MacHack 1997/MacHack 1997.toast/Presentations/Presentations ’93/Data Security Presentation/eff.about

Text File | 1993-06-25 | 11.4 KB | 290 lines | [TEXT/R*ch]

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General Information About the Electronic Frontier Foundation
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The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) 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.

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:

* new laws that protect citizens' basic Constitutional rights as they
  use new communications technologies,

* a policy of common carriage requirements for all network providers
  so that all speech, no matter how controversial, will be carried without
  discrimination,

* a National Public Network where voice, data and video services are
  accessible to all citizens on an equitable and affordable basis, and

* a diversity of communities that enable all citizens to have a voice in
  the information age.


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 and publications that
are kept online. 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.


Civil Liberties

EFF has been working to make sure 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 all speakers and information providers
with equal, nondiscriminatory access to the network.

Last year, the FBI introduced legislation to require communications
technologies to be certified as open to lawful government surveillance
before those technologies can be deployed. EFF organized a broad coalition
of 39 computer, telephone and public interest groups to oppose this measure.

EFF is working to convince Congress that all measures that support broader
public access to information should be enacted into law. For example, the
law that establishes citizen access to information, the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), does not require government agencies to turn over
the electronic version of information, which is often the most useful
version. EFF supports an Electronic Freedom of Information Act and other
legislation to make information more accessible to citizens.

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.


National Network

EFF has been working with policymakers to establish a national network, or
network of networks, capable of transporting video images and data, as well
as voice. Our "Open Platform Proposal" advocates a network that is
accessible to all citizens at an affordable price. For the near-term,
EFF supports the implementation of ISDN (Integrated Services Digital
Network) technology. ISDN makes it possible for the current telephone
network to be used to send voice, video and data at a low cost to consumers.

EFF has written a white paper that describes ISDN applications that are
currently available for use at home, school, the workplace and beyond.

EFF has been working with policymakers on legislation that encourages
individuals and organizations to create tools that make the Internet and
the National Research and Education Network (NREN) easier to access and use.


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 firms, and government policymakers to come together in a
nonpartisan setting to discuss communications policy goals and strategies.

In order to foster community and openness, EFF works with local organizations
that support online communications issues. In January of 1993, 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 significant contributions to computer
communications.

EFF publishes a biweekly electronic newsletter, EFFector Online, that is
sent to subscribers at their e-mail addresses. We also publish a quarterly
hardcopy newsletter entitled Networks & Policy.

EFF maintains several communications forums on the Internet. We have our
own Internet node, eff.org, which houses our ftp and gopher sites, as well
as our discussion areas, comp.org.eff.talk and comp.org.eff.news. EFF also
maintains a conference on the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (WELL).


HOW TO CONNECT TO EFF

Internet and USENET:

General information requests, including requests to be added to the
EFFector Online mailing list, can be sent to [e-mail].

If you receive any USENET newsgroups, your site may carry the newsgroups
comp.org.eff.news and comp.org.eff.talk. The former is a moderated
newsgroup for announcements, newsletters, and other information; the latter
is an unmoderated discussion group for discussing EFF and issues relating
to the electronic frontier.

For those unable to read the newsgroups, there are redistributions via
electronic mail. Send requests to be added to or dropped from the
comp.org.eff.news mailing list to [e-mail]. For the
comp.org.eff.talk mailing list, send a note to [e-mail].
Please note that eff.talk can be extremely high-volume at times.

A document library containing all EFF news releases and other publications
of interest, including John Perry Barlow's history of EFF, "Crime and
Puzzlement," is available via anonymous FTP from ftp.eff.org. Send a note
to [e-mail] if you have questions or are unable to use FTP.

To be added to a mailing list specifically discussing technical and policy
issues, send a note to [e-mail].


The WELL:

The WELL is host to an active EFF conference, as well as many other related
conferences of interest to EFF supporters. Access to the WELL is $15/month
plus $2/hour. Telecom access is available through the CompuServe Packet
Network for an additional $4.50/hour. If you have an Internet connection,
you can reach the WELL via telnet at well.sf.ca.us; otherwise, dial
[phone] (data). The WELL's voice number is [phone].


CompuServe:

Our forum on CompuServe is also open. GO EFFSIG to join. Many of the files
on ftp.eff.org, as well as other items of interest, are mirrored in the
EFFSIG Libraries.


America Online:

EFF has just opened up a Special Interest Group on America Online as part
of the Macintosh Communications Forum (MCM). GOTO Keyword EFF to join. Many
of the files on ftp.eff.org, as well as other items of interest, are
mirrored in this forum. In addition, EFF sponsors an interactive discussion
on this forum every Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.


OUR ADDRESSES

Electronic Frontier Foundation
666 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Suite 303 Washington, DC 20003
[phone]
[phone] FAX
Internet: [e-mail]

Until June 1, 1993, we also have an office at:

Electronic Frontier Foundation
238 Main St.
Cambridge, MA 02142
[phone]
[phone] FAX
Internet: [e-mail]

MEMBERSHIP IN THE ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION
=============================================================
Print out and mail to:
Membership Coordinator
Electronic Frontier Foundation
666 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., Suite 303 Washington, DC 20003


I wish to become a member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
I enclose:

$__________ Regular membership -- $40
$__________ Student membership -- $20


Special Contribution

I wish to make a tax-deductible donation in the amount of $__________
to further support the activities of EFF and to broaden participation
in the organization.


Documents Available in Hard Copy Form

The following documents are available free of charge from the Electronic
Frontier Foundation. Please indicate any of the documents you wish to receive.

___ Open Platform Proposal - EFF's proposal for a national telecommunications
infrastructure. 12 pages. July, 1992

___ An Analysis of the FBI Digital Telephony Proposal - Response of
EFF-organized coalition to the FBI's digital telephony proposal of Fall, 1992.
8 pages. September, 1992.

___ Building the Open Road: The NREN and the National Public Network -
A discussion of the National Research and Education Network as a prototype
for a National Public Network. 20 pages. May, 1992.

___ Innovative Services Delivered Now: ISDN Applications at Home, School,
the Workplace and Beyond - A compilation of ISDN applications currently in
use. 29 pages. January, 1993.

___ Decrypting the Puzzle Palace - John Perry Barlow's argument for strong
encryption and the need for an end to U.S. policies preventing its development
and use. 13 pages. May, 1992.

___ Crime and Puzzlement - John Perry Barlow's piece on the founding of the
Electronic Frontier Foundation and the world of hackers, crackers and those
accused of computer crimes. 24 pages. June, 1990.

___ Networks & Policy - A quarterly newsletter detailing EFF's activities
and achievements.


Your Contact Information:

Name: __________________________________________________________

Organization: __________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Phone: (____) _______________ FAX: (____) _______________ (optional)

E-mail address: ___________________________________________________


Payment Method

___ Enclosed is a check payable to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

___ Please charge my:
___ MasterCard ___ Visa ___ American Express

Card Number: ___________________________________________

Expiration Date: _______________________________________

Signature: _____________________________________________


Privacy Policy

EFF occasionally shares our mailing list with other organizations promoting
similar goals. However, we respect an individual's right to privacy and will
not distribute your name without explicit permission.

___ I grant permission for the EFF to distribute my name and contact
information to organizations sharing similar goals.



The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization
supported by contributions from individual members, corporations and private
foundations. Donations are tax-deductible.