EFFector Vol. 15, No. 18 June 13, 2002 ren@eff.org A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation ISSN 1062-9424 In the 218th Issue of EFFector: * Electronic Frontier Foundation Opposes "Broadcast Flag," Submits Letter To Congress * Biometrics, Surveillance, National ID Threats To Privacy * EFF Still Needs Your Tax-Deductible Office Chairs * Administrivia For more information on EFF activities & alerts: http://www.eff.org/ To join EFF or make an additional donation: http://www.eff.org/support/ EFF is a member-supported nonprofit. Please sign up as a member today! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electronic Frontier Foundation Opposes "Broadcast Flag" Proposed Technology Mandate Will Harm Consumers Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 13, 2002 San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today sent a letter to Representative Billy Tauzin (R-LA) exposing how the studios' "broadcast flag" proposal for digital television (DTV) will harm consumers and slow DTV roll-out. Representative Tauzin, a key Congressional player in the DTV debate, today held a meeting of his DTV Roundtable, an invitation-only event comprised of industry representatives. Although Representative Tauzin neglected to invite EFF or other groups representing consumer interests, EFF hopes that today's EFF letter will highlight consumer concerns and assist Rep. Tauzin in his effort to protect the public interest in the DTV transition. In its letter, EFF points out the ways in which the Broadcast Protection Discussion Group (BPDG), the group developing the technical standards for the "broadcast flag," has excluded consumer groups. The BPDG made its recommendations as part of a Final Report published on June 4, 2002. The exclusion of consumer-interest voices from the process has resulted in recommendations that will undermine fair use and endorse proprietary standards that will harm competition and innovation. If adopted, these recommendations will hinder, rather than help, DTV roll-out by making DTV a complex and expensive alternative to traditional analog television. "Consumer voices have been excluded from these inter-industry negotiations about the 'broadcast flag' and the future of DTV," said EFF Senior Intellectual Property Attorney Fred von Lohmann. "We hope Rep. Tauzin will see the BPDG report for what it is -- a self-interested document generated by a small number of large corporations without soliciting the concerns of consumers." The BPDG is an inter-industry group that includes large companies from the consumer electronics, information technology, and entertainment industries. The group has been tasked with developing a copy-prevention standard based on a "broadcast flag" to be added to all DTV broadcasts. The EFF has participated in the BPDG process and has been critical of its procedures and recommendations. Links: For this release: http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/20020611_eff_bpdg_pr.html EFF letter and attachment: http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/20020611_eff_tauzin.html For more about the BPDG and "broadcast flag": http://bpdg.blogs.eff.org/ Contacts: Fred von Lohmann Senior Intellectual Property Attorney Electronic Frontier Foundation fred@eff.org +1 415 436-9333 x123 (office), +1 415 215-6087 (cell) Cory Doctorow Outreach Coordinator Electronic Frontier Foundation cory@eff.org +1 415 436-9333 x106 (office), +1 415 726-5209 (cell) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Biometrics, Surveillance, National ID Threats to Privacy Electronic Frontier Foundation Releases Reports Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 13, 2002 San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today released a series of reports on the shortcomings of large-scale civilian biometrics systems, the invasive nature of public surveillance, and the inherent dangers of a national identification system. After September 11, the U.S. government enacted sweeping legislation that diminished privacy rights in the name of domestic security. In response to bills like the USA Patriot Act, the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, and the proposed Driver's License Modernization Act, EFF is providing the public with factual data on these laws and the technologies they employ. "High-tech systems are not a quick fix for terrorism," said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Lee Tien. "For the most part, these technologies are dangerously unreliable, and even the best of them are highly invasive." "Governments justify overreaching surveillance on vulnerable targets such as aliens and dissenters, then inevitably try to extend its use to the rest of society," Tien added. The EFF "Biometrics," "National ID System," and "Surveillance Monitor" documents describe in detail the technologies being deployed by the U.S. and other governments in an effort to tighten security. The reports provide an overview of the technologies and a comprehensive analysis of the privacy concerns they raise. EFF also recently released an updated version of "EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy," a detailed account of the best methods of maintaining one's privacy on the Internet, including use of encryption and cookie management software. Links: For this release: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/20020613_eff_privacy_pr.html EFF's Privacy Now Campaign: http://www.eff.org/privnow/ EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/eff_privacy_top_12.html Biometrics page: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/biometrics.html National ID page: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/nationalidsystem.html Surveillance Monitor page: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/surveillancemonitor.html Contacts: Lee Tien Senior Staff Attorney Electronic Frontier Foundation tien@eff.org +1 415 436-9333 x102 (office), +1 510 290-7131 (cell) About EFF: The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading civil liberties organization working to protect rights in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF actively encourages and challenges industry and government to support free expression, privacy, and openness in the information society. EFF is a member-supported organization and maintains one of the most linked-to Web sites in the world: http://www.eff.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EFF Needs Office Chairs EFF is still looking for some good office chairs. Fighting the good fight is hard on the vertebrae, so ergonomically-minded donations are especially welcome. We can also provide tax-deductible receipts! We are in San Francisco, so donors should probably be in the Bay Area. Contact Ren Bucholz if you have questions or donations. Thanks in advance! Contact: Ren Bucholz Activist Electronic Frontier Foundation ren@eff.org +1 415 436-9333 x121 (office) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Administrivia EFFector is published by: The Electronic Frontier Foundation 454 Shotwell Street San Francisco CA 94110-1914 USA +1 415 436 9333 (voice) +1 415 436 9993 (fax) http://www.eff.org/ Editor: Ren Bucholz Activist ren@eff.org To Join EFF online, or make an additional donation, go to: http://www.eff.org/support/ Membership & donation queries: membership@eff.org General EFF, legal, policy or online resources queries: ask@eff.org Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is encouraged. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of EFF. To reproduce signed articles individually, please contact the authors for their express permission. Press releases and EFF announcements & articles may be reproduced individually at will. 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