====================================================== For Release Wednesday, Feb. 7, 1996 10:30 a.m. EST Contact: Audrie Krause, Executive Director Phone: (415) 322-3778 Email: •••@••.••• CPSR Joins in Challenging Communications Decency Act Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) joined with other public interest organizations today to challenge the federal government's plan to censor free speech on the Internet. "The Communications Decency Act (CDA) is the cyberspace equivalent of padlocking our libraries, shutting down printing presses and burning books," said CPSR Executive Director Audrie Krause. "CPSR members are outraged at what Congress and President Clinton are doing." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing CPSR and 19 other plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Communications Decency Act (CDA). The CDA is one part of the complex telecommunications deregulation bill that was approved by Congress last week, and is expected to be signed by President Clinton on Thursday. "The technology is being used as an excuse to limit free speech," said Karen Coyle, a librarian and chair of CPSR's Berkeley chapter. "Free speech and intellectual freedom are necessary for our democracy, both now and in the future. Craig Johnson, a member of the CPSR chapter in Washington, D.C., attended today's press conference at the ACLU offices. In this election year, politicians of every stripe are reciting the mantras of education, crime and "family values," said Johnson. Meanwhile, Congress has voted for a policy of information 'apartheid.'" "By fencing off minors from certain scientific, medical and literary communications on the Internet, and curbing the freedom of interactive discussion for adults, the CDA constructs a model of social policy incompatible with democracy in cyberspace," he added. # # # -- Audrie Krause CPSR Executive Director PO Box 717 * Palo Alto, CA * 94302 Phone: (415) 322-3778 * Fax: (415) 322-4748 * * E-mail: •••@••.••• * * * Web Page: http://www.cpsr.org/home.html * ====================================================== ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~ Posted by Richard K. Moore (•••@••.•••) Wexford, Ireland Cyber-Rights: http://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/nii/cyber-rights/ CyberLib: http://www.internet-eireann.ie/cyberlib Materials may be reposted in their entirety for non-commercial use. ~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~--~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=~
