As you know, CPSR is an organization that is dedicated to understanding and influencing the implications of computer technology. Privacy considerations might be overlooked in the next-generation computing systems if organizations like CPSR aren't especially vigilant. I would like to help support Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility and help support the development of democratic and responsible technology. CPSR was started in 1981 by computer scientists and, to this day, has many computer scientists within its ranks. Times have changed considerably since 1981.
Computers are much more prevalent.
While computers offer great opportunities for enhanced communication with community and civic networks, they also offer grave threats. Computers allow privacy violations to occur virtually unchecked as transfer of personal information can occur almost instantaneously. Prospects of the Clipper Chip, National ID cards, and unchecked collecting and sharing of millions of K-12 records are looming omininously in the future unless we act now to prevent them. Today, in 1994, with computers playing vital roles in virtually all areas of society, it is important that educators, students, librarians, policy makers, engineers, social workers, activists, and business people, among many others with important viewpoints participate in these vital discussions. If your interest is the National Information Infrastructure, privacy, civil liberties, national identification cards, privacy of student records, community networking, computers in the workplace, or any number of important issues, please consider joining us.