Cryptography banned in the Netherlands....

[mrs@tinac.com (Mike Schenk)]

I wrote:
> >But now the government is proposing a law that totally outlaws the use
> >of encryption methods.
> 
> >Any comments????


And hughes@ah.com (Eric Hughes) replied:
> Yes.  Find the coalition that has repeatedly prevented the imposition
> of national identity cards, and educate them about cryptography.  It's
> much the same issue.

Well, first of all, it seems that the identification requirement seems
to have passed anyway. But it's not as strict as it was proposed.

But you do have a point, it's the same issue, although I believe that
completely banning the use of cryptography is an even bigger violation
of civil rights than requiring the people that they should be able to
show some ID at any time of the day. 

It's exactly the same coalition that argued against national identity
cards that now just says that banning cryptography is not an interesting
matter so they will not even join the debates.

It looks like the biggest hope comes from the industry. Companies in the
Netherlands really feel threatened by this ban on cryptography and I hope
that they will be powerfull enough to stop this law. For once, the
corporate lobby seems to be on the side of the people!

	Mike