CPSR Alert 2.01 ============================================================= @@@@ @@@@ @@@ @@@@ @ @ @@@@ @@@@ @@@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@@ @ @@@ @@@@@ @ @@@ @@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@@@ @ @@@ @ @ @ @ @@@@ @@@@ @ @ @ ============================================================= Volume 2.01 September 10, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility Washington Office Editor: Dave Banisar -------- CPSR Washington Office Staff: Director: Marc Rotenberg (rotenberg@washofc.cpsr.org) Legal Counsel: David Sobel (sobel@washofc.cpsr.org) Policy Analyst: Dave Banisar (banisar@washofc.cpsr.org) ------------------------------------------------------------- Contents [1] We're Back! [2] CPSR Annual Meeting Info [3] Gore NPR Review Highlights [4] NIST Advisory Board Questions Clipper Proposal [5] Public Interest NII Coalition Meets in DC [6] California Legislature Passes Info Access Bill [7] Wisconsin Looking for Privacy Advocate [8] The CPSR Internet Library [9] Upcoming CPSR Events ------------------------------------------------------------- [1] The Alert Returns After an extended vacation and many other excellent excuses, the CPSR Alert has returned. Publication will be bi-weekly with an occasional Special Edition. We do not intend to duplicate the efforts of the many other publications already covering these issues, such as Computer Underground Digest, the Privacy Forum, and Risks Digest, or to repeat what is already published in the CPSR Newsletter. Rather we plan to provide short, timely articles, updates and a calendar of events and resources for CPSR Members and other interested people. Topics will include privacy, information access, the National Information Infrastructure and other CPSR issues. Please submit your comments and relevant short articles to alert@washofc.cpsr.org. ------------------------------------------------------------- [2] CPSR Annual Meeting COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ANNUAL MEETING October 16 - 17, 1993 University of Washington, South Campus Center Seattle, Washington, USA Envisioning the Future: A National Forum on the National Information Infrastructure and Community Access Co-sponsored by the American Society for Information Science Pacific Northwest Chapter (ASIS-PNC) ============================================================== Saturday, October 16th 8:00 - 9:00 Registration/Coffee & Tea 9:00 - 9:15 Welcome to the CPSR Annual Meeting - Aki Namioka 9:15 - 10:15 Keynote Address - Bruce McConnell, Office of Management and Budget "Shaping National Information Infrastructure Policy" 10:15 - 10:45 Break 10:45 - 12:15 Panel Discussion - Moderated by Eric Roberts "Public Access to Internetworks" 12:15 - 1:45 Lunch break 1:45 - 3:00 Panel Discussion - Moderated by Andrew Gordon "Municipal Information Infrastructure" 3:00 - 4:30 Panel Discussion - Moderated by Douglas Schuler "Networking in the Community" 4:30 - 4:45 Break 4:45 - 6:15 Panel Discussion - Moderated by Marc Rotenberg "Computers and Democracy - What's the Connection?" 6:15 - 6:30 Closing Remarks - Jeff Johnson ============================================================== 7:30 CPSR Banquet - Fundraiser (Vegetarian food will be available) + Presentation of the 1993 Norbert Wiener Award to The Institute for Global Communications (IGC) Presenter: Eric Roberts + Banquet Address and Interactive Event - Kit Galloway, Electronic Cafe International ============================================================== Sunday, October 17th (preliminary schedule) 8:30 - 9:30 Coffee & Tea 9:30 - 11:30 Workshop sessions Gender Relations in Networking - Judi Clark Information Policy: A Framework for Action - Karen Sy Computer Professionals and Social Action - Jeff Johnson 11:30 - 1:00 Lunch Break 1:00 - 2:30 CPSR Discussion 2:30 - 3:00 Break 3:00 - 4:30 CPSR NII Vision Document Discussion - Todd Newman 4:30 - 5:00 Closing Remarks - Future CPSR NII Program - Marc Rotenberg For more information, contact the National Office at cpsr@cpsr.org, or Aki Namioka, Annual Meeting Chair, at aki@cpsr.org. ------------------------------------------------------------- [3] National Performance Review Highlights. The NPR, a massive study on streamlining government headed by Vice President Albert Gore, has endorsed the creation of a Privacy Protection Board and the development of uniform privacy protection practices. It has also recommended the development of a Digital Signature Standard by January 1994. Other information technology recommendations include implementing nationwide, integrated electronics benefits transfer, developing integrated electronic access to government (including information kiosks and a government wide electronic bulletin board system), the development of a national law enforcement/public safety network, government wide electronic mail and indexes for environmental and trade data. It also calls for the establishment of a government information infrastructure. A spokesman in the Vice President's office told the Alert that the specifics of the recommendations would be released within a few weeks. Government sources have indicated that many of the information technology recommendations originated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. An electronic copy of the NPR is available from the CPSR Internet Library. See below (#8) for details. ------------------------------------------------------------- [4] Gov't Panel Questions Clipper Chip Proposal After two days of sometimes tumultuous hearings, a government advisory board chartered to advise the administration and Congress on computer security and privacy issued two resolutions questioning many of the aspects of the Clinton Administration's controversial new encryption scheme, the Clipper Chip. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Computer System Security and Privacy Advisory Board (CSSPAB) expressed continued concern over many aspects of the proposal including the lack of a convincing statement expressing the problems that the Clipper is supposed to solve, the need to look for possible alternatives to the proposal, the legal, economic, export controls issues, and software implementation of the proposal. In addition, the board also expressed concern that the Clipper proposal could negatively impact the availability of cost-effective security products to the US government and industry and that it may not be marketable or usable worldwide. In a second resolution, the board unanimously called for a public debate of the proposal and recommended that Congress take an active role in determining US cryptography policy. It also recommended that any new policy must address the interests of law enforcement and intelligence, US industry and citizens' privacy and security in the US and worldwide. At the hearings, Geoff Greiveldinger from the Department of Justice reported that the key escrow agents will be announced within a few weeks after a briefing for members of Congress. Sources inside the administration indicate that the administration may have decided to eliminate from consideration outside organizations holding the keys and is leaning towards the Department of the Treasury as one of the key holders. In addition, NIST Deputy Director Ray Kammer announced that the Data Encryption Standard (DES) will be recertified for government, non-classified use for another five years. The paperwork has been sent to Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, who is expected to sign it within two weeks. The Clipper proposal was introduced April 16, 1993 and has been strongly opposed by both civil liberties groups and industry. The proposal calls for use of a secret encryption chip designed by the National Security Agency for non-classified voice and data transmission. The keys for the chip would be split and held in escrow by two government agencies. NIST has submitted the Clipper proposal for public comment. The FIPS was published in the Federal Register at Volume 58, page 40791 (July 30, 1993) and is also available in electronic form from the CPSR Internet Library FTP/WAIS/Gopher cpsr.org /cpsr/crypto/clipper/call-for-comments. Comments are due to NIST by September 28, 1993 to the Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, ATTN: Proposed FIPS for Escrowed Encryption Standard, Technology Building, room B-154, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Other background material on the Clipper proposal and other cryptography issues is also available from the CPSR Internet Library. CPSR has created an archive of comments on the proposal and has asked people to electronically submit a copy of their comments to clipper@washofc.cpsr.org. A 450 page source book of materials on crypto policy is available from CPSR for $50.00. Contact banisar@washofc.cpsr.org for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------- [5] Public Interest NII Coalition Meets in DC The third meeting of the Telecommunications Policy Roundtable took place on September 7 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. Representatives from more than 60 public interest organizations gathered to discuss the development of a public interest agenda for the NII. CPSR President Eric Roberts, Board member Todd Newman, and Seattle Chapter stalwart Doug Schuler flew in from the West Coast to attend the meeting. Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and head of the National Telecommunication Information Administration spoke to the group about the administration's plans for the National Information Infrastructure. Mr. Irving said that he believed that universal service will be one of the critical goals. He also said that the administration seeks to development a competitive marketplace for information services and to establish necessary consumer safeguards. The TPR proposed a set of public interest policy principles and prepared a document titled "Renewing the Commitment to Public Interest Communications Policy. " The policies covered freedom of communication, vital civic sector, universal access, competitive markets, privacy protection, equitable workplace, and democratic decision-making. (A copy of the draft document is available from the CPSR archive). A formal press conference is scheduled for Thursday, October 7 at the National Press Club. The next meeting of the TPR will be Tuesday, October 5. For more information, contact Jeff Chester, Center for Media Education (cme@access.digex.net) ------------------------------------------------------------- [6] California Passes Landmark Information Access Bill The California Assembly on September 8 voted 78 to 0 for a bill to make California legislative information available though the Internet. The bill (AB1624) was previously approved by the state Senate and now goes to Governor Pete Wilson, who has 12 days to veto it before it becomes law. The bill requires electronic distribution of the legislative agenda and requires the " Legislative Council...to make available to the public, by means of access by way of the largest non-propriety, non-profit cooperative public computer network, specified information concerning bills, [and] the proceedings of the houses." It goes into effect January 1, 1994. The grassroots battle to pass this bill was led by Micro Times columnist and CPSR member Jim Warren. Using electronic networks, he organized a massive national fax , telephone and letter writing campaign to support the bill. It was opposed by LOGI-TECH, an information provider that sells legislative data. ------------------------------------------------------------- [7] Wisconsin Looking for Privacy Advocate From: oravec@cs.wisc.edu (Jo Ann Oravec) Privacy Advocate... Madison, Wisconsin The State of Wisconsin is seeking a person responsible for support and advocacy in development and implementation of state and local government policies that protect personal privacy. This position reports to the Privacy Council. Background in business and government application of information technology. Salary $33,000 per year plus excellent benefits. Applicants should submit a detailed resume and a statement outlining their perspectives and approaches to privacy concerns to Mary Becker (608-266-0058, FAX 608-264-9500), Department of Administration, 9th Floor, 101 E. Wilson, P.O. Box 7869, Madison, WI 53707-7869. Materials must be received before 4:30 PM on September 27, 1993. ------------------------------------------------------------- [8] The CPSR Internet Library CPSR has set up an archive of materials on privacy, cryptography, information access, the National Information Infrastructure and other related issues. Recent additions to the archive include the entire National Performance Review report, and the full text of the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Privacy Act of 1974. NPR /cpsr/clinton/npr FOIA /cpsr/foia/foia.txt Privacy Act of 1974 /cpsr/privacy_law/privacy_act_1974.txt The archive also archives materials from Privacy International, the US Privacy Council, the Taxpayers Assets Project and the Cypherpunks cryptography group. To access the archive, FTP/WAIS/Gopher cpsr.org. ------------------------------------------------------------- [9] Upcoming Events International Privacy Roundtable, sponsored by Privacy International and the University of Manchester Law School- Manchester, England. September 29, 1993. Contact: simon davies (davies@privint.demon.co.uk). National Computer Security Conference, sponsored by NIST and NSA. Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD. September 20-23, 1993 Contact NIST 301-975-2762. CPSR Annual Meeting,Seattle, WA. October 16-17, Contact: Aki Namioka (aki@atc.boeing.com) Computers Freedom and Privacy 4. Chicago, Ill. March 1993. Contact: George Trubow, 312-987-1445 (cfp94@jmls.edu) ============================================================== To subscribe to the alert, send a message to listserv@gwuvm.gwu.edu "subscribe cpsr " (without quotes or brackets) to listserv@gwuvm.gwu.edu. Back issues of the Alert are available at the CPSR Internet Library FTP/WAIS/Gopher cpsr.org /cpsr/alert Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility is a national, non-partisan, public-interest organization dedicated to understanding and directing the impact of computers on society. Founded in 1981, CPSR has 2000 members from all over the world and 22 chapters across the country. Our National Advisory Board includes a Nobel laureate and three winners of the Turing Award, the highest honor in computer science. Membership is open to everyone. 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Box 717 Palo Alto, CA 94301 ------------------------ END CPSR Alert 2.01----------------------- ======================================================================