Responding to orders which include a secrecy requirement

[J.A. Terranson]

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003, Tim May wrote:

> But when Big Brother commands that his Carnivore boxes be added, ISPs 
> are afraid to shoot his agents who trespass.

Just for the record, as someone who is in a position to have first-hand
personal knowledge of this...

When the various plastic-id carrying critters came around asking to let ISPs
install Carnivores just after 9/11, they were almost all turned away.  The
notable exceptions were from companies that are (not surprisingly) based
outside of the US.

I was *stunned* at how many ISPs told them to fuck off (including, I am happy
to say, the one I work at)..

When a court order is present - that is a whole new ball game: nobody will
refuse that.

> And so the work is done for free. And so, too, will the fees you talk 
> about be waived.

Free under the duress of a court order is AFAIK virgin territory here.  There
is no question that installing a DCS1000 is no small task when you're dealing
with modern high speed circuits (OC12s and up), and will require significant
planning and engineering support to accomplish without devastating
interruptions in service - this is a significant expense to the business
being ordered to comply.  I would be surprised if this went on without
compensation, even if at a reduced rate.  And the sheer expense may in and of
itself be a controlling factor in such orders.  I know that they are rare
enough to cause ripples of whispers in the NSP/ISP community.


> I think my solution may be best: take a few ISPs who have bent over for 
> Big Brother and kill their owners and staff. A few ISP owners found 
> necklaced and smoking may send a message to others. It works for the 
> Mob in a way none of the more civilized approaches can possibly work.
> 
> "You narc us out, we douse your children with gasoline and light them 
> off. Your choice."
> 
> Sometimes freedom demands harshness.

Make them move to Texas.  Force them to listen to recordings of Shrub all
day, while sitting in the hot Texas sun.

> --Tim May

-- 
Yours, 
J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org

	"Every living thing dies alone."
	Donnie Darko