Escrowing Viewing and Reading Habits with the Government

[tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)]

At 2:59 AM 1/28/96, Lucky Green wrote:

>Of course the V-Chip transmits the ID number of the program to be rated
>upstream. Since all programs will be rated by the chip, regardless if you
>choose to use the rating or not, the exact channel you are watching will be
>tracked and logged.
>
>Have fun,

This is a serious misstatement of the proposal! I am shocked, simply
shocked. If Lucky only knew what I know...

The logged information is only available to law enforcement if they have a
legitimate need to know, as evidenced by a valid court order, an
authorization from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a request
by a regional or local police department, or upon suspicion that a sex
offender or pedophile is displaying too much interest in children's shows
or "Baywatch."

The "Library Awareness Program," administered by the Justice Department, is
designed to identify potential criminals before they have a chance to
commit their deeds. The visits to libraries made by the FBI are used to
determine who is reading subversive or dangerous material. According to
Director Freeh, "If we had had this program in place when Timothy McVeigh
was a child, we could have detected his interest in ANFO and picked him up
for reeducation, or at least recruited him for the CIA's Lockerbie team."

Finally, I am confidant the the viewing habits "escrowed" with the
government will only be used for good purposes. The policeman is our
friend.


--Klaus!

Boycott espionage-enabled software!
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^756839 - 1  | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."