Underestimating long-term consequences of cryptoanarchy

[Justin]

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At 2003-05-03 17:32 +0000, Tim May wrote:

> But the point is not to predict some withering away of the state. The 
> point is that unfettered communication, with the already-extant ability 
> to use all sorts of alternative financial instruments (offshore 
> accounts, PayPal, E-gold, etc.), is already producing interesting 
> changes in the way the world works.

Interesting changes in this case means executive orders and increasing
harassment of individuals by financial institutions, which are
simultaneously forced to comply with continuously constricting
regulations and rules, not to mention a vague and exploding "watchlist"
of restricted entities and individuals.  To wit
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/sdnlist.txt

rtsp://167.216.132.211:554/cspan/ndrive/ter102802_aba.rm (2:19:00)
rtsp://167.216.132.211:554/cspan/ndrive/ter102802_aba2.rm (3:11:44)

a brief/pedantic overview of the first part of the second realmedia file
above:

If you transact with a major financial institution and the transaction
looks suspicious to them, SARs (Suspicious Activity Report) and CTRs
(Currency Transaction Report) can now be filed online (theoretically
meaning instantaneously) with FinCEN and Treasury's OFAC via forms
signed/encrypted with certificates issued by http://www.aces.att.com/.
It's called PACS (Patriot Act Communication System - isn't it cute -
http://pacs.treas.gov/index.jsp), and those reports are analyzed by the
Detroit data processing center of, you guessed it, the IRS.  Fun for the
whole family.  (incidental industry note for terms in the videos: BSA =
banking secrecy act, AML = Anti-Money Laundering)

- -- 
Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit
crimes and do bad things.  They're also free to live their lives and do
wonderful things.   --Rumsfeld, 2003-04-11
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