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ELECTRONIC FRONTIERS OPEN UP FOR AUSTRALIAN WOMEN

"The Internet in Australia now has a place for women to get together
to discuss the issues arising out of the use of cyberspace
particularly as it affects women. EFA-WOMEN, a moderated mailing list
is now officially open to women in Australia. (A moderated mailing
list is one where the content of a message is rejected by the
moderator if it falls outside the guidelines for the list.  In such a
case, the message is not passed on to the mailing list membership.)

"EFA-WOMEN is a project of the Electronic Frontiers Australia, women's
subcommittee. The current membership of the Committee is Ms Brenda
Aynsley (Chair), Mr Kimberley Heitman (EFA Chair) , Ms Val Thomson and
Ms Ann Moffatt.

"The guidelines for EFA-WOMEN are to:

   *  provide a safe space where women's online concerns can be
       addressed
   *  share advice, support and constructive suggestions
   *  develop effective responses to problems
   *  increase the participation of women within EFA and to assist in
       framing policies for EFA's submissions to government.

"This, Ms Aynsley said, was consistent with EFA's objectives which
are:

   *  To ensure that people have the same basic freedoms 'within' 
       computer based communication systems as without;
   *  To educate the community at large about computer based 
       communications systems and their use;
   *  To support, encourage and advise on the development and use of
       computer based communciations system, and related innovations; 
       and
   *  to research and advise on the law as applied to computer based
       communications.

"A safe space in which to raise issues of concern is vital to the full
integration of women into cyberspace, Ms Aynsley said.  Electronic
Frontiers Australia is already consulting with various government
agencies and has made several submissions to the ad hoc committees of
enquiry, particularly the Senate Select Committee on Community
Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic
Technologies, about the use, and abuse, of the medium.  More yet needs
to be done however, to ensure the full participation of women in
cyberspace. Electronic Frontiers Australia was very hopeful that via
this medium women would not just 'lurk' on the Internet, an activity
which is often attributed to many women who are not yet ready to
participate fully but are interested to use the medium of the Internet
to increase communication opportunity. 

"To subscribe to the mailing list all a person with an email account
need do is to send a message to:

           efa-women@efa.org.au

in the body of the message all that should be included is:

           subscribe efa-women

There should be no signature file included in this message.

"Once successfully approved and subscribed the new member will get
instructions on using the list and removing themself from the list
should they need to.

"This initiative starts the year off in a positive and purposeful way
and is the first of several which Electronic Frontiers Australia will
take in 1996, Ms Aynsley said.

For futher information regarding Electronic Frontiers Australia or the
EFA-WOMEN mailing list contact: Mr Kimberley Heitman 09 458 2790 or Ms
Brenda Aynsley 08 376 3755.

22 January 1996
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     //////     //////    //\\         ELECTRONIC FRONTIERS AUSTRALIA
    //         //        //  \\               secretary@efa.org.au
   //         //        //    \\          http://www.efa.org.au/EFA
  /////      /////     /////\\\\\        ftp://ftp.efa.org.au/pub/efa
 //         //        //        \\        Phone: 08 384 7316 (+618) 
//////// * //      * //          \\ *  PO Box 382 North Adelaide SA 5006
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