misc crypto stuff

[m5@vail.tivoli.com (Mike McNally)]

J. Eric Townsend writes:
 > "mycal (voices through your head @ 88.1MHz)" writes:
 >  > First a prediction, soon the news media will pick up on a major story on
 >  > somthing like child porn being transfered ...
 >
 > Already happened.  The fellow used something like PGP...
 > No call for banning of encryption by The Media(tm).

Ahh, but recall how The Media operates.  There will come a case
involving encrypted data that for some reason can be made spectacular
by the law enforcement agency involved.  The agency will ensure that
The Media paints as threatening a picture of "the encryption crisis"
as desired.

Even better would be the reaction to encryption involved in some
Threat to National Security.  In a situation anything like the Gulf
War, any ominous words in a Pentagon press briefing will be siezed
upon hungrily by The Media.

All it'll take is one memorable incident.  Even if mountains of
evidence turn up later to show that the case was bogus, it won't
matter.  A suitable majority of the public will only remember the
original terror, the few soundbytes about national security/drug
dealers/cocaine cartels/child snuff films/Islamic extremists, and
there'll be no stopping the Government from enacting whatever laws it
pleases.

--
Mike McNally