Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 22:12:50 -0600 (MDT)
From: mea culpa <jericho@dimensional.com>
To: InfoSec News <isn@sekurity.org>
Subject: [ISN] Bulletin on SAFE bill


Forwarded From: <anonymous>
Originally From: "Crypto.com" <webmaster@www.crypto.com>


==============================================================================
  ___  _     _____ ____ _____ _
 / _ \| |   | ____|  _ \_   _| | Don't let your member of Congress take a
| |_| | |   |  _| | |_) || | | | vacation on privacy.  Call Rep. Norton
|  _  | |___| |___|  _ < | | |_| about privacy and security on the net!
|_| |_|_____|_____|_| \_\|_| (_)     August 21, 1998  (dcal)

           Please forward where appropriate until September 5, 1998
                           Posted August 21, 1998
      This alert brought to you by The Center for Democracy & Technology
_____________________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
   Please contact your member of Congress during the August recess
   What you can do for encryption and privacy
   How the SAFE bill protects privacy online
   About this alert / How to unsubscribe / Register to vote
_____________________________________________________________________________
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS DURING THE AUGUST RECESS!

Dear Supporter,

As a participant in the Adopt-Your-Legislator campaign, you are part of
an important community of Internet users on the front lines of the
battle for the future of encryption and privacy on the Net.  Your help
is needed now to educate your legislators about a significant
development in the encryption debate.

Just last month, researchers in Silicon Valley built a computer that
cracked online information protected by the Data Encryption Standard
(DES) in less than three days. DES-level security is currently used in
many products to protect your personal and financial information as it
travels over the Internet. For years, the Administration has maintained
that DES is adequate for online security and has prohibited the export
of stronger encryption products without mandatory "back doors".  Your
member of Congress needs to hear that, as the DES cracking has
demonstrated, current US policy will not protect our security online
and *must change*.

The SAFE (HR 695) bill, currently under consideration by Congress,
would affirm our rights to strong encryption and relax out-dated export
controls.  Over the past few months, the FBI has stalled the progress
of SAFE by mounting an extensive effort on Capitol Hill to push for
sweeping new domestic surveillance requirements and for mandatory "back
doors" in encryption technology.

Although risky, the FBI's arguments are beginning to persuade some
members of Congress. After all, this year is an election year -- some
members of Congress are concerned that speaking out against the FBI
could cost them votes at the polls in November.

During this election year, members of Congress have reason to be
particularly attentive to the opinions of their constituents.  Don't
let your member of Congress take a vacation on this important issue
during the recess.

The August recess is your chance to let Rep. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL)
know that the folks back home care about encryption and privacy on the
Internet.
_____________________________________________________________________________
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR ENCRYPTION AND PRIVACY

Please take a moment to call Rep. Norton's office to support
encryption and privacy.

1. Find out your member of Congress' position on encryption and privacy
   at:

      http://www.crypto.com/member/congress.cgi?membid=dcal

2. Call Rep. Norton's office at (202) 225-8050

3. Ask for the Staffer who handles encryption or privacy.

4. Urge Rep. Norton to support encryption and privacy and talk about
   the recent breaking of DES.

   If you are at a loss for words, say the following:

        Hi, I'm a constituent, and I'm calling to remind Rep Norton
        to support encryption and privacy.  The recent cracking of the
        Data Encryption Standard shows that it's time for the government
        to reform encryption policy.

5.  Let us know how it went!   After you call, visit:

         http://www.crypto.com/feedback/index.cgi?membid=dcal

     Your feedback will help us track Rep. Norton's position on this 
     issue and help us coordinate our efforts on the ground in Washington 
     DC.

6. To further assist our outreach efforts, forward this ALERT to your
   friends in your neighborhood.

   To learn more about the cracking of DES, see our news item at:
 
         http://www.crypto.com/
_____________________________________________________________________________
HOW THE SAFE BILL PROTECTS PRIVACY ONLINE

The SAFE bill (HR695) is a bipartisan bill with over 250 cosponsors in
the House of Representatives.  The SAFE bill would:

* SAFE prohibits the Government from imposing mandatory "back-door" access
  to private online communications and business transactions;

* SAFE affirms the rights of American citizens to use whatever from of
  encryption they choose, regardless of strength, inside the United States;
  and,

* SAFE relaxes outdated export controls on encryption technologies that
  threaten privacy, stifle the growth of US businesses, and threaten US
  jobs.

To learn more about the SAFE bill, access an archive of Reuters stories
on encryption, and to learn more about the privacy debate, see:

                      http://www.crypto.com/

-o-
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