SAFE Bill is a Disaster--"Use a cipher, go to prison"

[Jim Bell]

At 17:19 4/30/97 -0800, Tim May wrote:
>(A copy of this message has also been posted to the following newsgroups:
>alt.cypherpunks,  talk.politics.crypto, comp.org.eff.talk)
>CDT and other Washington insider groups are busily singing the praises of
>the SAFE encryption bill, despite some acknowledged "minor flaws."
>
>Well, the flaws are not minor. The bill does not give Americans any rights
>they do not already have, and does not ease export of strong crypto in any
>meaningful way. In fact, the bill contains odd language implying it is
>essentially only financial software which is easier to export, and then
>only if the receiving country (huh?) allows it...since when is the duty of
>U.S. Customs to pass products for export based on whether Baluchistan, for
>example, wants the product?

I agree with everything you've said, here.  SAFE is truly awful if it
attempts to make use of encryption illegal.  Prosecuting the underlying
crime, if a crime was done, should be considered more than enough.

The thugs are afraid of getting whacked.


Jim Bell
jimbell at pacifier.com