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1993-08-31
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ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION (EFF)
Having met for the first time Mike Godwin and his other EFF
co-harts at ONE BBSCON. I felt it an imperative to pass along
there published information on the organization and their
importance to us who use computers and peripherials in our
communication needs.
Michael Gray - Publisher
InterNational Online
Magazine
WORKING TOWARDS ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) was founded in July of
1990 to ensure that principles embodied in the Constitution and
Bill of Rights are protected as new communications technologies
emerge.
From the beginning, EFF has worked to shape our nation's
communications infrastructure and the policies that govern it in
order to maintain and enhance First Amendment, privacy and other
democratic values. We believe that our overriding public goal
must be the creation of Electronic Democracy, so our work focuses
on the establishment of:
* a National Public Network where voice, data and video
services are accessible to all citizens on an equitable
and affordable basis,
* a policy of common carriage requirements for all network
providers so that all speech, no matter how controversial,
will be carried without discrimination.
* new laws that protect citizens' basic Constitutional
rights as they use new commuications technologies, and
* a diversity of communities that enable all citizens to
have a voice in the information age.
In the new electronic age, computer and communications
technologies are transforming speech and information into digital
formats. Soon, networks combining voice, data and video will
serve as the primary channels for commerce, education, politics
and entertainment in our society. The civil liberties that we
have enjoyed thus far in our country's history must be protected
in these new communications environments.
INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE - EFF's Open Platform Proposals
advocates that the nation's telecommunications infrastructure
providers offer affordable, widely available transmission of
voice, data and video information. The telecommunications
infrastructure must promote broad access and enable citizens to
recieve and publish a diversity of information. In addition, a
competitive environment must be ensured to perserve the core
principles of common carriage, universal service and open
standards.
-----------------------
In the near term, EFF supports the implementation of services
such as ISDN and ASDL, currently available digital technologies,
for sending voice, data and video at reasonable cost to
consumers.
-----------------------
EFF supports federal funding to promote the development of
network tools and applications that will make the Internet and
the NREN easier to use. Although the NREN will be made up of
services from commerical providers, government also has a vital
role to play in making grants to institutions that cannot afford
to pay for Internet connecivitity.
CIVIL LIBERTIES
EFF has been working to ensure that common carrier principles are
upheld in the information age. Common carrier principles require
that network providers carry all speech, regardless of its
controversial content. Common carriers must also provide
speakers and information providers with equal, nondiscriminatory
access to the network.
-----------------------
EFF chairs the Digital Secutity and Privacy Working Group, a
coalition of over 50 organizations-from computer software and
hardware firms, telecommunications and eneregy companies to civil
liberties advocates- work on sound privacy policies in
telecommunications. For example, the group has worked to oppose
the FBI's Digital Telephony proposal and government-mandated
encryption policies.
-----------------------
EFF is working to convince Congress that all measures supporting
broader public access to information should be enacted into law.
EFF supports an Electronic Freedom of Information Act and other
legislation to make inforamtion more accessible to citizens in
electronic formats.
-----------------------
EFF supports both legal and technical means to enhance privacy in
communications. We, therefore, advocate all measures that ensure
the public's right to use the most effective encryption
technologies available.
LEGAL SERVICES
EFF sponsors legal cases where users' online civil liberties have
been violated. The Steve Jackson Games case, decided in March of
1993, established privacy protections for electronic mail. We
continue to monitor the online community for legal actions that
merit EFF support.
-----------------------
EFF provides a free telephone hotline for members of the online
community who have questions regarding their legal rights.
-----------------------
Members of EFF's staff and board speak to law enforcement
organizations, state attorney bar associations and university
classes on the work that we do and how these groups can get
involved.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
EFF, in conjunction with the Consumer Federation of America and
the American Civil Liberties Union, coordinates and sponsors the
Communications Policy Forum (CPF). CPF enables nonprofit
organizations, computer and communications forms, and government
policymakers to come together in a nonpartisan setting to discuss
commuications policy goals and strategies.
-----------------------
EFF works with local organizations that support online
communications issues. In September of 1993, EFF will cosponsor a
cryptography conference with a group in Austin, Texas. Earlier
this year, EFF sponsored a summit of groups from around the
country to discuss common goals. We also participate in an online
mailing list for organizations that share our interests.
-----------------------
EFF is a funder and organizer of the annual Computers, Freedom and
Privacy conference, where academics, civil libertarians, law
enforcement officials and computer users all meet to discuss the
privacy implications of communicating online. Each year at the
conference, EFF presents its Pioneer awards to individuals who
have made significiant contributions to computer communications.
-----------------------
EFF maintians several communications forums online. We have our
own Internet node, eff.org, which houses our ftp and gopher sites
and our discussion areas, comp.org.eff.talk and comp.org.eff.news.
EFF also maintains conferences on the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
(WELL), CompuServe and America Online.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Tel: (202) 347-5400
1001 G Street, NW FAX: (202) 393-5509
Suite 950 East INTERNET: eff@eff.org
Washington, DC 20001
For membership information call the above listed Tel: number.
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