency's Bureau of Export
Administration's refusal to comply with a request submitted
by CPSR under the Freedom of Information Act.
CPSR's request seeks Commerce Department records
"concerning U.S. policy on the export of computer
technology," and emphasizes the group's particular interest
in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and South Africa.
Human rights advocates have noted a recent trend toward
computerized surveillance and record-keeping activities on
the part of repressive governments around the world.
Until recently, the government of South Africa employed
a pass-card and fingerprint system to enforce travel
restrictions on the black population. This practice
eventually led to a U.S. government ban on the sale of
computers to any apartheid-enforcing agency.
According to a recent article in Time Magazine, the
government of Thailand has developed a computer database that
permits the creation of detailed dossiers on millions of Thai
citizens by linking the files of disparate government
agencies. Simon Davies, an Australian expert with the
watchdog group Privacy International, said that the Thai
system is potentially "one of the most repressive
surveillance systems the world has ever seen."
CPSR is seeking the disclosure of information concerning
the use of U.S. technology in the Thai database and similar
systems.
For more information, contact [email protected]
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[3] CPSR asked to Testify on Workplace Privacy
Senator Paul Simon has asked CPSR to testify before the
Senate Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on Employment
and Productivity on September 24. The purpose of the hearing
is to consider The Privacy for Consumers and Workers Act, a
bill introduced by Senator Simon.
CPSR members interested in submitting comments on the
bill should send comments as soon as possible to
[email protected]. We have an on-line version of
the bill that we can send you.
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[4] Clarence Thomas and CPSR
No, CPSR is not taking a position on the Supreme Court
nominee, but we have sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary
Committee recommending that the Senators ask Judge Thomas
about the extension of Constitutional protections to new
electronic settings. We suggested that they explore the
nominee's views on privacy and the impact of computer
technology on access to government information and First
Amendment freedoms.
The letter follows upon the recommendation of Laurence
Tribe that a 27th amendment to the Constitution may be
necessary to protect Constitutional rights. Professor Tribe
made the proposal at the Computers, Freedom & Privacy
conference sponsored by CPSR earlier this year.
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[5] Senate Passes NREN Bill
The Senate this week passed a measure to provide $1
billion over five years for the development of a high-speed
computer network, often referred to as "the NREN." A similar
bill had passed the House earlier this year. Under the
Senate measure, the National Science Foundation will be the
lead agency, while an administration working group will help
set policy.
The passage of the NREN bill signals that funding for
research on high-speed computing and network communications
will remain a high priority for the federal government
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[6] CPSR Pursues NIST Crypto Policy
CPSR has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request
to the National Institute of Standards and Technology in an
effort to determine the role of the National Security Agency
in the development of the proposed digital signature
standard.
CPSR members who are interested in learning more about
the role of the government in cryptography policy should
contact the the Office of Technology Assessment (202/224-
8996) and ask for a copy of the report *Defending Secrets,
Sharing Data: New Locks and Keys for Electronic Information*
(1987). A few copies of the report summary are also
available from the CPSR Washington Office.
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[7] Upcoming Events
Sept 16, CPSR 10th Anniversary Dinner, Mountain View, CA
Tickets are still available for this premier event!
Contact [email protected]
Oct 12-13, CPSR Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
Keynote speaker: John Shattuck, former vice-chairman
Amnesty International and former director
ACLU Washington Office
Also Judith Perrolle, Herb Gintis, and presentations
by Mass Online, Community Bytes, EFF and CPSR
Contact [email protected]
Oct 25, US Privacy Council Meeting, Washington, DC
Canadian privacy expert David Flaherty to speak
CPSR Washington Office, 12 to 2
Contact [email protected]
1992
Mar 18-20, Computers, Freedom & Privacy, Washington, DC
Contact [email protected]
May 2-3, 1992 DIAC-92 Directions and Implications of
Advanced Computing, Berkeley, CA
Paper proposals due November 1, 1991
Contact dschuler@june.cs.washington.edu
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[8] Hard Disk Needed
The CPSR Washington Office is looking for a large
hard disk (100 mb +) to put on an Appletalk network.
Contact [email protected].
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