Cato Institute request for policy papers on encryption

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

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Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 10:18:33 -0500
From: Solveig Singleton <solveig@cato.org>
Subject: Request for short policy papers

Cato Institute's progam for information studies (that is, privacy and
crypto) is interested in receiving proposals for **short** policy papers
(five to thirty pages) on different aspects of the encryption debate.  In
particular, I am interested in detailed, well-argued but concise papers
addressing the following:

*  The costs (narrowly conceived) of mandatory key recovery:  OMB has one
estimate with no particular empirical support beyond the assertions of
national security folks.  We are interested in cost estimates that move the
debate forward in being based on something more concrete and reliable than
what has been offered thus far--so, we won't need years of carefully
calibrated econometric data (which just isn't there)--but we do want
something more than speculation.

*  Also needed, a short paper illustrating the impact of the export control
regime on experimental software or hardware ventures.  What are the costs of
the regulatory process in time and money, from the standpoint of the
developer?  Anecdotes welcome.

*  I would also like to do a paper on the uses of encryption in combatting
human rights violations worldwide, again replete with examples and anecdotes...

*  and A short paper on the ease of evading export controls--detailing the
ease with which encryption programs can be homemade, purchased from foreign
sources, etc.;

*  and a short paper on the strength of U.S. assertions that other countries
are likely to go along with U.S. attempts to foist mandatory key escrow upon
everyone by international agreement.

Please contact me if you are interested.



Solveig Singleton
(202) 789-5274
(202) 842-3490 (fax)

Director of Information Studies
Cato Institute
1000 Mass. Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20001