Perhaps I haven't been paying attention, and perhaps this question has been posed, or answered... Still this thought comes to mind. Assuming that the FBI, SS, NSA, BATF, cops in general & Current Events all play by the "rules" for obtaining the escrow key in the first place, what guarantees that they "destroy" their copy at the end of an investigation? Suppose John Smith Late Nite BBS is suspected of aiding in the transmission of copyrighted software. The proper warrants are obtained, the keys are released, and his BBS is monitored for a set amount of time. No evidence is found, so the official investigation ends. But Agent Joe Smarty always gets his board, so he keeps the "keys" to periodically check the BBS... Perhaps we need to make known that the Key Escrow proceedure, even at it's best, only "protects" the privacy of the citizen the first time. -ck