The widespread discussion of the Clipper Chip in both US media and relevant discussion lists is limited mostly to American people. Therefore, I wish to add my small opinion from behind the former Iron Curtain based upon my lifetime experience of living in Poland. The discussion is very interesting for me because in a few years' time when we will be more technologically developed (and have bigger GDP so that secret services may flourish) it may repeat itself in my country. I was inspired by the contribution of prof. D. Denning whom I appreciate for outstanding book about cryptography and data security. For years we lived here with the overwhelming impression of being under constant surveillance by omnipotent secret services maintained by undemocratic regime supported by Moscow. For instance people were afraid not to take part in then sham elections. Those elections were openly unequal - their results were obvious for everyone before the results - but were hyped in the media as an act of support for the government. The widespread belief was that if one did not participate he will be denied some "privilege" for example passport and exit visa to the West on the next request. The same applied to not taking part in 1st May official parades which were said to be voluntary. The regime was also afraid of every way of people's informal associating. Participants in unofficial gatherings were photographed and videotaped with the hope of identifying them. Telephone was always considered insecure and all international calls were "for sure" supposed to be wiretapped. As the published files of East Germany's STASI showed these fears were not groundless. From the four years' distance then polish secret service does not seem to had been so strong but its files WERE NOT revealed and the overall impression remains obscure. For years the society had a highly positive attitude towards West and particularly American people despite officially publicized love for Russian liberators. Unfortunately the knowledge of the West was very, very incomplete. Not surprisingly when the communism collapsed in 1989 the society wanted to integrate quickly with the West hopeful to reach their level of freedom and prosperity soon. And to their surprise the West did not fulfil their expectations either because they were false or because at the same time some of Western ideals had proven unrealistic and were to be abolished. And we learned that the Swedish model of caring state is economically infeasible in the long run, that new gospel should be promulgated to change the fast way of western life, that the World had just entered into global recession so everybody is afraid of newly emerged poor democracies, that our model USA is indeed (as described by former pro Moscow propaganda) a ruthless oppressor for some disobedient nations. At the same time we entered the Cyberspace. It was really a unique experience to have the freedom of sending out (to the West) everything one wishes just after the period of total censorship. Recent developments in cryptography and the work of Cypherpunks have created perhaps for the first time in mankind's history the opportunity to create global communities that evade government's surveillance. It seemed that an omnipotent repressive regimes may one day become hardly possible at all. And now we learn that such a privilege cannot be extended to voice communication. I am afraid that similar regulations will apply to communication over future high throughput electronic highways and that the present loose regulations concerning Internet are the result of first incredible speed of the development of this medium (the democratically elected regimes didn't catch up) and second the smaller (for the time being) popularity of email communication when compared to for instance fax and phone. And now conclusions. Despite the gloomy picture I have just presented I am on the whole an optimist. Properties of mathematics behind cryptography are part of the nature itself and like the software cannot be destroyed by human regulations. The governments may slower the outburst of universal privacy but will not evade it. In the Clipper's case I agree with the conclusion of "Newsweek" from 14 Feb. '94 which suggests that the US users will use foreign made devices and foreigners will be reluctant to use US made ones that can be wiretapped. As the fall of Berlin Wall showed the regulations that do not have popular support will one day collapse. Thank you for taking time to read my private opinions and please excuse me poor language (I am not native) and contents (I am very technical). Doodeck ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about the anon service, send mail to help@anon.penet.fi. Due to the double-blind, any mail replies to this message will be anonymized, and an anonymous id will be allocated automatically. You have been warned. Please report any problems, inappropriate use etc. to admin@anon.penet.fi.