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PRO-CODE

Courtesy of Public Relations Net and CompuServe's Executive News Service


         EPIC Applauds Proposed Crypto Legislation: ...

 COMTEX Newswire  1/5/96 19:37

 WASHINGTON (May 1) BUSINESS WIRE -May 1, 1996--The Electronic Privacy
 Information Center (EPIC) today applauded the introduction of legislation
 designed to relax export controls on privacy-enhancing encryption technology.
   The "Promotion of Commerce On-Line in the Digital Era (Pro-CODE) Act,"
 introduced by Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT), would place export control authority
 in the Commerce Department, rather than the State Department and the National
 Security Agency (NSA) -- the agencies currently charged with that
 responsibility.
   The proposed bill would remove out-dated barriers to the development and
 dissemination of software and hardware with encryption capabilities.
 According to EPIC Legal Counsel David Sobel, "This is a necessary step to
ensure the
 development of a secure Global Information Infrastructure that promotes
 on-line commerce and preserves individual privacy.
   "EPIC has long advocated adoption of encryption policies that emphasize
 the protection of personal data and encourage the widespread dissemination of
 privacy-enhancing technologies."
   The proposed legislation comes in the midst of an ongoing debate
 concerning U.S. encryption policy and at a time when the need for secure
electronic
 communications is becoming widely recognized.  The explosive growth of the
 Internet underscores the need for policies that encourage the development and
 use of robust security technologies to protect sensitive personal and
 commercial information in the digital environment.
   EPIC recently joined with other organizations to create the Internet
 Privacy Coalition (IPC).  The mission of the IPC is to promote privacy and
security
 on the Internet through widespread public availability of strong encryption
and
 the relaxation of export controls on cryptography.
   The IPC has launched the "Golden Key Campaign" to raise public awareness
 of these issues.  Additional information is available at the IPC website:
 http://www.privacy.org/ipc/.
   EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington.  It was
 established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties
issues and to
 protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values.  Additional
 information about EPIC is available at http://www.epic.org.
   --30--jm/sf   kr
   CONTACT:  Electronic Privacy Information Center, Washington
    David Sobel or Dave Banisar, 202/544-9240
   KEYWORD:  DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
   INDUSTRY KEYWORD:  COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED
 INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET
 GOVERNMENT  REPEATS: New York 212-575-8822 or 800-221-2462; Boston
 617-236-4266 or 800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA
 310-820-9473
 BW URL: http://www.businesswire.com

 Copyright 1996


 Dave Kennedy [CISSP] Vol Sysop National Computer Security Association Forum
on CompuServe

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