Yeah, I read the report from Magaziner's task force. Don't be taken in by the CNN story. The news on crypto is not as good as it sounds; far from it. Hold the applause. Read the report for yourself. -Declan (Jacking in from Kuala Lumpur.) On Fri, 6 Dec 1996 attila@primenet.com wrote:
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Just posted an hour ago on CNN
I don't believe it! Ira Magaziner's interagency task for recommended that the Internet be a free zone, duty free, and to try and persuade all countries not to limit speech, encryption, etc. two days in a row: first the SPA changed course and really balked, and now this from an ultra-liberal! maybe there is such a thing as a spark of freedom in the gathering darkness!
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9612/05/clinton.internet.reut/index.html"> Ira Magaziner Task force recommends Free Zone Internet </a>
===CNN post follows===
<html><head><title> Magaziner recommends Free Internet </a></title></head> <body> <H1>Clinton advisers urge free market approach for Internet</H1> December 5, 1996<BR> Web posted at: 10:30 p.m. EST
<P> WASHINGTON (Reuter) -- The Internet could provide a huge boost to the U.S. economy if the federal government pursues "free market" policies in cyberspace, a group of President Clinton's top advisers said in a draft report obtained by Reuters.<P>
The group, an interagency task force headed by senior presidential adviser Ira Magaziner, recommended the administration work globally to protect the Internet from new taxes, censorship and other onerous forms of regulation.<P>
After seven months of deliberations, the task force is preparing to issue for public comment a report of principles and policies the Unites States should pursue, Magaziner said in an interview. <P>
"One of the things we're trying to do with this paper is as much say what government should not do as say what they should do," Magaziner said."A lot of what industry is concerned about is that governments are already beginning to take actions around the world that would inhibit commerce."<P>
The growth of Internet commerce could help boost U.S. exports of everything from movies and news to software and consulting services. Exports of such products totaled $40 billion in 1995, the draft report noted.<P>
The idea is to hitch U.S. exports to the speeding Internet commerce train. Sales of goods and services online are projected to grow to $7 billion in the year 2000, from about $1 billion this year, according to market researchers at Jupiter Communications.<P>
"Companies have told us there would be a tremendous potential to increase world trade across the Internet if we could provide the right kind of environment," Magaziner said.<P>
The draft report, called "A Framework for Global Electronic Commerce," covers nine issues, from taxation and customs to privacy and security. <P>
On taxation, the draft report echoes a report issued by the Treasury Department last month by stating no new taxes should be imposed. Acting through the World Trade Organization,the United States should push for the Internet to be designated a duty-free zone, the draft said.<P>
Some consumers worry their privacy will be violated when they shop online. he report said governments should push vendors to disclose what will be done with information about consumers rather than dictate to merchants what they can or cannot do with the data. <P>
On some issues, such as encryption -- encoding information in a scrambled format to provide a measure of security or privacy -- existing administration policies may be seen as conflicting with the free market approach of the draft report. <P>
Copyright 1996 <a href="http:/www.ccn.com/interactive_legal.html#Reuters"> Reuters Limited </a>. All rights reserved. </body></html>
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// declan@eff.org // I do not represent the EFF // declan@well.com //