jms@tardis.Tymnet.COM (Joe Smith) (08/28/90)
I found this in "junk". Is this an offical news group? In article <36562@ut-emx.UUCP> petrilli@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Chris Petrilli) writes: >I have not seen any post concerning what this group is about, but I may >have missed, our usenet news handler missing things sometimes. > >Perhaps a copy of the announcement would help explain what the >Electronic Frountier Foundation is about... > : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 1990 : : NEW FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED TO ENCOURAGE COMPUTER-BASED COMMUNICATIONS : POLICIES : : Contact: Cathy Cook (415) 759-5578 : : Washington, D.C., July 10, 1990 -- Mitchell D. Kapor, founder of : Lotus Development Corporation and ON Technology, today announced that : he, along with colleague John Perry Barlow, has established a : foundation to address social and legal issues arising from the impact : on society of the increasingly pervasive use of computers as a means : of communication and information distribution. The Electronic : Frontier Foundation (EFF) will support and engage in public education : on current and future developments in computer-based and : telecommunications media. In addition, it will support litigation in : the public interest to preserve, protect and extend First Amendment : rights within the realm of computing and telecommunications : technology. : : Initial funding for the Foundation comes from private contributions by : Kapor and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, Inc. The : Foundation expects to actively raise contributions from a wide : constituency. : : As an initial step to foster public education on these issues, the : Foundation today awarded a grant to the Palo Alto, California-based : public advocacy group Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility : (CPSR). The grant will be used by CPSR to expand the scope of its : on-going Computing and Civil Liberties Project (see attached). : : Because its mission is to not only increase public awareness about : civil liberties issues arising in the area of computer-based : communications, but also to support litigation in the public interest, : the Foundation has recently intervened on behalf of two legal cases. : : The first case concerns Steve Jackson, an Austin-based game : manufacturer who was the target of the Secret Service's Operation Sun : Devil. The EFF has pressed for a full disclosure by the government : regarding the seizure of his company's computer equipment. In the : second action, the Foundation intends to seek amicus curiae (friend : of the court) status in the government's case against Craig Neidorf, a : 20-year-old University of Missouri student who is the editor of the : electronic newsletter Phrack World News (see attached). : : "It is becoming increasingly obvious that the rate of technology : advancement in communications is far outpacing the establishment of : appropriate cultural, legal and political frameworks to handle the : issues that are arising," said Kapor. "And the Steve Jackson and : Neidorf cases dramatically point to the timeliness of the Foundation's : mission. We intend to be instrumental in helping shape a new framework : that embraces these powerful new technologies for the public good." : : The use of new digital media -- in the form of on-line information and : interactive conferencing services, computer networks and electronic : bulletin boards -- is becoming widespread in businesses and homes. : However, the electronic society created by these new forms of digital : communications does not fit neatly into existing, conventional legal : and social structures. : : The question of how electronic communications should be accorded the : same political freedoms as newspapers, books, journals and other modes : of discourse is currently the subject of discussion among this : country's lawmakers and members of the computer industry. The EFF : will take an active role in these discussions through its continued : funding of various educational projects and forums. : : An important facet of the Foundation's mission is to help both the : public and policy-makers see and understand the opportunities as well : as the challenges posed by developments in computing and : telecommunications. Also, the EFF will encourage and support the : development of new software to enable non-technical users to more : easily use their computers to access the growing number of digital : communications services available. : : The Foundation is located in Cambridge, Mass. Requests for : information should be sent to Electronic Frontier Foundation, One : Cambridge Center, Suite 300, Cambridge, MA 02142, 617/577-1385, fax : 617/225-2347; or it can be reached at the Internet mail address : eff@well.sf.ca.us. : : I hope that Mitch, Steve and John don't mind me posting this... I though : people might be interested, if they don't already know what it is. : : + Chris Petrilli "Opinons represented here : | University of Texas at Austin do not necessarily : | INTERNET: petrilli@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu represent those of a sane : | SNAILMAIL: 429 Brady Lane, Austin, Texas, 78746 person. Take them as : + PHONE: +1 512 327 0986 simply that." -- Joe Smith (408)922-6220 | SMTP: jms@tardis.tymnet.com or jms@gemini.tymnet.com BT Tymnet Tech Services | UUCP: ...!{ames,pyramid}!oliveb!tymix!tardis!jms PO Box 49019, MS-C51 | BIX: smithjoe | 12 PDP-10s still running! "POPJ P," San Jose, CA 95161-9019 | humorous dislaimer: "My Amiga speaks for me."
fair@Apple.COM (Erik E. Fair) (08/29/90)
In answer to the subject, yes, this is a valid "inet" newsgroup. Erik E. Fair apple!fair fair@apple.com