Simmering frogs with a drop of technology and a dash of law

[Major Variola (ret)]

At 12:48 PM 8/3/02 +0200, Eugen Leitl wrote:
>On Sat, 3 Aug 2002, Morlock Elloi wrote:
>
>> Ah, the computers. Well, those that want computers will have them.
>> They may not be as cheap as today and there will not be as many of
>> them, but I think that all people *I* deal with will have them, so I
>> don't really care.
>
>Sure, people will have computers. However, if we merrily slide down the

>slippery slope the authentication might move into the network layer
>eventually. You will be on the network, yet you will be not on the
>network.

Yes.

As engineers we can design a system, enforced by Law only at the ISP,
which
makes the network usable only to those using Approved hardware/software.

Try it.  Then take a bath --the stench does come off.

But surely the heavy hand of the Law will be required?

No.  This can be done with minimal *apparent* police state feeling, by
attacking central
communication resources.  Don't think so?   How about CALEA, Carnivore,
etc.

In the 1984+20 world, you can use your old 56K modem for point to point
communications
(over the message-neutral POTS) but you can't use your ISP without
running
Approved 'Secure Fnord Trusted' equiptment.   Your ISP's assets will be
seized
if they route unVerified traffic from their 'subscribers'.

This meets the Specs For Gentle Fascism:  it requires some plausible
tech, and some plausible law.
No Stasi needed, just the power of Customs, IRS and business licensing.


So you can distribute your xeroxed pamphlets by hand, but you can't mail
them because the
State runs the post, and controls the private delivery services.  Most
folks don't
notice because they use State-Approved pens which only let them write
Approved thoughts
and certainly don't let them copy large excerpts of others' prose.

Those 'safe' messages are transparently handled by the State post.

Its great that Morloch can make pens from quills, and has a horse to
carry his letters
to his friends ---who have to use homemade, not State approved, candles
to read them.
But Morloch's consumption of goose feathers has not gone unnoticed...

---
\begin{bumpersticker}

Keep Your Laws Off My Machine

No Stego No Freedom No Shit

\end{bumpersticker}