Re: clipper and export

[tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)]

Jonathan Rochkind wrote:

> Is anyone else distrubed by the way that encryption export policy and the
> clipper chip seem to be linked {in administration policy, and in the
> press?

Well, we helped made this connection happen! We, in the sense of the
overall letter-writing campaign...all those exhortations for us to
please get the Cantwell Bill moved along, those daily updates, etc.
EFF, CPSR, EPIC, and messages here on Cypherpunks and in other fora
(or forums).

> The letter from Gore to Cantwell certainly indicates this. He got her
> to refrain from trying to liberalize export by saying that he'd look
> into relaxing clipper. 
> This seems awfully insidious, for a variety of reasons. I think everyone

To be expected, given the nature of the lobbying effort.

> I don't think we should let them get away with this. If the two
> issues are going to be linked like this, we the public have got to demand
> and explanation or rational for doing this. Why did the administration

I agree with Jonathan's sentiments, though I get nervous hearing
buzzwords like "demand" and "let them get away with this." The will do
what states always do, accomodate interests. Maria Cantwell has,
partly by our actions, become a "player" in this high-stakes game. Her
motivations and goals may or may not agree with some of ours, and
certainly they collide with some views (e.g., I doubt she's an
anarchist).

Though I sent the obligatory "I oppose Clipper" and "I support the
Cantwell Bill" messages, I think we as Cypherpunks have a more
powerful hand to play than getting involved too deeply in the
Washington lobbying that's obviously going on here.

I reject key escrow, and I don't worry overmuch about export of crypto
or what it does to the competitiveness of Novell and Microsoft. (By
this I mean that end-to-end encryption is usually a big win over
product-integrated, officially-sanctioned crypto....and no export laws
will stop powerful, unofficially-sanctioned end-to-end crypto from
being used.)

Sure, support open export. But don't make it the cause celebre of
Cypherpunks, or the outcome that Jonathan bemoans will be inevitable.


--Tim May


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