Question: What is the mission of the ACM Public Policy Office?

Answer: Numerous legislative and regulatory initiatives have emerged which threaten the open interchange of information concerning computing and related disciplines. In 2001, ACM opened a Public Policy Office in Washington, D.C., to assist policymakers, computing professionals, and the public in understanding the implications of complex information technology policy issues, particularly as they affect the ACM membership and computing community. The office works closely with the Computing Research Association and other organizations in policy development, education, and advocacy efforts. The office informs the ACM membership of relevant policy activities by distributing an ACM Washington Update online newsletter and by contributing to other ACM and computing publications.

Question: How does the ACM Public Policy Office work with the ACM membership?

Answer: The ACM Public Policy Office supports the efforts of USACM, the ACM Committee on U.S. Public Policy. USACM was established in 1993 and provides expertise on a variety of information technology policy issues. Working through the policy office USACM members testify before the U.S. Congress and serve on various U.S. government and presidential advisory boards. In addition to working with USACM, the policy office also coordinates policy interests of ACM SIGs and other subunits. Finally, since ACM is an internation organization with members from over 100 countries, the policy office is working to establish a global policy presence.

Question: What are some examples of ACM's public policy activities?

Answer: Seeking to support the rights of researchers to conduct and publish research on computer technology, ACM submitted a declaration in 2001 in a federal court challenge to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). ACM's declaration concluded that the threat of litigation under the DMCA continues to have a profound chilling effect on analysis, research, and publication. The policy office is active in educating policymakers and the public of ACM's concerns with the DMCA and other legislative and regulatory efforts that restrict communication and access to information. The policy office has also worked with USACM to provide Congressional testimony, letters, and background papers on matters including encryption, computer security, information assurance research, national ID card systems, electronic voting technology and standards, intellectual property protection, privacy, Internet governance, and funding for basic science and computing research. For more information, see the "Recent Activities and News" section of the USACM Web page.

Question: What emerging policy issues are likely to be of concern to ACM and the computing community over the next year?

Answer: Policymakers are currently considering a variety of proposals which could affect the ACM membership and community, including legislation that creates new intellectual property protections for databases; mandates technology standards to manage digital rights as a means of safeguarding copyrights; and seeks to enhance personal security by using a variety of technologies such as RFIDs and biometrics to create identification systems. The policy office is actively working with ACM leadership and its numerous committees to formulate a comprehensive public policy agenda to address these and other emerging policy issues.

The policy office welcomes your questions, comments or recommendations regarding ACM policy matters and activities.

[Adapted from ACM Membernet]