From: Alex Strasheim <cp@proust.suba.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 22:13:24 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: US law - World Law - Secret Banking
In-Reply-To: <199604252321.QAA17568@jobe.shell.portal.com>
Message-ID: <199604260650.BAA11550@proust.suba.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


>    In the United States and Europe, encryption policy is formed by a mix
>    of interests. Advocates of business, national security agencies, and
>    more recently the police -- all play a large role in the policy
>    debate.

Someone's conspicuously absent here:  us. 

The interests of citizens aren't taken into account, and the notion that
civil liberties are relevant to the crypto debate is alien to NSA
thinking. 

This is why the "golden key" campaign is important.  Right now, in the 
short term, the interests of big business and our interests as citizens 
coincide.  They have an acknowledged seat at the table, while we do not.

This is not to say that we aren't playing a role -- a big role -- in the
policy debate, despite what the NSA lawyer said.  We (well, actually some
of you) are demonstrating to corporate customers that they need strong
crypto.  Business is listening to us, and the government is listening to
business. 

Nobody is paying any attention at all to the blue ribbons, though.

As long as companies like Netscape continue to support open standards, 
we'll come out ahead if they pursue their own narrow interests.