From: draper@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Nikki Draper)
Subject: FBI Wiretap Scheme Examined
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Distribution: ba
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 01:11:59 GMT




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:  Nikki Draper  (415) 322-3778


     Computer Public Advocacy Group To Examine FBI Wiretap Scheme
                     at October Annual Meeting.

Palo Alto, Calif., October 1, 1992 -- Computer Professionals for Social 
Responsibility (CPSR), the national public interest organization based 
here, will take an in-depth look at its recent suit against the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during CPSR's 1992 Annual Meeting, 
October 17th and 18th at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.  
CPSR Legal Counsel, David Sobel, will talk about the FBI suit for the 
first time since it was filed and moderate a panel discussion on the 
politics of cryptography at the annual meeting.  The CPSR annual 
meeting is a provactive two-day conference that addresses critical 
issues facing society as a result of information technology.

CPSR filed suit against the FBI in September, after the Bureau failed 
to make public documents that would justify the need for its new 
wiretap proposal.  The FBI proposal would redesign the telephone 
network to make wiretapping easier.  Recognizing the importance of 
cryptography policy, CPSR catalyzed a national debate earlier this 
year, as to whether or not the FBI and National Security Agency 
(NSA) should be involved in setting the technical standards for the 
computer and communications industry.  

The panel discussion will include a screening and discussion of film 
clips from the movie, Sneakers.  Panelists include, Joan Feigenbaum, 
Technical Staff, Computing Principles Research, ATT Bell Labs, John 
Gilmore, founder of Cygnus Support, and Dave Banisar, CPSR Policy 
Analyst.

CPSR's annual meeting will  bring together computer scientists from 
across the country to examine the relationship between politics and 
technology.  Other topics include:   

    *  Teledemocracy & Citizen Participation:  
        Beyond the Electronic Town Meeting, 

This session is an election year look at the dangers and the 
opportunites of electronic democracy.  Speaker, Susan G. Hadden, 
professor in the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at 
Austin, an expert on telecommunications and citizen participation.

    *  Everything's Digital!  Media Convergence:  Hope, Hype or Hell?  

This session examines the social implications of multimedia 
convergence which is the merging of computer, telephone, and video 
technology.  Panel discussion with David Bunnell, Editor, New Media, 
Denise Caruso, Editor, Digital Media, and Howard Rheingold, Whole 
Earth Review

    *  Envisioning Technology Policy in a Democratic Society;  

A panel of technologists looks at the development of American 
technology policy.  Panelists include, Gary Chapman, The 21st 
Century Project, Judy Stern, CPSR/Berkeley, Claire Zvanski, SEIU 
Local 790.

President of Interval Research, Dave Liddle, will be the keynote 
speaker at CPSR's awards banquet Saturday evening.  Liddle will be 
speaking on the Computing in the 21st Century.  IBM researcher, 
Barbara Simons will be presented with the 1992 Norbert Wiener 
Award for Social and Professional Responsibility in Computing.  

Founded in 1981, CPSR is a national, non-profit, public interest 
organization of computer scientists and other professionals concerned 
with the impact of computer technology on society.  With offices in 
Washington, D.C. and Boston, CPSR's members provide the public and 
policy makers with expert testimony and assessments on the power, 
promise, and limitations of computer technology.  

For more information about CPSR call 415-322-3778 or send email to 
cpsr@csli.stanford.edu.


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