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The CPSR Compiler - January 2003
COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS for SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Turning Thoughts to Actions
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Thank you to all who have recently donated to our annual appeal or renewed your membership after a lapse.
Opportunities
Coralee's annual letter to members, that mentioned the Total Information Awareness (TIA) project, resulted in donations and renewed memberships from many friends of CPSR. So, who would like to work on exploring the issue, and sharing information with the world via our website ? To join the CPSR-Privacy Working Group, use http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/cpsr-privacy
Submit nominations for the EFF Pioneer Awards, which recognize leaders on the electronic frontier who are extending freedom and innovation in the realm of information technology. See: http://www.eff.org/awards/pioneer.html
Remember, CPSR offers the ability to purchase health insurance through NASRO as a service to its members. In doing so, CPSR makes no claims about NASRO or the insurance products it offers and members should carefully evaluate all terms and conditions. NASRO is an independent organization over which CPSR has no control
New NASRO health insurance information is available, with more to follow. They are finishing with the loading of all the many new and different health plans . You might be interested in the new deep discount drug card that brings in mailorder medications from Canada. They have also added a stand alone dental discount benefit. Both of these programs are available in all 50 states. A page that is especially for CPSR members, is expected soon.
The new NASRO membership email address is info(a)global-equality.org and the new web site is http://www.global-equality.org
For now, for all NASRO benefits questions please refer to http://www.nasro-co-op.com
Members can join the International Chapter Committee to discuss and analyse the development of CPSR chapters outside of the U.S via http://lists.cpsr.org
CPSR is sharing its expertise via the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility with the United Kingdom government about the introduction of Identity Cards ("Entitlement Cards"). Comments can be submitted at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dob/ecu.htm
Apply to The Digital Vision Fellowship Program at Stanford University for the 2003-04 academic year. Deadline March 14. Fellows are technologists with a heft dose of social entrepreneurship, who wish to apply their skills to a humanitarian project, and program managers who are engaged in ICT projects in the developing world. For additional information , click on "Become a Fellow" at http://reuters.stanford.edu or contact Stuart Gannes sgannes(a)stanford.edu
Apply for a fellowship in Technology, Institutions, and Governance from the National Center for Digital Government Research and Practice (NCDG) for pre-doctoral residential support of dissertation research. See http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/digitalcenter
Support Michael Erbschloe in his work with Hi-Tech Charities, a small nonprofit technology educational institution in Saint Louis, MO, that is dedicated to improving business and technology education in low-income neighborhoods. He is asking for tax deductible donations of networking, technology, and business books of all types and levels. Contact: michaelerbschloe(a)worldnet.att.net
Get more involved, join a Working Group Discussion. See http://lists.cpsr.org
All Chapters and Working Groups and Projects need to send reports to the board by 1/31/03, in preparation for the February 8 & 9 virtual board meeting. Members interested in participation in the virtual board meeting should contact Susan Evoy evoy(a)cpsr.org for additional information.
CPSR Japan reported on their activities in 2002 and their expectations to continue to explore National ID, online censorship, and Internet wiretapping in 2003
CPSR Japan is at the Asian Regional Conference for the World Summit on the Information Society.
CPSR Japan's Chair, Shinji Yamanae appeared in a Mainichi online article. See http://www.mainichi.co.jp/digital/coverstory/archive/200210/16/index.html
Shinji took copies of CPSR's brochure to an ITRC.net conference he attended.
Chapter members also made the most of Larry Lessig's presence in Japan. Hamada Tadahisa and JCAFE hosted a talk by Larry Lessig on January 6th. Yamagata-san arranged a dinner party with Dr. Lessig and translated some of his books.
CPSR Los Angeles is co-sponsoring "Security for Whom?: TCPA and Hollywood vs. Open Computing Platforms" featuring Seth Schoen and Cory Doctorow or EFF on Wednesday, Feb. 5. For information, contact Rodney Hoffman at rodney(a)oxy.edu
CPSR Peru reported on their past activities and expectations for activities in 2003 - including participation in WSIS, working on a national security archive data base, and educating policymakers about cryptography.
CPSR Peru will participate in the first discussion organized by the civil society in Peru to prepare and discuss the agenda for the next Latin American and Caribbean Regional Meeting of WSIS to be held in Bavaro Punta Cana . See: http://www.geneva2003.org . http://www.indotel.org.do/wsis/ More detail here:
http://www.peru.cpsr.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=ar ticle&sid=23
CPSR Peru invites input from all CPSR members about thematics to consider including in the program to the peruvian government, and names and expertise of computer professionals who might be able to participate as speakers. This information would be forwarded to interested parties.
See http://www.inei.gob.pe and CONCYTEC or http//:www.concytec.gob.pe .
CPSR Spain joins in protesting Spain's Information Society Services Bill by closing down their website on the 12th of every month. See http://www.ugr.es/~aquiran/cripto/tc-lssi/lssi12oe.htm
Send suggestions for possible speakers in the Research Triangle Park, NC area for the Chapter's spring event about Total Information Awareness. Contact cpsr-rtp(a)lists.cpsr.org
LET US KNOW IF/WHEN YOU WANT TO MEET WITH LOCAL CPSR MEMBERS
Expertise soughst and shared by Members
Thedore Postol and Nira Schwartz, CPSR's 2001 Norbert Wiener Award winners, are in the news again. "Bush's 'Star Wars' Accused of 'Lies, Cover Up of Flaws'" by William J. Broad, New York Times, January 2, and "Physicist Blows Whistle on US Missile Defence, by Roland Watson. See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-530647,00.html
CPSR has submitted an official statement for PREPCOM-2 of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). WSIS is hosted by the International Telecommunications Union of the United Nations. Signatories to the CPSR statemment were Bill McIver (who wrote most of the document,) Robert Guerra (who together with Bill has been leading CPSR's work in this area,) and Hans Klein. The document is at: http://www.itu.int/wsis/documents/prepcom2.html
Paul Hyland was interviewed and quoted in:
- "Anti-Spamming Approaches: Will New Laws Solve the Problem" in Today's Engineer, November 2002, published by IEEE.
- "Spam Not Funny Anymore" by Helen Horwitz, The Institute, July 2002, Volume 26, Number 7, pp. 1, published by IEEE.
- "Why the Pentagon Wants to Know Where You Shop", Christian Science Monitor, December 3, 2002. pp. 1.
- Paul also got CPSR included in the 2003 Congressional Rolodex of Internet Experts, which has become an important resource for Members and Congressional staff.
- Paul recently also talked about intellectual property issues with Grant Buckler for a Canadian publication called Digital Journal.
- Harry Hochheiser responded to a request for information from Allsci about the technologies government and information brokers use to collect surveillance data. Specifically, about the new database that's going to be created under the Homeland Security Bill: CAPPS-II.
- Sy Goodman and Hans Klein, both of Georgia Tech are working on "International Coordination for Network Security: A Survey of Issues, Solutions, and Risks" to be presented at the International Telecommunication Union's PrepCom 2 in Geneva in February.
- Christian Stalberg, CPSR-Research Triangle Park, is getting a start on background for the CPSR RTP Spring event by compiling links about the Total Information Awareness (TIA) project and sharing them with his chapter.
- Ziff Davis' CIO Insight Quick Facts newsletter listed CPSR's women in computing URL in an article about the widening gender gap in IT. Any volunteers to update the page ? http://www.cpsr.org/program/gender/index.html
Suggested Reading
The memoirs of Severo Ornstein, one of CPSR's Founders, "Computing in the Middle Ages" includes his experiences in helping to design the world's first personal computer, the LINC, in the 1950s. "Computing in the Middle Ages" is now available by print-on-demand at 1stBooks and Amazon.
Stacey Edgar's second edition of her computer ethics text, "Morality and Machines" (Jones and Bartlett, 2002), mentions CPSR repeatedly and approvingly and expresses many of our concerns.
P&AB's Special Issue examines new biometric uses in the private sector, consumer issues, and privacy guidelines for business, with useful guide to available biometric resources. They report "a majority (56%-91%) of the U.S. public believes it is acceptable for the private sector to use biometric technologies"
"Palo Alto scientist may fend off Big Brother: Researcher could hold key to protection of public from government's intrusions" by Ian Hoffman in the Oakland Tribune, January 6. See http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1865%257E1092244,00.html
The CPSR Compiler is a monthly notice with short updates on recent activities of our members and opportunities to engage in the development of the public voice through CPSR projects.
To report news for future issues, send a sentence or two (and URL if available) to cpsr(a)cpsr.org
CPSR provides a discussion and project space where individuals can contribute to the public debate and design of our global digital future. Through CPSR's chapters and working groups, members focus on regional and civic issues developing the public voice. To insure a democratic future in a time of intense globalization, the voice of the public must command a prominent position on the world stage. CPSR frames and channels the public voice.
(c) Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility 2003.
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Susan Evoy * Managing Director
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
P.O. Box 717 * Palo Alto * CA * 94302
Phone: (650) 322-3778 * (650) 322-4748 (fax)
Email: evoy(a)cpsr.org
Last modified June 09, 2006 03:24 PM
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