"Deranged Mutant" <WlkngOwl@unix.asb.com> writes:
A story I heard: During a privacy conference back when Clipper was first proposed (about 3 yrs ago) people were questioning an NSA rep about escrow. He started off his rebuttal by asking "Is Sternlight here?" and then contined his reasoning as to why Clipper was a good thing.
Don't know if this actually happened, but I'm sure if it did some here would remember it.
It happened, but that's about sci.crypt or talk.politics.crypto rather than Cypherpunks, since David wasn't vocal here in those days. A sci.crypt article on CFP '94 by Jerod Tufte dated 26 Mar 94 included the transcript of a panel discussion involving (among others) Stewart Baker, then NSA general counsel; the panel was on 24 Mar. Mike Godwin asked from the floor: You said in myth number four that we can anticipate -- and in fact NSA did anticipate that these technologies would become available in five to ten years. People would go buy telephones, have an encryption button and be able to use this technology -- I think I am quoting you accurately -- in profoundly anti-social ways. Isn't it true that many otherwise acceptable technologies can be used by individuals in profoundly anti-social ways including, say the printing press. Isn't it in fact true that in a democratic society we make a decision to empower individuals knowing upfront and openly that we do so taking risk about society. Isn't that in fact the case in this country? Baker responded: Yes. And first I should say, Mike, I haven't met you but I've read your stuff and actually, is David Sternlight here too? Sure you take risks and you have to look at each technology as it comes. Let's take a look at cars. Cars have advantages and risks and how do we deal with that. We put license plates on every car and everybody has to have a license plate on their car even if they think it violates their First Amendment Rights to do it.