Question on U.S. Postal Service and crypto

[David Miller]

Robert A. Costner wrote:

> A few months back I asked a USPS rep about this, and was told that the idea
> had been scrapped.  I do not know that this was correct.  The USPS was
> going to do timestamping as well as act as a CA as I recall.  The
> timestamping is a action that "postmarks" the digitally signed message.
> Many attorneys feel this is a very good thing, though I have had a hard
> time justifying the need for this to some technically inclined people.

I have it on good authority that either the plan has been scrapped or that
it has simply gone nowhere (same result).
 
> An interesting feature of the digital postmark is that the USPS was making
> the claim that if you receive an email that the USPS send to you that was
> not meant for you, then you have committed a federal crime when you read it.

I'm not so sure about this, Robert.  I've heard the rumor that it is a crime,
but I have also heard that if something is delivered to your box, it is yours
and you are not required to send it back unopened if it is not addressed to
you.  I tend to believe the latter, as it is the side of the story shared by
USPS employees.

It certainly is a federal crime, however, for the indended recipient to get
into your mailbox to get a message which was incorrectly delivered to you,
however!

--David Miller