Developing an Equitable and Open Information Infrastructure DIAC-94 Sponsored by Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) April 23 - 24, 1994 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 10-250 Cambridge, MA CPSR's Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing biannual conferences (DIAC) are explorations of the promises and threats stemming from computer technology. DIAC-94 is a two-day symposium dedicated to public interest issues related to the National Information Infrastructure (NII), the proposed next-generation "Information Superhighway." Academia, libraries, government agencies, media, and telecommunications companies, as well as public interest groups and the general public, all have a stake in the current development. The media coverage is glowing, but there are many unanswered questions: Will the NII be technology that we can all use? Who will control it? Corporations? The government? The public? And how much will it cost? KEYNOTE SPEAKER Benjamin Barber author of _Strong Democracy: Participatory Politics for a New Age_ Other Speakers Include: Herbert Schiller, author of _Who Knows: Information in the Age of the Fortune 500_ Tom Grundner, President, National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), Founder of the Free-Net movement PANEL DISCUSSIONS ***** The Promise and Problems of the NII ***** A small window of opportunity is now open for the public's input to the desig process. This talk will give an overview of the issues at stake and the potential to influence NII development for the common good. Speaker: Beverly Hunter of Bolt, Beranek, and Newman (BBN) ***** Grassroots Initiatives in Community Networking ***** A look at independent computer network projects around the U.S. serving communities through freely accessible systems. Speakers: Tom Grundner, President of National Public Telecomputing Network Antonia Stone, Founder of Playing to Win Tony Lewis, Executive Director of The Alliance for Community Media Joyce Freeling, Founder of the Legacy Project ***** Perspectives on Technology and Information Content ***** The NII may allow for increased public access to communications. This could multiply the diversity of viewpoints in political discussion and improve the quality and variety of cultural offerings. Topics here include community cable TV, news in the future, and alternative wire services. Speakers: Herbert Schiller of the U. of California, San Diego Walter Bender, MIT Media Lab, News of the Future Group Jeff Chester, Co-Director of The Center for Media Education ***** Directing Technical and Social Change Through Public Policy ***** Communications technology is not autonomous, but is shaped by political and economic forces. Topics include the relationship between media ownership and editorial control, government regulation of communications, and libraries. Speakers: Marc Rotenberg of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility Patrice McDermott, Policy Analyst of OMB Watch Stan Kugel, General Manager of Pilgrim Telephone Jamie Love, Director of Taxpayers Assets Project ***** Constituencies Speak Out ***** A cross-section of successes and disappointments experienced by K-12 educators, libraries, media, civic, and community organizations. WORKSHOPS The second day of the conference will feature over 25 workshops from a wide variety of community organizations, activists, and academics. There will be 6 - 8 concurrent workshops on a wide variety of topics including NII economics, gender issues, Multi-User Dungeons (MUDS), non-profits and the Internet, post-modern technology, and electronic access for the poor. PROCEEDINGS Proceedings from the conference will be included in the conference fee available for purchase from the CPSR National Office. CABLE BROADCAST DIAC-94 will be cablecast in the Boston area by Cambridge Community TV, and broadcast nationally by satellite. DIAC PROGRAM COMMITTEE Amy Bruckman, Nikki Draper, Harry Hoccheiser, Hans Klein, Dave Levinger, Matthew Marx, Aki Namioka, Andrew Oram, Marc Rotenberg, Doug Schuler, Barbara Simon, Craig Smilovitz, Paul Vermouth, Coralee Whitcomb REGISTRATION INFORMATION Members $50; Non-members $75; Low Income and Student $25. Send check to: CPSR/Boston, P.O. Box 962, Cambridge, MA 02142. The member price is for members of CPSR and co-sponsors (see below). Name ____________________________________________________________ Affiliation _____________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Phone __________________________ Fax ____________________________ E-Mail __________________________________________________________ If you are a member of a co-sponsoring organization, list it here: _________________________________________________________________ Co-sponsors: Apple Library at Apple Computer, Inc., Cambridge Community TV, Center for Media Education, The Internet Society, MIT Communication Forum, Morino Foundation, O'Reilly & Associates Endorsers: Access Media, American Library Association (Intellectual Freedom Committee), Benton Foundation, Boston Computer Society (Social Impact, Public Services, and Education Groups), Center for Art Research, Center for Civic Networking, Chester County Interlink, Citizens for Media Literacy, Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Communications Workers of America (District 1), Consortium for School Networks, Freedom House, Loka Institute, M.I.T. Press, Massachusetts Teachers Association, MassCUE (Computer Using Educators), Massachusetts Cable Educational Television, National Public Telecomputing Network, New England Computers and Social Change Organizing Committee, OMB Watch, Playing to Win, Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves (City of Cambridge) Taxpayer Assets Project, Technology Education Council of Somerville/Somerville Community Computing Center For more information on the conference or if your organization would like to become a co-sponsor or endorser contact Coralee Whitcomb, 617-356-4309, cwhitcom@bentley.edu or Hans Klein, hkklein@mit.edu. OUT-OF-TOWNERS Accomodations: We recommend the use of Boston Reservations for overnight accomodations. They are able to arrange reservations anywhere from luxury hotels to Bed and Breakfasts for prices ranging from $180 - $60. They can be reached by phone: (617) 332-4199 Fax: (617) 332-5751. Directions from the Airport: Taxi fares will run from $20-$22. Limousine service is available to most downtown hotels for $7.50. Public Transportaton Take the free Massport bus to the subway (T) station. Subway Fare $.85 Take the Blue line inbound toward Boston, 4 stops to the Government Center Station. Use the stairs to go up to the Green Line on the next level. On the WESTBOUND side of the platform, take any train 1 stop to Park Street Station. Change to the Red Line towards Alewife and get off in 2 stops at Kendall Square station. Driving Go through Sumner Tunnel after exiting the airport. Stay left in tunnel. Take the least sharp right upon exiting tunnel toward Storrow Drive. Exit at Storrow Drive/Cambridge staying left. Exit left at Longfellow Bridge and cross bridge. You are now in Kendall Square. DIRECTIONS TO 10-250 Anyone who has ever visited Boston or Cambridge knows that city planning was non-existant back in the early days of these cities. Finding your way to room 10-250 may prove to be a very typical Boston adventure. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK DIRECTIONS, it gives us a chance to show off. Coming from the T (subway) You will get off at the Kendall Square stop. Proceed to the side of Main St. ACROSS from the Marriott Hotel. Walk straight to the street behind the T station (Carleton St. but there is no sign). Proceed to the cross street (Amherst) and turn right to the cross street (Ames) and turn left to Memorial Drive. The river should be on your left. Proceed to Memorial Drive with MIT buildings on your right until you see a large open "court". Enter the building directly to the back of that "court". This is 10. Room 250 is across the hall. There will be big signs to guide you from the T entrance. By car Find a place to park - ha! The easiest directions are to enter the main entrance of MIT (the big, impressive staircase on Mass. Ave.). Proceed across the lobby and down what is known as the Infinite Corridor. Continue through the twists and turns until there are big windows looking out onto a "court" on the right. Room 250 should be on your left. There will be signs to quide you. Weather: Who knows! Usually it is cool and springlike in late April - but we're setting an alltime record for snowfall this year... ************************************************************************ COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ************************************************************************ The mission of CPSR is to provide the public and policymakers with realistic assessments of the power, promise, and problems of information technology. As concerned citizens, CPSR members work to direct public attention to critical choices concerning the applications of information technology and how those choices affect society. Founded in 1981 by a group of computer scientists concerned about the use of computers in nuclear weapons systems, CPSR has grown into a national public-interest alliance of information technology professionals and other people. Currently, CPSR has 22 chapters in the U.S. and affiliations with similar groups worldwide. In addition to our National Office in Palo Alto, California, we maintain an office in Washington, D.C. Every project we undertake is based on five principles: o We foster and support public discussion of, and meaningful involvement in, decisions critical to society. o We work to correct misinformation while providing understandable and factual analyses about the impact of societal technology. o We challenge the assumption that technology alone can solve political and social problems. o We critically examine social and technical issues within the computer profession, both nationally and internationally. o We encourage the use of information technology to improve the quality of life. ************************************************************************ CPSR PROJECTS ************************************************************************ By sponsoring both national and local projects, CPSR serves as a catalyst for in-depth discussion and effective action in key areas: o The National Information Infrastructure o Civil Liberties and Privacy o Computers in the Workplace o Technology Policy and Human Needs o Reliability and Risk of Computer-Based Systems In addition, CPSR's chapter-based projects and national working groups tackle issues ranging from the implementation of Calling Number ID systems to the development of nanotechnology and virtual reality, from the use of computers in education to working conditions for computer professionals, from community networks to computer ethics. ************************************************************************ MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS ************************************************************************ CPSR welcomes everyone who uses or is concerned about the role of information technology in our society. As a member of CPSR, you are joining a nationwide network of concerned people who are committed to bringing a public interest perspective to all aspects of information technology. CPSR's work covers a wide variety of issues including the proposed National Information Infrastructure, privacy and freedom of information, the demilitarization of national technology policy, cryptography, participatory design approaches to system development, and more. CPSR has a reputation for being on the forefront of issues pertaining to the impact of information technology on society, taking action to implement positive examples of the use of information technology such as local community networks as well as participating in regional and national policy discussions. A quarterly newsletter containing in-depth analysis of major issues as well as updates on CPSR activities. ************************************************************************ ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION ************************************************************************ CPSR National Office P.O. Box 717 Palo Alto, CA 94301 415-322-3778 415-322-4748 (FAX) E-mail: cpsr@cpsr.org CPSR Washington Office 666 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Suite 303 Washington, D.C. 20003 202-544-9240 202-547-5481 FAX rotenberg@washofc.cpsr.org ************************************************************************ PRIVACY NOTICE ************************************************************************ The CPSR membership database is never sold, rented, lent, exchanged, or used for anything other than official CPSR activity. CPSR may elect to send members mailings with information from other groups, but the mailings will always originate with CPSR. ============================ clip and mail =========================== CPSR MEMBERSHIP FORM Name ___________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________ Home phone _____________________ Work phone ______________________ Company ___________________________________________________________ Type of work ______________________________________________________ E-mail address _____________________________________________________ CPSR Chapter __ Acadiana __ Austin __ Berkeley __ Boston __ Chicago __ Denver/Boulder __ Los Angeles __ Loyola/New Orleans __ Madison __ Maine __ Milwaukee __ Minnesota __ New Haven __ New York __ Palo Alto __ Philadelphia __ Pittsburgh __ Portland __ San Diego __ Santa Cruz __ Seattle __ Washington, DC __ No chapter in my area CPSR Membership Categories __ $ 75 REGULAR MEMBER __ $ 50 Basic member __ $ 200 Supporting member __ $ 500 Sponsoring member __ $1000 Lifetime member __ $ 20 Student/low income member __ $ 50 Foreign subscriber __ $ 50 Library/institutional subscriber (Corporate memberships also available) Additional tax-deductible contribution to support CPSR projects: __ $50 __ $75 __ $100 __ $250 __ $500 __ $1000 __ Other Total Enclosed: $ ________ Make check out to CPSR and mail to: CPSR P.O. 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