Highway song

[Anonymous <nowhere@bsu-cs.bsu.edu>]

Newsgroups: alt.politics.datahighway,comp.org.eff.talk,talk.politics.crypto
From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Subject: The Data Highway Patrol
Message-ID: <tcmayCHGF7E.Cu1@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:16:26 GMT

The Data Highway will no doubt be patrolled by a new elite police
force, the "Data Highway Patrol." 

Patterned after the California Highway Patrol, also known as "CHiPS"
(as in the terrible-but-campy t.v. show of the 1970s), the Data
Highway Patrol will presumably be dubbed the "ClipperCHiPS."

They'll be sent out on their Harley-Davidson cybercycles to check for
discriminatory data packets, for illegal use of encryption technology,
and for "heavy loads" that strain network resources. And occasionally
they'll stop and help a stranded Internetter. They'll have the
top-rated Data Highway show in the 2002-3 season, ironically and
recursively enough.

Will President Reno send them in to raid the Cyber-Waco havens?

---

Seriously, I haven't been following this group
(alt.politics.datahighway, that is) too closely, after posting early
on to it, as it seemed like the two camps--pro and con--were settling
down to restating their positions. So, sorry if I'm now intruding.

I was writing an essay for the Cypherpunks mailing list on the way
strong crypto will make local gambling laws unenforceable (through
"telegambling," where a casino in the Bahamas, or "somewhere" in
cypherspace, is only a phone call through some digital mixes away). It
became clear to me that the authorities will hardly countenance the use
of the Data Highway---the taxpayer's NII--for such uses. 

(And a lot of other "interesting" uses I could describe. If
interested, join the Cypherpunks mailing list by sending a request to
"cypherpunks-request@toad.com".  We were featured on the cover of the
second issue of "Wired" and in the Summer, '93 issue of "Whole Earth
Review," etc. An interesting bunch of folks.)

No, the Data Highway won't likely tolerate "sealed loads" that might
be accessing offshore gambling dens, kiddie porn rings, or weapons
secret information markets (not to mention the ever-worrisome
anonymous markets for assasinations...child's play with digital
remailers and digital cash). Not any more than they now accept trucks
carrying loads across state and national borders without the
possibility of inspection. A national data highway will have lots of
rules and regulations for "fair access," for the allowable data
packets that can travel on it, and for taxation of the explosion in
commercial traffic which will inevitably come.

Hence, the Data Highway Patrol.

Or maybe they'll call it the "CyberSpace Patrol."

Personally, I hate government programs. I don't want the government
"helping" with networks, and I don't want a streamlined data highway.
I like the developing system we've got of zillions of cables,
satellites, fiber optics, and the like, With lots of suppliers of
services and lots of rerouting of packets, it makes it real hard to
enforce the kind of restriction cited above.

And that's a good thing.

--Tim May


-- 
..........................................................................
Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
tcmay@netcom.com       | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
408-688-5409           | knowledge, reputations, information markets, 
W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA  | black markets, collapse of governments.
Higher Power: 2^756839 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available.
Note: I put time and money into writing this posting. I hope you enjoy it.