Jonathan Rochkind wrote:
Is anyone else distrubed by the way that encryption export policy and the clipper chip seem to be linked {in administration policy, and in the press?
Well, we helped made this connection happen! We, in the sense of the overall letter-writing campaign...all those exhortations for us to please get the Cantwell Bill moved along, those daily updates, etc. EFF, CPSR, EPIC, and messages here on Cypherpunks and in other fora (or forums).
The letter from Gore to Cantwell certainly indicates this. He got her to refrain from trying to liberalize export by saying that he'd look into relaxing clipper. This seems awfully insidious, for a variety of reasons. I think everyone
To be expected, given the nature of the lobbying effort.
I don't think we should let them get away with this. If the two issues are going to be linked like this, we the public have got to demand and explanation or rational for doing this. Why did the administration
I agree with Jonathan's sentiments, though I get nervous hearing buzzwords like "demand" and "let them get away with this." The will do what states always do, accomodate interests. Maria Cantwell has, partly by our actions, become a "player" in this high-stakes game. Her motivations and goals may or may not agree with some of ours, and certainly they collide with some views (e.g., I doubt she's an anarchist). Though I sent the obligatory "I oppose Clipper" and "I support the Cantwell Bill" messages, I think we as Cypherpunks have a more powerful hand to play than getting involved too deeply in the Washington lobbying that's obviously going on here. I reject key escrow, and I don't worry overmuch about export of crypto or what it does to the competitiveness of Novell and Microsoft. (By this I mean that end-to-end encryption is usually a big win over product-integrated, officially-sanctioned crypto....and no export laws will stop powerful, unofficially-sanctioned end-to-end crypto from being used.) Sure, support open export. But don't make it the cause celebre of Cypherpunks, or the outcome that Jonathan bemoans will be inevitable. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."