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The Art of Technology Digest Wednesday, July 29th, 1992
%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%%%AoT%%
Editor: Chris Cappuccio (ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU)
Archivist: David Mitchell, Sysop, Live Wire BBS +1 313 464 1470
[AoT Digest] Contents #1 (Wed, July 29, 1992)
Article 1: Welcome to AoT Digest!
Article 2: Are You a Hacker? (CuD #4.33 Reprint)
Article 3: New! 386BSD Release 0.1!
Article 4: Linux 96c.pl2 InfoSheet
Article 5: CyberCrime International Network
Article 6: Sysop Arrested For Selling Porno Files To Juveniles
Article 7: CPSR Recommends NREN Privacy Principles
Article 8: DNA databanking
The Art of Technology Digest is distributed in the following ways:
E-MAIL: Send e-mail to ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU and then
put in the letter, "Please add my E-Mail address to the mailing list."
and you MUST include the maximum number of lines/bytes your site will
accept in a single e-mail message. If you are not sure about this, ask
your system operator. You can also include any comments or anything else
you want, including an article submission.
BBS: Call +1 313 464 1470, Live Wire BBS. This system maintains a
complete collection of AoT Digest. Speeds are 12oo/24oo/HST-96oo/HST-14,4oo
The Art of Technology Digest is an open forum dedicated to sharing
information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of
diverse views. AoT-D material may be reprinted as long as the source
is cited. Some authors do copyright their material, and they should
be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that non-personal
mail at the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise specified.
Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles relating to
computer culture and communication. Articles are preferred to short
responses. Please avoid quoting previous posts unless absolutely
necessary. All articles for submission should be sent to:
ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU
DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent
the views of the moderators. Digest contributors assume all
responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not
violate copyright protections.
Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.
-- Vice President Dan Quayle
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tues, 28 Jul 92
From: AoT-D Editor, Chris Cappuccio <ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU>
Subject: Article 1--Welcome to AoT Digest!
Welcome to the first issue of Art of Technology Digest!!
AoT Digest is an open forum dedicated to sharing information among
computerists and to the presentation and debate of diverse views.
AoT-D material may be reprinted as long as the source is cited.
Some authors do copyright their material, and they should be contacted
for reprint permission. It is assumed that non-personal mail at the
moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise specified. Readers are
encouraged to submit reasoned articles relating to computer culture
and communication. Articles are preferred to short responses.
The idea (and the format and one of the articles) of AoT Digest
is from Cu-Digest. Anyways this newsletter is for discussion of
the computer underground. It is NOT a hack/phreak newsletter, just
a rip-off of CuD with different information. Make a new file base and you're
set. I want to make this a weekly newsletter but since it's very small now,
expect something each few weeks or so. Many of the things you should expect
to find are CPSR press releases and various other Usenet articles and responses
from our readers. Hmm.. I am also hoping to make a newsgroup for AoT Digest
but I can't find the FAQ response. "Frequently Asked Question: Where do I get
the response from the 'how to start a newsgroup' FAQ???". You may also be
wondering what I moderate. Well, I assemble the whole thing, take out any
high-ASCII and replace it with normal ASCII and put in references. Words
in the articles are not changed. We REALLY want responses, either posted
on Live Wire (See DISTRIBUTION in the beginning for the phone number) or
E-Mailed to me (ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU). If you have anything
to say, PLEASE respond!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 11:19:47 PDT
From: Bob Bickford <rab@well.sf.ca.us>
Subject: Article 2--Are You a Hacker? (CuD #4.33 Reprint)
[[ED: I will try not to have CuD reprints but this was a good article]]
ARE YOU A HACKER?
by Robert Bickford
Are you a Hacker? How would you know? If all you know about the word
is what you've seen on the evening news, or read in a magazine, you're
probably feeling indignant at the very question! But do those
magazine-selling headlines really describe what a Hacker is?
Some time ago (MicroTimes, December 1986) I defined a Hacker as "Any
person who derives joy from discovering ways to circumvent
limitations." The definition has been widely quoted since that time,
but unfortunately has yet to make the evening news in the way that a
teenager who robs a bank with his telephone does.
Does that teenaged criminal fit my definition? Possibly. Does that
fact make all, or even most, Hackers criminals? (Does that fact make
all or most Hackers teenagers?) Of course not! So why is there such
widespread misinformation about Hackers? Very simply, it's because
the criminal hackers, or 'Crackers', have been making news, while the
rest of us are virtually invisible. For every irresponsible fool
writing a virus program, there are at least twenty software engineers
earning a living "...discovering ways to circumvent limitations."
When the much-publicized InterNet worm was released by an
irresponsible hacker, hundreds of other Hackers applied their
considerable talents to the control and eradication of the problem:
the brilliance and creativity brought to this task are typical of the
kind of people --- Hackers ---that my definition is meant to describe.
Working on the yearly Hackers Conferences has been a mixed experience:
on the one hand, helping to bring together 200 of the most brilliant
people alive today, and then interacting with them for an entire
weekend, is immensely rewarding. On the other hand, trying to explain
to others that the Hackers Conference is not a Gathering of Nefarious
Criminals out to Wreak Havoc upon Western Civilization does get a bit
wearing at times. Also, trying to convince a caller that repeatedly
crashing his school district's computer from a pay phone will not,
emphatically not, qualify him for an invitation to the conference can
be a bit annoying. None of this would be a problem if we hadn't let a
small minority --- the Crackers --- steal the show, and become
associated with the word 'Hacker' in the minds of the general public.
The attendees at the Hackers Conferences --- many of whom hold PhDs,
and/or are Presidents or other upper management of Fortune 500
companies --- are (quite understandably) very indignant at being
confused with these Crackers.
Taking myself as an example --- no, I don't have a PhD, my only degree
is from the School of Hard Knocks, and no, I'm not working in
management ---when this article was first published [1989] I was
writing software for a company that builds medical image processing
equipment. My code controls a product that can, and often does,
either improve the quality of medical care, reduce the cost, or both.
When I develop a piece of software that goes around some limit I feel
very happy, and can often find myself with a silly grin plastered
across my face. When some ignorant reporter writes a story that
equates the work I do with expensive but childish pranks committed by
someone calling himself a "Hacker", I see red.
Are you a Hacker? If you want to break rules just for the sake of
breaking rules, or if you just want to hurt or "take revenge" upon
somebody or some company, then forget it. But if you delight in your
work, almost to the point of being a workaholic, you just might be.
If finding the solution to a problem can be not just satisfying but
almost an ecstatic experience, you probably are. If you sometimes
take on problems just for the sake of finding the solution (and that
ecstatic experience that comes with it), then you almost certainly
are. Congratulations! You're in good company, with virtually every
inventor whose name appears in your high school history book, and with
the many thousands of brilliant people who have created the "computer
revolution."
What can we do about all that bad press? Meet it head on! Tell the
people you work with that you're a Hacker, and what that means. If
you know somebody whose work habits, style, or personality make them
pretty clearly a Hacker, tell them so and tell them what you mean by
that. Show them this article!
Meanwhile, have fun finding those solutions, circumventing those
limitations, and making this a better world thereby. You are an
Artist of Technology, a Rider of the Third Wave, and at least you can
enjoy the ride!
Bob Bickford is a software consultant who lives in Marin County, often
Hacking late into the night, and (usually) enjoying it immensely. His
wife, Greta, only tolerates this because she's an animation hacker and
sometimes does the same thing. Bob can be reached through InterNet at
rab@well.sf.ca.us
(An edited version of this article appeared in Microtimes in early
1989. Copyright (c) Robert Bickford, 1989, 1992)
+++
Robert Bickford "A Hacker is any person who derives joy from
rab@well.sf.ca.us discovering ways to circumvent limitations." rab'86
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"I recognize that a class of criminals and juvenile delinquents has
taken to calling themselves 'hackers', but I consider them irrelevant
to the true meaning of the word; just as the Mafia calls themselves
'businessmen' but nobody pays that fact any attention." rab'90
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
------------------------------
Date: Tues, Jul 28, 1992
From: AoT-D Editor, Chris Cappuccio <ccappuc@caticsuf.cati.CSUFresno.EDU>
Subject: Article 3--New! 386BSD Release 0.1!
[[ED: This is edited notes from the installation docs and distribution list
Remember that 386BSD is a FREE operating system, if you have a 386/486
and 50 megs to spare, I strongly recommend that you get this. At the
end is the list of anonymous FTP sites to get 386BSD. Have fun!!]]
Welcome to 386BSD Release 0.1, the second edition of
the 386BSD operating system created by William and Lynne
Jolitz. Like its predecessor, 386BSD Release 0.0, Release
0.1 comprises an entire and complete UNIX-like operating
system for the 80386/80486-based AT Personal Computer.
386BSD Release 0.1 is an enhanced version of the origi-
nal release done by William F. Jolitz, the developer of
386BSD. 386BSD Release 0.0 was based on the Networking
Software, Release 2 from the University of California at
Berkeley EECS Department, and included much of the 386BSD
work done earlier by Bill and contributed by us to the
University. The latest release, 386BSD Release 0.1, con-
tains new work by the developer and many new items which
have been freely contributed by other software developers
for incorporation into 386BSD (see the file CONTRIB.LIST).
These contributions have increased the functionality and
made it more robust.
386BSD is intended for research, development, educa-
tion, and just plain exploration. Source, Binary, Installa-
tion, and Fix-It floppies are available at a large number of
sites. There are many user groups, support groups, computer
societies and individuals who are supplying and running
386BSD and they are good sources of information and support.
386BSD Release 0.1 is intended to be widely used by
those interested in "pushing the envelope" towards the for-
mation and development of innovative ideas in computer tech-
nology. As such, we have spent considerable time developing
a system which is simple to partition and install and
emphasizes stability and completeness.
Among the many new features of 386BSD (from release 0.0):
* New "Tiny 386BSD" System Installation Floppy
* Simplified installation procedures.
* 386BSD partitioning for use on an MS-DOS system.
* Compressed, multivolume CPIO dump format
binary/source/other distribution sets on MS-DOS flop-
pies.
* 387 emulation.
* SCSI support.
* CD-ROM support.
* NFS, TCP/IP and full networking.
* New 386BSD "Fix-It" System Maintenance Floppy.
* New "Additional User Software" MS-DOS floppy dump.
<< 386BSD RELEASE 0.1 -- DISTRIBUTION HOST SITES >>
agate.berkeley.edu 128.32.136.1
gatekeeper.dec.com 16.1.0.2
MATH.ORST.EDU 128.193.16.60
UTKUX1.UTK.EDU 128.169.200.67
terminator.cc.umich.edu 141.211.164.8
nic.funet.fi 128.214.6.100
dsuvax.dsu.edu 138.247.32.2
altair.cis.ksu.edu 129.130.10.84
hpcsos.col.hp.com 15.255.240.16 [ Internal HP sites only ]
math.niu.edu 131.156.3.4
sune.stacken.kth.se 130.237.234.42
raquel.doc.ic.ac.uk 146.169.11.3
rusmv1.rus.uni-stuttgart.de 129.69.1.12
HELIUM.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU 128.2.55.10
banjo.concert.net 192.101.21.6
kirk.bu.oz.au 131.244.1.1
grand.central.org 192.54.226.100
pascal.math.fu-berlin.de 130.133.4.50
capella.eetech.mcgill.ca 132.206.1.17
ftp.ibr.cs.tu-bs.de 134.169.34.15
f.ms.uky.edu 128.163.128.6
azathoth.sura.net 128.167.254.184
------------------------------
Date: 07/24/92
From: Linus Benedict Torvalds <torvalds@kruuna.Helsinki.FI>
Subject: Article 4--Linux 96c.pl2 InfoSheet
finger torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi
Free UNIX for the 386
The current version of linux is a 0.96c, released 92.07.04. There is a
0.96 rootdisk that should be used with the new versions: it fixes a lot
of things with the old rootdisks and contains more programs due to the
shared libraries. Patch 2 to 0.96c was released 92.07.18, and
implemented the msdos filesystem as well as correcting some problems
with the IRQ code.
0.96c supports X11r5 and the new gcc-2.1 (and newer) libraries with
multiple shared libs - as well as any old binaries (except the 0.12
version of gdb which used the older ptrace() interface). 0.96c also
contains support for debugging (core-dumping and attach/detach) as well
as profiling (use gcc-2.2.2 for the profiling code)
Linux can be gotten by anonymous ftp from 'nic.funet.fi' (128.214.6.100)
in the directory '/pub/OS/Linux'. This directory structure contains all
the linux OS- and library-sources, and enough binaries to get going. To
install linux you still need to know something about unices: it's
relatively straightforward to install, but the documentation sucks raw
eggs, and people with no previous unix experience are going to get very
confused.
There are now a lot of other sites keeping linux archives. Some of them
are:
tsx-11.mit.edu (18.172.1.2):
directory /pub/linux
banjo.concert.net (192.101.21.6):
directory /pub/Linux
yagi.ecei.tohoku.ac.jp (130.34.222.67)
(and many additional sites: there are now sites in the uk, japan etc
that carry linux, but I have lost count)
There is also a mailing list set up 'Linux-activists@niksula.hut.fi'.
To join, mail a request to 'Linux-activists-request@niksula.hut.fi'.
It's no use mailing me: I have no actual contact with the mailing-list
(other than being on it, naturally).
There is also a newsgroup that contain linux-related questions and
information: comp.os.linux.
Mail me for more info:
Linus Torvalds (torvalds@kruuna.Helsinki.FI)
Pietarinkatu 2 A 2
00140 Helsinki
Finland
0.96c.pl2 has these new features (relative to unpatched 0.96c)
- select() through the VFS routines
- faster and more general sleep/wakeup routines
- easily installable IRQ's
- bus-mouse driver
- msdos filesystem
0.96c has these new features (relative to 0.96b)
- alpha-testing code of the extended filesystem
- serial line changes (changeable irq's etc)
- pty/console fixes.
------------------------------
Date: 7/19/92
From: Midnight Sorrow
Subject: Article 5--CyberCrime International Network
+---------------------------------------------------+
| CYBERCRIME INTERNATIONAL NETWORK |
| CURRENTLY OFFERED SUBBOARDS: (Updated 07/19/92) |
+---------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| COMPUTER-RELATED: | |
| | |
| INF-GRUP Groups | Elite Group Discussion |
| INF-BBS BBS Ads | ANSi System Advertisements |
| INF-PROG Programming | Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, Assembly |
| INF-BSFT BBS Software | BBS Software Discussion |
| INF-MTSK Multitasking | DESQview, Windows, OS/2, Unix |
| INF-TECH Technical Talk | High Technology Discussion |
| INF-PARS Paragon Support | Paragon/Revelation Support |
| INF-SBRD Sound Board Support | Adlib, Soundblaster, etc |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ART GROUP ECHOES: | |
| | |
| INF-ICE iCE | Insane Creator Enterprises |
| INF-LTD LTD | Licensed To Draw |
| *INF-TIA TiA | The Insane Artists |
| *INF-ACID ACiD | ANSi Creators in Demand |
| INF-DEAD DeAD | Damn Excellent Art Designers |
| INF-GRIM GRiM | Graphics Rendered in Magnificence |
| INF-MIRG MiRAGE | MiRAGE - Redefining Elite |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES: | |
| | |
|% INF-PYRO Explosives | Manufacturing Combustibles |
| INF-PHC Hack/Phreak #1 | Basic Hack/Phreak Discussion |
|% INF-HAK Hack/Phreak #2 | Advanced Hack/Phreak Discussion |
|% INF-VIRI Virus Discussion | Viral Programming and Defense |
| INF-NPD Software Releases | New Software Discussion |
|% INF-REVG The Art of Revenge | What Comes Around Goes Around |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| INTELLIGENT DISCUSSIONS: | |
| | |
| INF-POEM Creativity | Poetry, Short Stories, Etc |
| INF-PARA The Occult | Paranormal/Parapsychology |
| INF-NEWS World Occurances | World News and Politics |
| INF-DRUG Controlled Substances | Drugs and Addictive Substances |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MUSIC: | |
| | |
| INF-METL Metal | Rock/Heavy Metal |
| INF-BASS Bass/Rap | The Quest For The Boom |
| *INF-MUSI Musicians | Musicians & General Music |
| INF-ALT Progressive | Alternative/Techno Tunes |
| INF-LYRC Music Lyrics | Assorted Music Lyrics Forum |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| MISCELLANEOUS: | |
| | |
| INF-COMC Comics | Comic Book Discussion |
| INF-BUY For Sale | Classified Advertisements |
| INF-KING Stephen King | Stephen King and Other Horror |
| INF-BOOK Books & Reading | New Books and Stories |
| INF-MOVI Movies/Television | Visual Entertainment Discussion |
|! INF-GEN General Discussion | Miscellaneous Bullshit |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SYSOPS/CO-SYSOPS ONLY: | |
| | |
|! INF-SYS CyberCrime Sysops | Network Sysop Echo |
|! INF-TEST Test Message Echo | New Site Message Testing |
|! IMPERIAL Imperial Sysop Net | International SysOp Connection |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
* = New To CyberCrime
! = Required For ALL CyberCrime Systems
% = H/P Restricted - Available Only To Qualified Systems and Users
CyberCrime International Network is seeking new nodes to add to its
rosters. CyberCrime International Network is a high activity, elite-
oriented, large-growth-potential, intelligent-discussion-based network.
If you are running a Fidonet-compatible system then please continue
reading. (ie: LSD, Telegard, TAG, WWiV, Remote Access, Omega, QBBS,
Paragon, Infinity, Revelation, Cypher, PCBoard, Prodoor, and versions of
Celerity, Prism, and other Forum Hacks possibly supporting FidoNet.)
One of the most unique aspects of CyberCrime (over most OTHER
networks) is that you don't need to have ALL of these subboards on your
system. Select ONLY the ones you or your users are interested in.
Aside from the three required subs (see ! above), that's all you need to
carry, and you can always add in more subs in the future.
If you're interested, call Infinite Darkness. 3O5-525-4722, all
baud rates supported. You may either apply as a NEW user, or login as
handle = CYBERCRIME and password = DEATH. Follow the instructions,
and fill out the CyberCrime Node Application. Once you are through,
create a new, validated account on your system, as handle = MIDNIGHT
SORROW, password = INK and phone = xxx-xxx-9435. Midnight Sorrow will
eventually call your board (it MUST be a full-time system!), login, and
upload everything you need to join. Setup is easy, and extensive help
is available should you need it. CONSIDER IT!
Later,
Midnight Sorrow.
------------------------------
Date: Thu Jul 23 00:27:24 1992
From: aa381@cleveland.Freenet.Edu
Subject: Article 6--Sysop Arrested For Selling Porno Files To Juveniles
**SYSOP ARRESTED FOR PORNO FILES TO JUVENILES**
Mark Lehrer, sysop of AKRON ANOMALY BBS
MUNROE FALLS OH, July 21, 1992. Munroe Falls Police Chief
Steve Stahl knows computers are big with kids these days, but he
never thought he'd see the day when a healthy 15-year-old boy would
choose a floppy disk over a Playboy centerfold.
But now that Stahl's seen some of the floppy disks popular
with local youths, he understands the fascination.
"Give me any kid, I know what he's going to download," Stahl
said.
In May, Munroe Falls Police received a complaint from a
resident who feared that a local computerized community BBS
containing sexually explicit material might be accessible to
children.
Stahl said the resident showed him files called "Alison" and
"amber," both of which featured naked women. He told the concerned
resident, "Oh, well, I can see how that would be upsetting."
For the past two months, police conducted an investigation and
sting using a local 15-year-old boy. After the youth was able to
hook into the BBS, police arrested Mark Lehrer, 22, owner and
operator of AKRON ANOMALY, a 1000 member BBS. POLICE ALSO SEIZED
ALL OF LEHRER'S COMPUTER EQUIPMENT.
Lehrer is accused of distributing graphic sexual material via
a computer modem from the Munroe Falls home of his parents, David and
Susan Lehrer. His father, also a computer professional, is chairman of
the Village's Charter Review Commission. Mark has been charged in
Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court with one count each of disseminating
matter harmful to juveniles and possession of criminal tools - in this
case, his computer and graphic files.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 21, 1992. The
case will probably be turned over to a Summit County Grand Jury,
which means potential indictment for a felony and, if convicted,
over a year in state prison.
Chief Stahl said this will be the first case in northeast Ohio
and one of the first in the state, in which an adult is accused of
distributing graphic sexual materials *to juveniles* via a
computer.
"There's not a whole lot of case law on this kind of this," he
said, adding that most material comes from books, magazines or
movies.
According to Stahl, members of AKRON ANOMALY paid $15 to $30
a year to call the board, giving access to games like chess,
basketball, euchre, programming instructions and *.GIF files -
(G)raphic (I)nterface (F)iles, that feature pictures from James
Bond to Capt. Kirk to Scooby-Doo.
Some are labeled specifically for adults and are not supposed
to be accessible to those under 18, while many others are contained
in a general directory. However, when police seized Lehrer's
records, they found that even the "clean" files contained images
"not entirely wholesome."
"One was Bugs Bunny eating a carrot, one was Bart Simpson
riding a skateboard, and one was called (a slang term for oral sex)
and that was in the 'clean' file," Stahl said.
Stahl said many files not listed in the "adult" category
contained pictures of naked women and of naked women engaging in
sexual acts. One file allegedly shows a nude image of Christina
Applegate, who plays "Kelly" on the TV show "Married with Chil-
dren."
"Parents are happy their kids are upstairs using their
computers. The one parent we talked to was thrilled they weren't
finding PLAYBOY magazine. Well, I've got news for you, this is a
rude awakening," Stahl said.
In addition to the "graphic still images," juveniles were able
to access adult movies, which are shown on computer monitors.
"It's like watching cable TV. It's a very clear picture," Stahl
said.
Stahl said computer experts with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal
Identification and Investigation are reviewing the hundreds of
computer files seized from Lehrer's home. Stahl said it's possible
that some of the games and movies are being accessed in violation
of copyright laws.
"I'm not saying it's obscene because I'm not getting into that
battle, but it's certainly not appropriate for kids, especially
without parental permission," Stahl said.
============================================
Adapted by Jeff Gerber, lawyer/sysop aa381@cleveland.freenet.edu
from The Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 1992, story by Deborah A.
Winston, PD Reporter.
Anyone with further data on this or similar cases is invited to
post it here.
--
Jeff Gerber, lawyer/sysop aa381@Cleveland.freenet.edu
PLEASE NOTE: The information contained on this system is not
intended to supplant individual professional consultation,
but is offered as a community education service. Advice on
individual problems should be obtained directly from a professional.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:27:38 EDT
From: Paul Hyland <PHYLAND%GWUVM.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Article 7--CPSR Recommends NREN Privacy Principles
PRESS RELEASE
July 24, 1992
CPSR Recommends NREN Privacy Principles
WASHINGTON, DC -- Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
(CPSR), a national public interest organization, has recommended
privacy guidelines for the nation's computer network.
At a hearing this week before the National Commission on Library and
Information Science, CPSR recommended a privacy policy for the National
Research and Education Network or "NREN." Marc Rotenberg, Washington
Director of CPSR, said "We hope this proposal will get the ball rolling.
The failure to develop a good policy for the computer network could be
very costly in the long term."
The National Commission is currently reviewing comments for a report to
the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the future of the NREN.
Mr. Rotenberg said there are several reasons that the Commission should
address the privacy issue. "First, the move toward commercialization of
the network is certain to exacerbate privacy concerns. Second, current
law does not do a very good job of protecting computer messages. Third,
technology won't solve all the problems."
The CPSR principles are (1) protect confidentiality, (2) identify
privacy implications in new services, (3) limit collection of personal
data, (4) restrict transfer of personal information,(5) do not charge
for routine privacy protection, (6) incorporate technical safeguards,
(7) develop appropriate security policies, and (8) create an
enforcement mechanism.
Professor David Flaherty, an expert in telecommunications privacy law,
said "The CPSR principles fit squarely in the middle of similar efforts
in other countries to promote network services. This looks like a good
approach."
Evan Hendricks, the chair of the United States Privacy Council and
editor of Privacy Times, said that the United States is "behind the
curve" on privacy and needs to catch up with other countries who are
already developing privacy guidelines. "The Europeans are racing
forward, and we've been left with dust on our face."
The CPSR privacy guidelines are similar to a set of principles developed
almost 20 years ago called The Code of Fair Information practices.
The Code was developed by a government task force that included policy
makers, privacy experts, and computer scientists. The Code later became
the basis of the United States Privacy Act.
Dr. Ronni Rosenberg, who has studied the role of computer scientists in
public policy, said that "Computer professionals have an important role
to play in privacy policy. The CPSR privacy guidelines are another
example of how scientists can contribute to public policy."
For more information about the Privacy Polices and how to join CPSR,
contact CPSR, P.O. Box 717, Palo Alto CA 94302. 415/322-3778 (tel) and
415/322-3798 (fax). Email at cpsr@csli.stanford.edu.
[Moderator's note: The full text of the referenced NREN Privacy
Principles is available from the CPSR Listserv file server. Send
the command:
GET NREN PRIVACY
to listserv@gwuvm.gwu.edu, as the text of an e-mail message. -peh]
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Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:31:25 EDT
From: Gary Chapman <chapman@silver.lcs.mit.edu>
Subject: Article 8--DNA databanking
Today (7/28) the Wall Street Journal features an article (page B1) on
DNA databanking, the FBI's computer database of DNA data, and the
concerns of critics. The article reports that fifteen states now have
DNA databanking programs, and it is estimated that double that number
will have such programs in place by 1995. There have been 600 trials
using DNA as evidence since 1988. Next year the FBI is scheduled to
link state programs in a nation-wide computer network.
The article describes the first "cold search" of DNA databanks, in a
Minnesota case in which a defendant was arrested for the rape and murder
of a Minneapolis woman on the basis of a DNA match appearing in the
state's computerized system. The crime-scene DNA was acquired from a
sperm sample and it matched a sample collected from a convicted sex
offender when he was a prisoner.
Last week the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the highest court in
the state, ruled that DNA matching may not be used as conclusive
prosecutorial evidence in a criminal trial, although the lack of a match
can be used as a defense. Massachusetts is the only state in the
country that has produced such a court ruling -- all of the other 40
appellate court rulings have been in favor of using DNA evidence in
support of the prosecution's case. The Massachusetts court said that
there is insufficient scientific consensus on the validity of DNA
matching. The court cited a recent report by the National Research
Council, which said that the state of the art leaves the technology open
to doubt. But this could change in the future, and the Massachusetts
ruling does not rule out DNA evidence if the technology generates a
tighter scientific consensus.
Nachama Wilker, executive director of the Council for Responsible
Genetics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says that the collection of DNA
samples from all prisoners is a slippery slope that will affect the use
of DNA in non-criminal social transactions, such as eligibility for
insurance, employment opportunity, and other forms of discrimination.
She says in The Wall Street Journal that there are no guarantees that
DNA data collected from prisoners will be used exclusively for criminal
justice procedures, and she argues that DNA evidence should only be used
for serious crimes with demonstrated patterns of repeated offenses.
Some states have passed legislation protecting the confidentiality of
DNA data, such as Wisconsin, which prohibits DNA data from being used
for insurance eligibility or employment evaluation. Only five states
have such laws on the books, however. Some public interest advocates
are supporting a DNA Identification Bill in the Congress, already passed
by the House, that would enforce confidentiality, limit the use of DNA
data, and impose federal standards on state laboratories. The NRC
report also called for laboratory accreditation by federal agencies.
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