Another clipper editorial

[Jonathan Corbet <corbet@stout.atd.ucar.EDU>]

The following appeared as an unsigned editorial in the 2/14 Christian
Science Monitor.  It lacks the fire of Safire's piece, but it's nice to see
anyway.


CLIPPING PRIVACY

With the rise of electronic mail, public data networks, and cordless and
cellular phones has come a rise in devices to encode data to protect the
users' privacy.  But law enforcement officials worry that these advances
will undercut their ability to secretly gather evidence through wiretaps
and other surveillance methods.

To respond to law enforcement's need, the Clinton administration reportedly
is seeking a bill that would require phone and cable companies to use
software designed to allow law enforcement agencies to monitor phone and
data transmissions.  Earlier this month, the administration decided to push
federal agencies to include so-called Clipper Chips in computers and phones
they use.  If that extends to vendors and contractors, the chip may become
a de facto industry standard.  The chips were designed in conjunction with
the National Security Agency to permit unscrambling of coded data
transmissions.  

These moves represent potential dangers to privacy; they take on added
urgency with the imminent marriage of computers, phones, and cable services
in ways that reduce the diversity of people's means of communication even
as they use those means for more activities.  No one doubts the need for
effective law enforcement.  The government, however, should not be in the
business of asking manufacturers to build secret backdoors into their
equipment, particularly when government holds the keys.  The proposals also
raise questions as to how appealing United States technology exports will
be overseas if such backdoor access is built in.

Congress should take a hard look at any bill that tries to expand the
government's ability to peer through the electronic blinds, no matter how
well-meaning the motive.