IP: EPIC Alert 2.16

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

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    Volume 2.16                                 December 11, 1995
    -------------------------------------------------------------
  
                             Published by the
               Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
                             Washington, D.C.
                              info () epic org
                           http://www.epic.org


        ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
           JOIN THE INTERNET DAY OF PROTEST ON DECEMBER 12
        http://www.epic.org/free_speech/censorship/protest.txt
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


=======================================================================
  Table of Contents 
=======================================================================
    
   [1] House Conferees Adopt Unconstitutional Speech Restrictions
   [2] EPIC Files Suit to Obtain Secret Gov't Crypto Report
   [3] Privacy International Publishes Report on Surveillance Trade 
   [4] House To Vote on Revised Terrorism Bill
   [5] Avrahami Case Delayed
   [6] Anonymous Cash System wins EU Award (Press Release)
   [7] EPIC Alert to Move to New Distribution System
   [8] Upcoming Conferences and Events
  
[ I have forwarded a partial issue of relevant items. djf]


=======================================================================
[1] House Conferees Adopt Unconstitutional Speech Restrictions
=======================================================================


On December 6, members of the House of Representatives working on the
telecommunications reform legislation agreed to adopt a provision that
would censor "indecent" speech on the Internet.  The language is widely
viewed by civil liberties organizations and Constitutional scholars as
an impermissible restraint on free speech.


The ACLU, EFF, EPIC, ACA, NWU, and a number of other civil liberties
organizations had sent a letter to the conferees urging them to oppose
all restrictions on speech. Unfortunately, the committee continued to
press for a Washington-style deal as they had been urged by some 
lobbyists and produced a measure that is one of the most sweeping 
restrictions on speech ever proposed by the US Congress.


More information about Internet Censorship is available at:


   http://www.epic.org/free_speech/censorship/




=======================================================================
[2] EPIC Files Suit to Obtain Gov't Crypto Report
=======================================================================


EPIC filed suit on December 4 against the U.S. Department of Commerce
under the Freedom of Information Act to force the release of a survey
conducted by the Department on the foreign availability of encryption
software. According to Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown the study has 
been completed and is being held up by the White House Office of 
Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Agency, the 
two agencies most strongly pushing the Mandatory Key Escrow (MKE) 
initiative.


Observers believe that the report will confirm the existence of a
substantial amount of commercial and free software available from
non-U.S. companies worldwide. An ongoing survey conducted by the
Software Publishers Association has found over 450 products from 27
countries. Of those products, 179 use the U.S. Data Encryption Standard
(DES). The existence of a substantial amount of commercial software
overseas cuts against arguments that export controls on encryption
software should be maintained.


The report was created after Congress decided not to pass legislation
last year that would have relaxed export controls on encryption. 
The legislation would have required the Department of Commerce to 
complete the foreign availability report by April 1995. Although the 
legislation was not enacted, the Commerce Department nonetheless agreed 
to conduct the study.


More information on U.S. Cryptography Policy is available at: 


   http://www.epic.org/crypto/


In a related development EPIC Legal Counsel David Sobel appeared before
the National Institute of Standards and Technology on December 5th to 
offer comments on NIST's "Draft Export for Key Escrow Encryption". Sobel
blasted the latest proposal for Mandatory Key Escrow (MKE) and said that 
the administration continues to ignore the interests of the public.  


EPIC also put forward seven recommendations to reform national 
cryptography policy.  The recommendations follow from a presentation to
the National Research Council earlier this year.  The EPIC Statement on 
the NIST standard and the  EPIC proposal for cryptography policy is 
available at:


  http://www.epic.org/crypto/EPIC_Statement.html
  


=======================================================================
[3] Privacy International Publishes Report on Surveillance Trade
=======================================================================
  
Privacy International, a London-based international human rights group
dedicated to improving privacy worldwide, has published a 150 page
report on the international trade in surveillance technologies. The
report, entitled _Big Brother Incorporated_, provides details on over
100 companies worldwide that sell surveillance technologies, especially
to developing countries with poor records on human rights, including 
China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Angola, Rwanda and Guatemala.


According to the report, the U.S. and the United Kingdom are leaders in
exporting surveillance technology, and much of the activity is related 
to the arms trade. Western surveillance technology is providing
invaluable support to military and totalitarian authorities throughout
the world. Much of this technology is used to track the activities of
dissidents, human rights activists, journalists, student leaders,
minorities, trade union leaders and political opponents.


The report is available at 


   http://www.privacy.org/pi/reports/big_bro/


PI has also initiated a listserv for people interested in international
privacy issues. To subscribe, email pi-news () privacy org with the word
"subscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line.


December 10 also marked International Human Rights Day, the annual 
celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Article 12 
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "No one shall 
be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or
correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone 
has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or 
attacks."


The complete text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is
available at:


   http://cpsr.org/cpsr/privacy/privacy_international/
   international_laws/intl-decl-human-rights.txt




=======================================================================
[4] House To Vote on Revised Terrorism Bill
=======================================================================


A vote on HR 1710, the Comprehensive Antiterrorism Act of 1995, may 
occur before the Christmas vacation. The Republican leadership continues
to oppose several provisions in the bill that would extend federal law 
enforcement authority.


The bill was approved by the House Judiciary Committee on June 20, but 
held up by the House of Representatives after several Republicans led by
Rep. Bob Barr, a former federal prosecutor, objected to many of the 
provisions on civil liberties grounds. 


A compromise between Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde and Barr 
has been reached with the removal of the wiretap provisions, a scaling 
back on the broad definition of "terrorism," rejection of provisions 
allowing increased military involvement in law enforcement 
investigations, and the removal of funding for last year's Digital 
Telephony bill. 


However, troublesome provisions that allow access to consumer credit 
card and travel information without a requirement of a court order, and
provisions increasing use of pen registers still remain. In addition, 
sections allowing for the use of secret information in extradition 
hearings and broad discretion for the President to arbitrarily designate
groups as "terrorist organizations" also are retained.


A broad coalition of groups are still opposing the bill. At a press
conference on December 6, civil liberties organizations, gun 
owners, immigration and law enforcement groups released a letter from 
25 organizations opposing the bill including the ACLU, EPIC, Privacy
International, the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America,
Law Enforcement Alliance of America, National Association of Criminal 
Defense Lawyers and the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee. 
Former Senator Malcolm Wallop, chairman of Frontiers of Freedom called 
the bill a "fishing expedition into everyone's private lives."


If the bill passes the House, a conference committee must be created to
reconcile differences with the Senate bill, S-735. The Senate passed a
counter-terrorism bill on June 7.


More information on the various terrorism bills is available at:


   http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/






=======================================================================


The Electronic Privacy Information Center is a public interest 
research center in Washington, DC.It was established in 1994 to focus 
public attention on emerging privacy issues relating to the National 
Information Infrastructure, such as the Clipper Chip, the Digital 
Telephony proposal, medical record privacy, and the sale of consumer 
data. EPIC is sponsored by the Fund for Constitutional Government, a 
non-profit organization established in 1974 to protect civil liberties 
and constitutional rights. EPIC publishes the EPIC Alert, pursues 
Freedom of Information Act litigation, and conducts policy research. For 
more information, email info () epic org, WWW at HTTP://www.epic.org or 
write EPIC, 666 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20003.
+1 202 544 9240 (tel), +1 202 547 5482 (fax).


If you'd like to support the work of the Electronic Privacy Information
Center, contributions are welcome and fully tax-deductible. Checks 
should be made out to "The Fund for Constitutional Government" and sent 
to EPIC, 666 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 301, Washington DC 20003.


Your contributions will help support Freedom of Information Act
litigation, strong and effective advocacy for the right of privacy and
efforts to oppose government regulation of encryption and funding of
the National Wiretap Plan.


Thank you for your support.


------------------------ END EPIC Alert 2.16 ------------------------


======================================================================