From: futplex@pseudonym.com (Futplex)
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 95 01:59:39 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com (Cypherpunks Mailing List)
Subject: Re: Netscape announces position against GAK
In-Reply-To: <30C953EC.28BA@netscape.com>
Message-ID: <199512091001.FAA09614@opine.cs.umass.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


(Thanks, Jeff)

http://home.netscape.com/newsref/ref/encryption_export.html says (via JW):
> This week Netscape representatives attending a government presentation
> of the administration's proposed Key Escrow Policy for Export detailed
> the company's firm opposition to the proposed policy. Netscape is
> opposed to this type of proposal for a number of reasons including
[...]
> significant personal privacy concerns, 
[...]
> 	consumers inside the United States would be forced to use a 
>	government-approved key-escrow product if they value the ability to
>	communicate with others outside the United States.
[...]
>	3. Corporate and individual rights to privacy are placed in question
>	by the current U.S. Government escrow proposal and process. This
>	is so because of the mandatory nature of the proposal resulting
>	from the key escrow requirement itself
[...]

This is pretty weak w.r.t. GAK ("rights to privacy are placed in question by
the current [...] proposal"). Most of the position statement really 
addresses the key length limit. But as far as I'm concerned, it falls clearly
on the anti-GAK side of the line. 

(The phrasing "the mandatory nature of the proposal resulting from the
key escrow requirement itself" is a bit ambiguous. I'm taking it to refer to
the mandatory nature of Clipper etc.)

-Futplex <futplex@pseudonym.com>