About EFF-Austin

Mission Statement

EFF-Austin advocates establishment and protection of digital rights and defense of the wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology. We promote the right of all citizens to communicate and share information without unreasonable constraint. We also advocate the fundamental right to explore, tinker, create, and innovate along the frontier of emerging technologies.

Who We Are

EFF-Austin is an independent nonprofit civil liberties organization concerned with emerging frontiers where technology meets society. We are a group of visionary technologists, legal professionals, academics, political activists and concerned citizens who work to protect digital rights and educate the public about emerging technologies and their implications.

Similar to our namesake, the national Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), “the dominion we defend is the vast wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology that resides online.”

EFF-Austin was originally formed in 1991 with the intention that it would become the first chapter of the national Electronic Frontier Foundation. However, EFF decided not to become a chapters organization, and EFF-Austin became a separately-incorporated, independent nonprofit organization focusing on cyber liberties, digital rights, and emerging technologies.

An audio history of EFF-Austin (and why we’re not formally connected to the national EFF) is available here.

EFF-A History Part 1 : Joel Greenberg : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

This is an hour long conversation with Jon Lebkowsky, Ed Cavazos, and John Quarterman discussing the history of EFF-Austin, an independent organization that…

Internet Archive

Leadership

• President: Kevin Welch
• Vice President: Alex Shahrestani
• Secretary: Jon Lebkowsky
• Treasurer: Heather Barfield

Board of Directors

Heather Barfield	Nathan Bartram	Anne Boysen
Ritika Gopal	David Hensley	Jon Lebkowsky
Mackenzie Rhine	Alex Shahrestani	Kevin Welch