From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Status: No, score=1.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_40,INVALID_DATE autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!nike!ucbcad!ucbvax!SIMTEL20.ARPA!RCONN From: RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA (Rick Conn) Newsgroups: net.lang.ada Subject: Export Control and the IEEE Message-ID: <12223245071.13.RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA> Date: Wed, 16-Jul-86 19:30:33 EDT Article-I.D.: SIMTEL20.12223245071.13.RCONN Posted: Wed Jul 16 19:30:33 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 20-Jul-86 04:07:24 EDT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet List-Id: The August 1986 issue of "The Institute" by the IEEE (this is Vol 10, Number 8) has a front-page article entitled "Air Force Proposal to Restrict Databases Faces Stiff Opposition". If the Air Force gets its way, our freedom to interact with our colleagues throughout the "free world" could be severly impacted. From the article: "The IEEE has strongly opposed a tentative plan by the U.S. Air Force to restrict the access of non-U.S. citizens to unclassified electronic databases. "As part of their ongoing effort to keep Soviet bloc agents from learning about U.S. high technology, Air Force officials are considering restricting both Government databases -- like the National Technical Information Service of the U.S. Commerce Department -- and private services -- such as Chemical Abstracts ... and Lockheed Corp.'s Dialog ... . "The Air Force has proposed that unclassifed but "sensitive" information ... be removed from these open databases and placed in a special one that only U.S. citizens could access." The article goes on ... "Restrictions could help Soviets "In a letter to the Air Force in May, Benjamin J. Leon, chairman of the IEEE Technology Transfer Committee, stated: "Any restrictions placed on access to these databases would impede the ability of the United States to advance both military and civilian technology." "Leon suggested that creating a special database with sensitive information might actually hinder allies of the United States and help its adversaries. "Free World engineers may find it easier to redo the work rather than to make application for access to export-controlled information," Leon wrote. "However, the Eastern bloc countries, discovering this source of valuable information in one repository, will likely expend substantial amounts of money to gain access to the database, with certain success." Later ... "Kenneth Allen, vice president of government relations for the Information Industries Association, said the association is forming a group of members to "deal with the issue." The IIA is "very concerned" about potential restrictions, he said. Allen is also organizing a seminar on the proposed database restrictions this fall, with speakers from the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Library Association, and other groups that he said share the IIA's concern." Finally ... "The Air Force's study of electronic databases did not derive from specific incidents ... so much as from "concern about technology transfer in general." "That concern was summed up ... in a report issued by the Departement of Defense last year, called "Soviet Acquisition of Militarily Significant Western Technology: An Update." "The report charged that "Western products and technology secrets are being systematically acquired by intricately organized, highly effective collection programs specifically targeted to improve Soviet military weapon systems. ... Targets include defense contractors, manufacturers, foreign trading firms, academic institutions, and electronic databases." "The report also singled out several IEEE meetings for allegedly having helped the Soviets build better radar systems ... The DOD has never offered any evidence to support these claims." -------