New Coalition of Computer Professionals and Human Rights Workers

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

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New Coalition of Computer Professionals and Human Rights Workers

For Immediate Release

PALO ALTO and TORONTO -- Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility (CPSR) today announced Privaterra, a new coalition of
computer professionals, human rights workers and human rights
organizations joined to harness the power of technology and help
protect human rights workers worldwide. Established in December of
2001, Privaterra will be an ongoing project of CPSR. The organization
already completed training contracts in Latin America and is
currently planning several more worldwide.

"Ensuring the privacy and security of information and communications
is often a matter of life and death when combatting human rights
violations," explains Robert Guerra, a founder of Privaterra. "Human
rights workers place themselves in harm's way to protect others. In
so doing, they often become targets themselves."

President of CPSR, Coralee Whitcomb is proud to extend the work of
CPSR into this incredibly important area. "As always, information
technology brings with it incredible new opportunities for change.
The work of Privaterra will help to ensure that human rights work
benefits fully from these new tools. Privaterra's extensive track
record insofar demonstrates the great need for services, technology
and resources to help protect and promote the work of human rights
organizations around the world."

Advances in technology have made it easier to monitor and report
human rights abuses around the world. In Kosovo, Chechnya, China and
East Timor, new information and communications technologies helped in
documenting and reporting human rights abuses. These advances have
also created vulnerabilities, which Privaterra strives to secure.

Privaterra provides human rights workers with technology and teaches
them how to secure their information and communications. The group is
also constructing a protected clearinghouse of information and
resources relating to privacy and security for human rights
organizations.

Privacy and security oriented NGOs from all over the world have
contributed support to the newly formed organization, recognizing the
critical need for secure communications in the fight for human
rights. These NGOs include:

"At Amnesty International-USA we communicate by email, internet and
telephone with human rights organizations in all parts of the world,"
explains Barb Bocek of Amnesty International. "And we've seen many
cases in which compromised communications and computer networks
endanger human rights activists. Many NGOs in developing nations have
few options for help with internet connections or network design. If
in addition -- as in many Latin American countries -- activists
operate under constant threats and electronic surveillance, they
desperately need the assistance of an organization like Privaterra to
design secure systems AND to identify who is tapping their phones or
hacking their hard drives. I look forward to collaborating with
Privaterra in the future as I believe there is going to be an
increasing role for privacy technology in protecting human rights
work."

Privaterra is a volunteer-based organization with offices in the
United States and Canada, and members in North America, South America
and Europe. Their goal of Securing Human Rights is increasingly
important as low-tech groups and individuals use the Internet to
conduct business and transfer sensitive data around the world.

CPSR is a public-interest alliance of computer scientists and others
concerned about the impact of computer technology on society. As
technical experts, CPSR members provide the public and policymakers
with realistic assessments of the power, promise, and limitations of
computer technology.

To help human rights workers and organizations conduct their
activities in safety, and to protect the safety and anonymity of
those they serve, Privaterra is seeking funding, donations-in-kind,
and qualified volunteers.

Contact Information:

Robert Guerra
Privaterra
Email: privaterra@cpsr.org
URL: http://privaterra.cpsr.org Tel: +1 (416) 458-8564
Fax: +1 (303) 484-0302

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
URL: http://www.cpsr.org
Tel: +1 (650) 322-3778
Fax: +1 (650) 322-4748

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