Posted on May 11, 2004

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Electronic Frontier Foundation

Founded: 1990

Contact: Terri Forman, Director of Development

Address:
Electronic Frontier Foundation
454 Shotwell Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Phone: (415) 436-9333, ext. 113
Fax: (415) 436-9993
E-mail: eff@eff.org
URL: http://www.eff.org

Mission:
To defend the rights to think, speak, and share ideas, thoughts, and needs using new technologies, such as the Internet and the World Wide Web; to identify threats to basic rights online; and to advocate on behalf of free expression in the digital age.

About the Organization:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation was created in 1990 by Mitch Kapor, former president of Lotus Development Corporation; John Gilmore, an early employee of Sun Microsystems; and John Perry Barlow, a lyricist for the Grateful Dead, who saw the need for an organization to disseminate information on - and to protect - free speech, privacy, and civil liberties in the world of high technology. Four of the most important electronic communications legal cases in the past decade are EFF-won cases that affect e-mail privacy, export controls on encryption, expansion of copyright law, and copyright fair use. EFF works with other groups sharing civil liberties concerns, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Public Citizen, the Online Policy Group, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

Current Programs:
Major EFF initiatives include Verify the Vote!, the Patent Busting Project, the USA Patriot Act, and CAPPS II. EFF sponsors the international grassroots Blue Ribbon Campaign opposing online censorship. Its Campaign for Audiovisual Free Expression informs artists and others of their rights regarding electronic publication and copying, and fights recording and movie industry attempts to seize control over MP3, DVD, and other emerging digital media formats. The EFF Action Center posts alerts on technology and civil liberties issues and pending legislation. In addition, EFF's annual Pioneer Awards recognize pioneers of the electronic frontier. The organization produces analyses to educate government policy makers and the public about the civil liberties implications of their decisions, and its team of lawyers continues to take on cases that set important precedents regarding cyberspace rights.

Web site:
The EFF Web site links to information about its myriad programs and campaigns (see above); offers an extensive archive covering such topics as digital rights management, internet governance, e-voting, and intellectual property online; and connects to Radio EFF programs via downloadable MP3s.

Funding:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is supported 70 percent by individuals, both members and major donors. Other funding comes from grants and planned giving.