Re: clipper==bad, but how do you explain this to average joe 6-pack?

[mike@EGFABT.ORG (Mike Sherwood)]

tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May) writes:

> Well, there are many approaches to take. Most of us (sorry, Lefty, for
> speaking as a tapeworm :-} ) are totally opposed to Clipper and key
> escrow in all its forms, as I'm sure most readers of this list know.
> (A few defenders of Clipper have appeared here recently....draw your
> own conclusions about the overall sentiment of the list.)

I also oppose the whole clipper/key escrow idea just because it's the 
governments' idea.  The reason that makes it bad is because they have a 
lot more power to "promote" their "good ideas" whereas those of us out 
here have the option to choose if we're happy with des or if we'd prefer 
pgp.  However, this is more of a religious issue than anything else, and 
the average people don't understand serious religious issues - they're 
too caught up on the silly ones that no one cares about like creation vs 
evolution. =)

> - insisting that all locks on doors have their keys "escrowed" with
> the local cops, just in case the cops want to make a midnight
> "inspection" of your house.

well, the cops can do that anyway with their magic door-breaking key.  
And as we've seen in the case of steve jackson games, they'd much rather 
break things apart than let people give them keys to open them. =)

> - outlawing window shades and other obstructions to those who are
> videotaping you through your windows.

this applies to crypto in general.  clipper gives this protection from 
everyone *BUT* law enforcement.  how do we justify "hiding" everything 
from the police without giving the inference that what we want to keep 
private is illegal or highly questionable?  I've found a lot of people 
more willing to assume the government's intentions are good than to 
accept that individuals are.

> Personally, I'm not fighting the battle of trying to convince my
> neighbors and folks I meet at the gym that key escrow is bad.

any thoughts on an approach for bringing this to the attention of those 
people at the gym that don't care about crypto? or perhaps a speech to a 
captive audience that has to listen because it's a public speaking class 
that is part of silly required GE? =)

--
Mike Sherwood
internet: mike@EGFABT.ORG     uucp: ...!sgiblab!egfabt!mike