So if the feds intend to regulate cyberspace, what specific sorts of regulations are possible at this point? Forget laws, what is *technically* and institutionally feasible? Can they just throw out TCP/IP and mandate X25? Can TCP/IP be "tamed?" How can they control private virtual networks that piggyback on the basic network structure? Just questions. No answers. DCF ************************************************************************* ATMs, Contracting Out, Digital Switching, Downsizing, EDI, Fax, Fedex, Home Workers, Internet, Just In Time, Leasing, Mail Receiving, Phone Cards, Quants, Securitization, Temping, Voice Mail.
On Wed, 4 Jan 1995, Duncan Frissell wrote:
So if the feds intend to regulate cyberspace, what specific sorts of regulations are possible at this point?
Forget laws, what is *technically* and institutionally feasible?
Criminalize anonymity, and tell the internet providers to figure out how to enforce it or face confiscation. After that, they can get involved in the standards business to ensure that when the current 32 bit internet address space is upgraded, we go with a system where the technology supports centralized administration rather than anarchy. They can do it -- but they probably will not. Recent political events mean that such actions can only be done on presidential authority. It will be impossible to obtain new law to enforce such measures for at least four years. There will be eventually a big confrontation between governments and liberty in cyberspace -- but I doubt that this is it. This one can be won with a few letters to the editor. --------------------------------------------------------------------- We have the right to defend ourselves and our property, because of the kind of animals that we James A. Donald are. True law derives from this right, not from the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state. jamesd@netcom.com
Criminalize anonymity, and tell the internet providers to figure out how to enforce it or face confiscation.
Which would probably amount to sniffing all packet traffic. If that ban was implemented, so would ways around it be implemented. I would prefer that they not need to be invented but if they must be, they will be. -jon ( --------[ Jonathan D. Cooper ]--------[ entropy@intnet.net ]-------- ) ( PGP 2.6.2 keyprint: 31 50 8F 82 B9 79 ED C4 5B 12 A0 35 E0 9B C0 01 ) ( home page: http://taz.hyperreal.com/~entropy/ ]---[ Key-ID: 4082CCB5 )
Jonathan Cooper wrote:
Criminalize anonymity, and tell the internet providers to figure out how to enforce it or face confiscation.
Which would probably amount to sniffing all packet traffic.
If that ban was implemented, so would ways around it be implemented. I would prefer that they not need to be invented but if they must be, they will be.
This same topic--the outlawing of anonymity and anonymous remailers--is also being debated on the Cyberia list, as many of you know. (Timely, I guess, because of the Siegel comments, the Lewis article, and the Church of Scientology threats.) The ways around such a ban are so patently obvious that any such "ban" is unenforceable. I wrote a piece on this for the Cyberia list, but this was my single most important point: If anonymous mail is outlawed, then the anonymous mailers can attach real names. To wit, all mail from a famous remailing site in the Netherlands could be marked as being from "Hans Brinker." This would presumably meet the letter of the law, if not the "spirit." (I always did hate this "spirit.") Further, sites which "forward" anonymous mail, or mail from "Hans Brinker," are in most cases precluded by the ECPA from screening this mail or otherwise examining it. I see no prospect whatsover that a ban on anonymous mail could be implemented, enforced, or upheld in the courts. --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. Cypherpunks list: majordomo@toad.com with body message of only: subscribe cypherpunks. FAQ available at ftp.netcom.com in pub/tc/tcmay
participants (4)
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frissell＠panix.com -
James A. Donald -
Jonathan Cooper -
tcmay＠netcom.com