Video & cryptography... (fwd)

[Jim Choate]

Forwarded message:

> From: Adam Shostack <adam at homeport.org>
> Subject: Re: Video & cryptography... (fwd)
> Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 17:02:53 -0500 (EST)

> | Doesn't this same sort of issue arise from any other digital signature
> | process then? There should be nothing fundamentaly different between the
> | characteristics of a video camera signing a frame than a person signing
> | email.
> 
> 	It arises in a different context; with a signature on paper,
> you're generally indicating that you've read and consented to whats on
> the paper, not that you created it.

Isn't signing the document at least in theory a participatory creative act?
If you don't sign it then it doesn't exist in the same context as if you do.
Otherwise why have the signature? If I use a camera to sign a digital image
am I not stating that I have viewed and consented to the image being a valid
representation of what the lens saw? Seem quite similar to me.

>  The meaning of a camera signing a
> video still is not obvious to me.  Is it intended to be 'this is what
> we saw through the lens?' or 'this is what really happened?'

A mechanism to sign a digital image would provide some base protection
against altering the image surreptitously, just as why you sign (and get a
copy) of other documentary evidence.


    ____________________________________________________________________
   |                                                                    |
   |       The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate,       |
   |       but the desire to edit somebody elses words.                 |
   |                                                                    |
   |                                  Sign in Ed Barsis' office         |
   |                                                                    | 
   |            _____                             The Armadillo Group   |
   |         ,::////;::-.                           Austin, Tx. USA     |
   |        /:'///// ``::>/|/                     http://www.ssz.com/   |
   |      .',  ||||    `/( e\                                           |
   |  -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'-                         Jim Choate       |
   |                                                 ravage at ssz.com     |
   |                                                  512-451-7087      |
   |____________________________________________________________________|