Electronic Frontiers and Public Issues

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. (EFA) is a non-profit national organisation representing Internet users concerned with online freedoms and rights. The group's major goals are to advocate the amendment of laws and regulations in Australia and elsewhere (both current and proposed) which restrict free speech and unfettered access to information and to educate the community at large about the social, political, and civil liberties issues involved in the use of computer based communications systems.

EFA was established in 1994 after it became apparent there was a need for a group dedicated to preserving the freedom of access to online systems and encouraging rational debate about restriction of those freedoms. The original impetus for the group's formation was, in part, police seizure of BBS operators' equipment with apparent intent to hold system providers responsible for material distributed by users. In a 1990 case (the Treasure Island BBS in Perth) EFA alleges that police had not followed a coherent procedure and had held seized equipment for a year prior to dropping all charges. Unsurprisingly, other BBS sysops had become concerned that their equipment would be seized on the basis of an anonymous complaint.

By 1994, concerns among sysops and users of both BBSs and the Net had increased and a call for people interested in establishing an advocacy group resulted in the formation of EFA. Inspiration for establishing EFA arose from the existence of the American Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), but EFA has never been a subsidiary or affiliate of EFF. EFA is a founding member of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign (GILC) and liaises with many online civil liberties organisations around the world on issues of mutual interest and potential benefit.

Today EFA members come from all parts of Australia and from diverse backgrounds. They are Internet and BBS users and system operators, computer professionals, students, academics, lawyers and other people who have a cornmon interest in preserving online freedoms and rights, and in computer mediated communication and online information services.

Until 1999, ETA relied entirely on volunteers, operating on a shoestring budget without paid staff or business premises (it now has one staff member), nevertheless leading campaigns within Australia and overseas. EFA was prominent in opposing the Australian Internet censorship legislation that came into effect on 1 January 2000. Although the Bill was not dropped entirely as EFA had advocated, its implementation is considerably less restrictive than the Federal Government's original intent to require ISPs to block adults' access to content irrespective of whether adult users wished to access particular content.

Recently EFA has been actively advocating that improved privacy protection for Internet users be incorporated in a Bill presently before the Federal Parliament. EFA was invited to present testimony to the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee during their recent inquiry into the provisions of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill 2000.

Given the limited understanding of politicians and bureaucrats regarding Internet issues in 1994, EFA can be justifiably proud of achieving a change in Government policy regarding Internet censorship and ISP liability and widespread support for EFAs views among key stake holders and the general public.

The activities of EFA are funded through membership subscriptions and donations contributed by individuals and organisations wishing to thereby assist EFA in the achievement of its goals and objectives. More information about EFAs activities and contributing funding support are available at http://www.efa.org.au/AboutEFA/

About the Author
Irene Graham is Executive Director of Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc and has been a Board Member since 1997. She became active in opposing attempts to censor the Internet shortly after she started using the Net in 1994 and provides a comprehensive web site on the topic of censorship at http://rene.efa.org.au

Note from Features Editor

Recently a press release from EFA caught my attention. It addressed a number of issues relating to free speech, censorship laws, government regulations and online access to sexually explicit materials. I considered it relevant, especially for this issue of PC Update and planned to print that release. Aware that not all members would know about EFA, I also asked Irene Graham to write this introduction to provide some background information about her organization. Eventually, space became a consideration.

For those interested the full text of the press release can be found at: http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/PR000629. html

Other press releases from EFA can be found at: http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/media.html

Reprinted from the August 2000 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia