From: szabo@techbook.com (Nick Szabo)
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 93 02:11:46 PDT
To: extropians@gnu.ai.mit.edu
Subject: Privacy International (fwd)
Message-ID: <m0nmJq6-000hz5C@techbook.techbook.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



The following forwarded from alt.privacy.  Anybody have experience
with this group?  Have they taken a position on the wiretap chip?

Subject: Group Info: Privacy International
Message-ID: <1993Apr12.184129.11455@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: Privacy International
PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL
 
A WATCHDOG ON SURVEILLANCE
 
GENERAL INFORMATION

PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL - THE BIRTH OF A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT
 
We are posting this in the hope that you might get involved in
a new organization which is actively involved world-wide in the
protection of privacy.

Privacy International is an independent Non Government
Organization (NGO) established in 1990 to protect personal
privacy and to monitor surveillance by governments, financial
institutions, intelligence agencies, media, political groups,
police, and other organizations.

At the invitation of its members and member organizations
throughout the world, Privacy International has conducted
successful campaigns against surveillance in  Asia, Europe and
North America. Many of these campaigns have raised awareness
about the dangers of proposals for identity cards, national
numbering systems, computer linking programmes and military
surveillance. Others have reinforced the importance of
developing laws to protect personal privacy.

WHO ARE PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL!S MEMBERS ?

Over the past three years  Privacy International has
established an outstanding and very active member network of
legal experts, human rights advocates, information systems
experts, academics, data protection experts,  social and
political scientists , and a whole range of concerned
individuals  from more than 40 countries.

These members, who comprise much of the world!s expertise in
privacy protection, form an independent network that can respond
fearlessly to problems of all kinds.

SOME OF OUR WORK

 Privacy International has conducted campaigns on a wide variety
of issues  throughout Europe, North America and Asia

 Our first campaign  was undertaken during 1991 in Thailand,
where the government had established a central population
registration and ID card system. The system,  controlled by the
powerful Ministry of the Interior, would link many departments
and ministries, and  had few legal safeguards.  A seven week
campaign by Privacy International raised awareness amongst
politicians, human rights organizations  and the public about
the potential dangers of the system.

The second campaign, concerning yet another ID card proposal was
conducted in Manila during April and May of 1991. The invitation
to Privacy International came from the Philippine Alliance of
Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), the peak human rights NGO in the
Philippines. Several bills were pending in the Congress and the
Senate mandating the establishment of a national identity card
and numbering system. PAHRA felt that this proposal could
infringe the rights of Filipinos, and create problems for the
Philippines fragile democratic process.   A comprehensive
submission was made to the Senate of the Philippines, pointing
out the likely costs, both in economic and civil rights terms,
of the proposal.

The third campaign involved the establishment by the New Zealand
Government of a data matching and government benefits card
system known generically as the "Kiwi Card". An invitation was
issued to Privacy International by the Auckland Council for
Civil Liberties in late August, and I travelled to Auckland in
early September. The Council was concerned about the
government's plan for a number of reasons. First, the plan to
data match amongst government agencies lacked adequate legal
protection. Second, the Kiwi Card plan raised issues of
discrimination. A more general concern that developed throughout
the subsequent campaign was whether the New Zealand legal and
political system embraced enough protections and rights to
ensure that the system would not be abused.

Current Activities
 
THE NORTHERN IRELAND SURVEILLANCE PROJECT

 This project, the first of its type ever undertaken in Northern
Ireland, will investigate the full extent of surveillance
throughout the country. It  is to be sponsored by the Law
Faculty of the Queen!s University of Belfast.  Human rights
organizations have expressed concern for some years over the
loss of basic rights in Northern Ireland. The development of
complex and powerful information technology has increased the
risk of routine surveillance of citizens, and consequently the
loss of personal privacy in Northern Ireland has escalated. The
emergency legislation in force there compounds this unfortunate
situation.

The report will be made publicly available by the end of 1993.

THE STASI FILE PROJECT

 One of the most complex civil and political rights issues for
former eastern block countries is the dilemma of how to deal
with the files of police and intelligence organizations.  The
problem is compounded by the absence of any  international
guidelines which could be used as a benchmark.

Privacy International is planning to establish a project which
will develop international guidelines for handling police and
official files in countries which are in transition to
democracy.
 
Privacy International has established an expert group to
develop the guidelines. he establishment of an  independent  The
group will work closely closely with members of  relevant
countries seeking to develop such legislation.

THE BIG BROTHER AWARDS

Governments, private sector organizations, credit bureaus,
police departments and the military in many countries are
engaging in programs which have the effect of eroding the rights
and privacy of individuals. These practices often breach
international human rights conventions, and threaten the balance
or evolution of free and open societies. In many cases,
information technology is used for the purposes of increasing
the power of authorities, while diminishing the rights of
individuals. These violations occur  in all parts of the  world.

The Big Brother awards  sponsored by Privacy International, will
be given to the organization, initiative, government or act
which is most invasive of private life, or which is responsible
for the most dangerous and intrusive acts of surveillance.

Privacy International believes that there should be a more
widespread awareness of these practices. We believe people have
the right to know when governments or other organizations are
engaging in intrusive practices that limit individual rights. We
aim to provide an effective context for viewing these invasive
practices, by establishing an international benchmark. The
establishment of the Big Brother awards aims to provide a
world-wide focus on surveillance and privacy.

THE INTERNATIONAL PRIVACY BULLETIN

Privacy International!s quarterly newsletter, The International
Privacy Bulletin, contains reports from around the world on
privacy and surveillance, together with articles on a wide
spectrum of privacy issues such as telecommunications privacy,
encryption, privacy legislation, corrupt disclosure of
confidential files and news of Privacy International!s
activities.  The International Privacy Bulletin is distributed
free to all members and supporters.

THE INTERNATIONAL INTERNET PRIVACY ARCHIVE

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility  (CPSR) has
created an electronic library of reports, laws and commentary on
privacy. The archive includes discussions of communications
privacy, cryptography, texts of international documents on
privacy and many other materials. There are several hundred
documents in the archive and more are being added every day.

There is also a special folder in the library for Privacy
International documents including electronic versions of
newsletters, updates, country reports and international
documents. There are currently several dozen files available.

Access is through Internet mail, FTP, Gopher or WAIS. Through
mail, send the command: help  as the first line of text in a
message to listserv@cpsr.org. FTP/Gopher/WAIS to cpsr.org
folder /cpsr. All access is free. Users of the archive are
encouraged to submit their articles for others to use.

People who are interested in submitting articles, please contact
David Banisar at 1+202/544-9240 Email: banisar@washofc.cpsr.org
 
 If you are interested in getting involved in the work of
Privacy International, please contact Simon Davies, Marc
Rotenberg, or David Banisar at :
 
	Privacy International,
	666 Pennsylvania Ave SE
	Suite 303
	Washington, DC  20003
	United States of America

     Phone (+1) 202 544 9240    
     Fax (+1) 202 547 5481
     E.Mail: pi@washofc.cpsr.org




PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL
 MEMBERSHIP FORM

Name......................................................


Organisation..............................................


Address...................................................

..........................................................

..........................................................
 
Phone.....................................................

Fax.......................................................

Email.....................................................

Special interests ........................................

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$20 (Low income) $50 (full membership)

All personal information is strickly confidential and will not
be disclosed without the prior consent of the indvidual.