On Mon, 16 Oct 2000, Ed Gerck wrote:
OTOH, some lawyers and lawmakers are oftentimes the first ones to use the term "identifty theft" -- which simply is not a theft, it is impersonation. I hope we in crypto don't have to use "identity theft" as well. And, they can continue to use it.
Speaking as a lawyer, one of "they,", they should not continue to use it. Identity theft might be accomplishable in some scenario, one in which I somehow induced amnesia in you, for example, but otherwise the use of the term to cover what you rightly point is simply impersonation, does a disservice to my profession as well as yours. As to "prevent," it seems to me that Random House has the better of Merriam-Webster here. Apparently what M-W really means in their first sense of the word is a combination, something like "anticipate and take measures to forestall or render impossible." Now, the anticipation may be brief, and the measures spontaneous, but that's what I gather they really wanted to say at M-W. If so, they're loading more on to "prevent" than it always has to carry. MacN