RE: PI and Clipper Privacy International recently nominated the FBI for its Big Brother Award (see below) for the digital telephony proposal. Need I say more? For more info on PI, check out the CPSR Internet Library at cpsr.org /privacy_international Dave Banisar Director, PI Washington Office (one of my many hats) ------ Forwarded Message The following forwarded from alt.privacy. Anybody have experience with this group? Have they taken a position on the wiretap chip? ... 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.